In the aftermath of the horrific tragedies in El Paso and Dayton, we need to be elevating the things that bind us together, cherishing our values, helping others and holding our loved ones close. It is not the time for turning these acts of terror into weapons against political opponents.

Both acts were pure evil. There is simply no rationale other than pure hate. One was a racist white supremacist who was in favor of population control and against drilling out of concern for climate change. The other was a socialist and a satanist who ranted against both police officers and white supremacists. This is not coherent. Both were sick, deranged, and evil.

Yet the extremely twisted ideology of one shooter is getting the bulk of the media coverage because only one could be weaponized against President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE. The media obsession that drives every news cycle to inflict damage against him has gone way too far. Instead of mourning the dead, the media is turning the horrific attack in El Paso, where the blame belongs only to the evil perpetrator, into a horrible politicized weapon.

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The Democrats immediately drew a direct line between President Trump and the unspeakable tragedy where families were gunned down while shopping for back to school. Beto O’Rourke labeled President Trump a “white nationalist,” connecting him to the slayings of over 20 innocent people. Unfortunately, O’Rourke was not alone in this. Numerous 2020 candidates tied the shootings to President Trump. For Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility MORE, it was not the shooter, but the president who must be “held responsible.”

The media continues. The New York Times wrote that manifesto of the El Paso shooter manifesto “echoes" the language of President Trump. The same article made no mention of the rants about sustainability and the “decimation of the environment” or that he railed against policies under the Republican administration. Despite the shooter saying that his views “predate” President Trump and his campaign, The New York Times still blames President Trump for bringing into the mainstream “polarizing ideas and people once consigned to the fringes of American society.”

There was no New York Times article describing how the social media postings of the Dayton shooter “echo” the Democratic lawmakers known as "the squad,” with posts about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents running “concentration camps” at the southern border. There should not be. Neither should MSNBC ask Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Democratic senators ask inspector general to investigate IRS use of location tracking service MORE if President Trump is a “white nationalist,” while not asking a question in an interview about the Dayton shooter, who expressed support for her candidacy.

Unfortunately, this pattern in the media is nothing new. The media rushed to blame Sarah Palin for the shooting in Tucson eight years ago that killed six people and left Gabby Giffords seriously wounded, when there was absolutely no connection. In the wake of the mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater seven years ago, ABC News rushed to find something they could link to Republicans, maligning an innocent man in the process. It was irresponsible then. It is irresponsible now. But like everything since his election, the opponents of President Trump know no limits in their hostile resistance. This divisive blame game in the country must end.

Having differences on immigration policy and believing in securing the border and modernizing the immigration system does not make you a racist. Having concern about unprecedented levels of migration, a border at the breaking point, and seeking to end the crisis of child suffering and human trafficking did not cause the act of an evil madman in El Paso. Likewise, the Democrats promoting socialist policies is not to blame for the acts of a deranged socialist in Dayton. Now is the time for healing. This rhetoric from the media and the Democrats only fuels division.

“The first lady and I join all Americans in praying and grieving for the victims, their families, and the survivors,” President Trump said in the aftermath of these tragedies. “We will stand by their side forever. We will never forget. Hate has no place in America,” President Trump added. The hatred for him shown by the media has no place in its coverage either.

Elizabeth Harrington is the national spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee. You can follow her updates on Twitter @LizRNC.