I'm sure it does affect tone and discourse to a degree, but I think friends, family and peers are more influential than any given "leader". Either way, it doesn't, IMO, excuse or even significantly attribute bad actions. Actions are personal choices in all respects, assuming the actors are adults in full control of their wits.

complex problem in this country that is leading to the level of violence we are seeing, and the components that are contributing to it span a host of issues.  It would be nice if our leaders would turn it down a few notches and maybe occasionally say something nice about one another or  - seems simple - because the example they're setting, while maybe not a primary cause for the uptick we're seeing, certainly does not help.  This attack yesterday kind of puts an exlamation point on that - this person attacked those people directly.

BBG