The Daily Escape:
Sunrise, Jordan pond trail, Acadia NP – July 2024 photo by Joe Lacroix
President Biden addressed the nation on Sunday. He said heâs ordering an independent review of the assassination attempt on Trump at his political rally in PA on Saturday night. And he denounced the attack as contrary to everything we stand for as a nation.
After the shooting Biden called Trump and asked him if he was okay. Biden also suspended his campaign temporarily, including posting on social media. Over two presidential campaigns, Trump has done nothing but insult Biden and make fun of him, but Biden called him and asked him if he was okay. Thatâs the definition of a leader.
If you follow the news closely, youâve seen every major Democratic leader in the country resolutely condemning this political violence. Yet quite a few Republican members of Congress wasted no time in politicizing the attack on Trump by blaming Biden. Those Republicans, of course, will be given a pass, as always.
And the story will continue to dominate the news for several weeks: What was the shooterâs motive? His politics? (if any). There will rightly be serious questions about the Secret Serviceâs actions (and inaction). Many will strive to blame the inflammatory Trump rhetoric as a contributor to the attempted act.
Will it boost Trumpâs chances? Thatâs difficult to say, but it has certainly inflamed his base. Teddy Roosevelt was shot and then lost. Gerald Ford was shot at twice and lost. Reagan’s approval rating quickly returned to where it was before Hinckley tried to kill him. History isn’t exactly a blueprint for electoral success.
OTOH, Trumpâs now equal parts hero and victim to the Republican base. They will remember and repeat the line from his stump speech:
âIn the end, they’re not coming after me. They’re coming after you â and I’m just standing in their way.â
The conjunction of Trump shot and bleeding, along with getting to his feet with blood running down his face, and raising his fist while yelling âfight, fight, fightâ will make him an action hero for Republicans. Itâs already the cover of Time magazine:
And as you should have expected, within 24 hours after the shooting, a messianic narrative was emerging around Trump. On Friday, it was impossible to imagine Trump as a sympathetic figure, but now? Itâs become possible. Think about the MAGA narrative:
- The Deep State Secret Service (run by Biden) didn’t protect our guy. The government failed them once again. It had to be planned!
- Trump is instantly the manliest man among all men. Defiant, strong. Heâs even more MAGA than EVER!
- The Dems planned this because they couldn’t get him in the criminal or civil court system. So this is how they tried to rid us of him.
- If the Dems attack Trump, they are attacking a man who was almost assassinated. How could you attack such a warm and loving man of God? (barf).
As to Bidenâs candidacy? The assassination attempt will put any talk of replacing Biden aside for now. But if Trump makes inroads in the polls as a result of this, the talk of a replacement will begin again.
Wrongo has zero sympathy for Trump, not now, or before the shooting. You want 18 year-olds to have automatic weapons? You want to cheer on guys like Putin? You laugh at Paul Pelosi getting seriously injured? You want to minimize the plot against Gretchen Whitmer? You say Ashley Babbit was a martyr? You want to pardon all of the 1/6 criminals?
Trump is reaping what he has sown. We live in a very angry and dangerous gun climate created by Trump and the Republican Party. The reality is that Trump got a minor injury in an assassination attempt, and then proceeded to ham it up in response, demonstrating his sure feel for the cameras.
That doesnât change the fact that Trump is STILL a repugnant con-man, criminal, pathological liar, serial sexual abuser who should be kept away from the White House.
Wake up America! Did the job get harder? Quite possibly. But the job is still to defeat Trump in November, but by VOTES, not bullets.
Sorry, thereâs nothing to sing about on this Monday.
I suggest our violent streak dates to Thomas Jefferson who wrote: “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is itâs natural manure.”
Jefferson was an impractical dandy who had no experience with the tradesmen and small farmers who lived in towns and tried to build a new nation. So they has schools, poor houses and so on. Jefferson lived a life of luxury with expensive leather bound books, and slaves to attend to his needs. He rarely mixed with the rabble. John Adams and Alexander Hamilton did.
Still angry men have latched on the Jefferson’s words and pols of one stripe egg them on.