You can disavow the evenings protesters, wash your hands of them as a fringe element that doesn't represent your party or movement, but when it's coming from an elected official, who by definition represents a MAJORITY, that doesn't work, does it? Then you have to either admit and accept that many of your chosen LEADERS, not just some lunatic fringe, are hate mongers who incite violence against peaceful Americans, or find some tortured way to rationalize a defense for them. What happened to the old conservative mindset Daniel Webster famously stated as "I'd rather be right than President"? When did demonizing peoples religious freedom become a legitimate path to power in America? THAT'S the party of Lincoln?

I agree this is a waste of time; you've demonstrated yet again that you'll defend ANYTHING a Republican leader says, simply because they're Republican. Usually you excuse it by saying liberals even other liberals don't respect do the same thing, as if it's OK to embrace behavior in leaders that you AND your opponents condemn supporters. Again, that's how you can tell whether something is really just a lunatic fringe or if that's merely an excuse: Lunatic fringes are disavowed and pushed aside; majorities, in this case a dangerous one, are defended and elected to office. I'm sorry--truly very sorry, on many levels--that so many of your chosen leaders are violence inciting bigots, but only you, not I, can change that; all I can do is oppose their hate fueled attempts to seize control of our country, the way you SHOULD be opposing their hate fueled attempt to seize control of that country and your faction.