Earlier today RedState’s Amelia Hamilton wrote about how Montel Williams when trying to tweet something positive in the wake of the attempted assassination of GOP members of Congress this morning couldn’t resist throwing partisan shade with caveats that would be unnecessary if he was being sincere.

Left wing operative David Axelrod did the same thing, only with more finesse.

Here’s the setup.

Awful news about shooting in VA targeting @GOP members of Congress and Capitol police.

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) June 14, 2017

Saddened to read political responses among expressions of thoughts and prayers. Can we please hit pause on that for now? https://t.co/dIQQcSlqNy

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) June 14, 2017

So far so good, right? Nothing wrong with these sentiments, except for maybe the request to pause rather than stop political responses. Is he suggesting that such responses will be appropriate in a few hours or days? I don’t know.

Then comes the subtle nod to the crazies.

The targeting of members of Congress, regardless of party, is an assault on our democracy. A terrible day.

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) June 14, 2017

“Regardless of party” is a totally unnecessary caveat. It changes a true statement into a shiv. Shooting politicians is not justified, even if they’re those lousy Republicans who deserve it. You see, Axelrod gets where the gunman is coming from but but it’s still not cool to shoot people. It’s bad optics.

What a weasel. Or is he a snake?