Our nation narrowly avoided a catastrophe with the failed assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

In the wake of this disturbing attack, I am grateful that President Trump is safe and recovering and join my fellow Tennesseans and Americans in praying for the two victims who were critically injured and in mourning the loss of Corey Comperatore, a rally attendee who was killed while heroically protecting his wife and daughters from gunfire.

As we make sense of this shocking act of political violence, it is imperative that we reflect on how we reached this point.

For 248 years, robust, bipartisan, and respectful debate has been the hallmark of our nation’s political process, empowering us to defend our freedoms and build consensus around lasting legislation that serves the American people. While debates can often be contentious, only through open deliberation can we freely express our beliefs, challenge others’ viewpoints, and figure out the best path forward for our country.

Yet, more and more, we have seen this process break down as respectful debate gives way to vitriolic attacks.

Just days before the assassination attempt on President Trump, President Joe Biden told supporters that “it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.” That remark followed weeks of increasingly hyperbolic comments from Biden, who called President Trump a “genuine threat to this nation” who “really could become a dictator.”

Following President Biden’s cues, the media have echoed this reckless language, with one popular left-wing magazine recently depicting President Trump on its cover with the features of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Even after the tragedy on Saturday, some in the media went as far as insinuating that President Trump is partly to blame for the assassination attempt on his own life.

Make no mistake: This sort of rhetoric has no place in our public life.

To be sure, many political debates—especially those in Washington—are inevitably heated and combative. Our nation faces serious challenges, and on many issues it is difficult to find common ground.

But no matter our differences, Americans of all political stripes must communicate with each other with a sense of respect and decorum. Only then can we keep the possibility of consensus alive and work toward solutions that put our country on a better path.

In so many ways, the assassination attempt on President Trump is a powerful reminder of what can happen when Americans abandon the possibility of working together and choose to settle political differences with violence.

As we move forward from this tragedy, let’s recommit to our cherished democratic process—and the robust, bipartisan, and respectful debate that sustains it—to ensure that America will continue to thrive for generations to come.