Analysis: Dinner shooting brings reminders of past era of political violence
A shooting at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner prompted a security lockdown, evacuating figures including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Trump, evoking memories of political violence from the 1960s and '70s. The alleged shooter, Cole Tomas Allen, appears to fit a pattern of lone actors with political grievances, amid growing concerns about rising political extremism. The incident reignited debate over the normalization of violence in today’s polarized political climate. Historians draw parallels between current societal tensions and those of the late '60s and '70s, though today's environment is marked by more pervasive rhetoric and online radicalization.
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Politics Analysis: Unstable people in unsettled times – America revisits the political violence of the '60s and '70s By Daniel Klaidman Daniel Klaidman Daniel Klaidman, an investigative reporter based in New York, is the former editor-in-chief of Yahoo News and former managing editor of Newsweek. He has over two decades of experience covering politics, foreign affairs, national security and law. Read Full Bio Daniel Klaidman April 28, 2026 / 6:28 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was amiably chatting with guests at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner when shots rang out. Amid the ensuing chaos as dinner attendees took cover, Kennedy's security detail rushed his table.
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