New York Times columnist Ross Douthat apologized on Thursday for joking that Donald Trump’s presidential campaign will end with an assassination attempt.
On Wednesday, Douthat tweeted, “Good News guys I’ve figured out how the Trump campaign ends” accompanied by a link to a clip from 1983 movie “The Dead Zone.”
After his tweet received a torrent of backlash, Douthat issued a mea culpa via Twitter, saying he “can see why” readers were offended.
A lot readers were offended by my Trump/"Dead Zone" joke from yesterday. I can see why, and I've deleted the tweet. Apologies.
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) February 25, 2016
For those not familiar with “The Dead Zone,” a character played by Christopher Walken attempts to assassinate a political figure played by Martin Sheen. The plan falls apart when Sheen’s character holds up a baby as a human shield, saving his life but destroying his credibility.
Check out the scene here.
