If some polls are to be believed, one in three Democrats think that Donald Trump faked his own assassination attempt. When I read that, I thought, could this possibly be true? But this weekend on my drive home to West Virginia from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, I got the theory first hand. And it’s a fascinating doozy.

Station Square Ristorante, just off of I-80 in Liberty, Ohio, is an absolute gem. Ottavio and Bridget Musumeci have somehow managed to create a legitimate fine-dining experience attached to the Super 8 motel. And no, I’m not kidding. In the wood-paneled bar, as I ordered oysters and antipasto for a late lunch, I met Mark, originally from northern New Jersey, which his accent revealed before he did. And Mark, well, he had some very interesting things to say.

As is my way, I turned the conversation to politics and the assassination came up.

‘That whole thing was a setup,’ Mark told me.

Before I could even respond, John, the bartender, who I would learn doesn’t like Trump or Biden, said, ‘Nah, two people are dead. No way.’ 

Mark’s response was, ‘this is Donald Trump, he’s capable of anything.’

So I dug in a bit. How did they get the kid to do it? Mark was ready with answers. They paid off the family, or maybe told him he’d get off with just a few years in jail, he suggested.

‘And the death of Corey Comperatore?’ I asked, referring to the retired fire chief who died shielding his family from the assassin’s bullets.

‘Donald Trump doesn’t care if his supporters die,’ Mark shot back, quite certain of himself.

You should know that Mark did not come off as some kind of lunatic. A bit prone to conspiracy theories maybe, but by no means crazy. So how could he believe all this with no evidence whatsoever?

He also had a good appetite, and as he wolfed down his caesar salad and veal piccante topped with mussels, he made it clear that it all came down to one simple precept: Trump is capable of anything.

I couldn’t help but think that the fact that Mark shares this kind of weird, irrational thinking with a third of his party faithful is because it is exactly what Democrats and their media allies have been feeding them. 

Why wouldn’t Mark, if he has a steady diet of liberal media, think that Trump is capable of killing innocent people? After all, they say he will deny women their rights, he won’t let black people vote, he will destroy democracy, and on and on and on. Mark is conditioned to believe that Trump is a unique evil and nothing should be put past him.

I said to Mark that if I thought one party, one side, or call it what you will, was willing to kill innocent Americans in this way, then it might be time to buy some guns. Then he said something that surprised me.

‘It’s not the other side, it’s just Trump.’

It made little sense, but in a strange way, I was glad to hear him say it. At least Mark doesn’t blame his fellow citizens who support Trump. Not yet, anyway. Mark finished and left before I did, and we had a wholesome and sincere goodbye. After the door closed, I asked to John, ‘What do you make of that?’ ‘It’s crazy,’ he shrugged.

Yes it is, but here we are.