SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
We're going to turn now to Minnesota's - one of Minnesota's U.S. senators, Democrat Tina Smith. As we just heard from Minnesota Public Radio's Clay Masters, according to law enforcement, dozens of Minnesota Democrats were named in a document found in the alleged suspect's car, and Smith's name was on that list of possible targets.
Tina Smith joins us now. Senator, thank you for talking to us, and a lot to talk about. I just want to start with Representative Hortman, State Senator John Hoffman. Not only do you know them well, you just saw them hours before the shootings.
TINA SMITH: Yes, this is a - it's a tragedy for our state, and it is a personal loss for me and so many, many Minnesotans who knew Melissa and her husband, Mark, and John and Yvette so well. We were all together last night at our big annual party dinner and celebration, the Humphrey-Mondale Dinner, and so we all saw one another. And it is just hard to believe that this happened last night.
DETROW: What was your reaction when you found out that your name was on this list? And what can you say about your security situation right now?
SMITH: Well, of course, my first thought was just trying to grapple with the loss of Melissa and Mark and every - and the - not knowing immediately what had happened to John Hoffman and Yvette. Knowing that my name on this list was certainly a cause for alarm. I'm grateful for the incredible support that I've gotten from local law enforcement and also the support that we are getting from Capitol police. And it is a terrible thing to think that public servants have to worry about their personal safety in such a tangible and scary way.
DETROW: I want to talk about this moment and the rise of political violence, but I do want to ask, is the fact that this suspect is allegedly passing himself as a police officer - does that complicate the security situation right now?
SMITH: Well, certainly, the first word we had was that he was expertly masquerading as a police officer, all the way down to the car that he was driving having lights that looked like a police car and a license plate on the back that said police. And so my husband and Archie (ph) this morning were talking about how, if somebody like that presented themselves at our door at 2 o'clock in the morning, we would certainly answer the door. So it was a very carefully thought-through and violent and vicious and clearly a politically motivated attack.
DETROW: Are U.S. Capitol Police with you and Senator Klobuchar now?
SMITH: They - I'm not going to speak in direct detail...
DETROW: OK.
SMITH: ...About my security right now, but I will just say that I feel confident that I have lots of people here to make sure that my family and I are safe.
DETROW: Let's get back to something you said before. This is the latest in a string of political violence in this country, from a hammer attack on former Speaker Pelosi's husband to multiple assassination attempts against President Trump during last year's campaign. What do you think is needed to change this environment of rising political violence?
SMITH: The idea that our political differences should explode into this kind of violence - I mean, it is a threat to people's personal safety, but it is also a threat to the very form of government that we have. The theory of our government is that we do not express our differences using violence. We use our political systems. And yet, there seem to be individuals who are just not believing in that fundamental norm. I think it's important that politicians and leaders - faith leaders, political leaders, all leaders - speak out clearly against this kind of violence, both Republicans and Democrats, and treat each other with the kind of respect that is deserved.
DETROW: Given the trajectory of the past decade and the attacks on social media, I mean, is it possible to deescalate political tension in this country at this point? This is in a week when there are tanks on the streets and National Guard deployed against governors' wills.
SMITH: Well, there is - it feels, to me, as if we are at a tipping point. And we have to - and we collectively can decide, which way are we going to tip? Are we going to move back towards some way of managing our differences, or are we going to continue to pursue this path of expressing our differences with violence? And that is, of course, completely unacceptable.
DETROW: That is U.S. Senator Tina Smith. Thank you so much for taking a few moments to talk to us tonight.
SMITH: Thank you, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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