On a hot, sunny, typically humid Pennsylvania summer day, the ex-president was just beginning what, very likely, would be his standard 90 minute to two-hour harang on immigration, radical left opponents and his favorite Democratic political targets. But just minutes into his stump speech shots rang out, one coming narrowly close to ending his life but only grazing his ear. As close calls go, this was certainly one.
Once again, political violence, an American tradition, a tradition that has resulted in the assassination of four U.S. Presidents and attempts on several other presidents and presidential candidates, rang out.
With cable television broadcasting live, viewers saw Trump wince, grab the side of his head and duck behind the podium. Immediately Secret Service agents surrounded him, whisking him into his signature presidential vehicle. As he was being rescued, the Republican front runner, face contorting in anger, violently pumping his fist into the air and shouting ‘fight,’ left the stage, trickles of crimson streaking his face.
Trump was lucky. But while the 20-year-old sniper, would-be assassin, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks—a registered Republican—failed in his attempt to kill the ex-president, bullets from his weapon did kill one man and critically wound two others. The dead man has been identified as Corey Comparetore, the fallen retired fire chief who lived nearby. Secret Service agents who fatally shot the young Crooks who was found fatally shot laying prone atop a building just 150 yards away.
The Pennsylvania assassination attempt was perhaps one of the final events for Trump before heading to Milwaukee where he will be nominated at the Republican Convention.
“This (assassination attempt) will probably solidify their (supporters) commitment and resolve,” to Trump said Rob Preuhs, head of the Metropolitan State University-Denver political science department. “It may also move some folks toward Trump.”
But almost certainly, said Preuhs, Republicans both at this week’s convention and in media blitzing up to the election will use images of Trump in moments after the assassination attempt to their benefit.
Most of Colorado’s Congressional delegation, five of whom are Democrats, responded with both messages of relief that the ex-president will be OK and calls for a more thoughtful public discourse.
First-term Democratic Congresswoman and physician Yadira Caraveo almost immediately following the shooting, called for a cool down in emotions. “Political violence is unacceptable,” she said. “What happened tonight must be condemned by all Americans. We are a democracy.”
Sixth Congressional District Congressman Jason Crow echoed his Democratic colleagues. “Political violence has no place in our democracy. Period. My thoughts are with former President Trump and all those impacted.”
Governor Jared Polis and both Colorado senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, also called for an end to the political violence while wishing Trump a quick recovery.
But a number of Republicans, including Lauren Boebert, who represents the state’s 3rd Congressional District placed the blame for the assassination attempt squarely at the feet of President Joe Biden. “Joe Biden is responsible for the shooting,” said Boebert, offering no proof. She also posted an image of a fist-thrusting and wounded Trump on “X,” formerly known as Twitter. But Boebert was not alone in holding, not just the young shooter responsible, but the President.
Georgia Republican Congressman Mike Collins posted tersely on “X” that “Joe Biden sent the orders” to incite the shooter. Collins was referring to a recent Biden speech in which he metaphorically said, said Trump should be “the target” for Democrats. Target, it should be noted, is a com- mon term in political discourse. There is no evidence Biden meant anything beyond an innocuous use of the word.
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, among a handful of potential picks as a Trump ticket mate, upped the temperature even more blaming Biden directly for Saturday’s horrid event. Biden’s words, he said, “led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Butler, Pennsylvania, a town 35 miles north of Pittsburgh with a population of 13,000, may never again have the world watching or even knowing of it. But now with an attempted presidential assassination part of its legacy, the whole world knows of it. And world leaders, like, knows of it.
How the failed assassination is viewed worldwide, Preuhs said, “They will all have to deal with us one way or another.” Treaties, he said, whether in western Europe or anywhere else, “are important.” Both allies and adversaries, said the political science professor may not have the highest opinions about our politics, but “abandoning us one way or another is not a possibility.” The U.S., he said, remains the strongest military and economic power in the world.
The failed assassination attempt may also play a significant role—perhaps one of many—in how Democrats move forward. Already, because of Biden’s pratfall performance in the recent debate, Democrats were thrown into disarray with many calling for Biden to step aside for another candi- date. Then, there is the Democratic National Convention set for August 19th in Chicago, a city that conjures up painful memories for many Democrats.
“For the short term,” said former state legislator and Democratic delegate to the convention, Joe Salazar, “I think it greatly impacts the election.” But the impact, he said, may be more short term than fatal. “Once August and the tough campaigning begins, it might not be so impactful. Of course, Trump will attempt to play it out for as long as he can.”
But it was in Chicago, in 1968, where the party convened under another set of dark clouds and many Democrats fear a repeat. That year the country was at war with itself and the Democratic Party was also deeply divided. Beside the politics of the war and the internecine conflict of the party, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Senator Robert Kennedy had just recently been assassinated. Today, a more nightmarish political stage would be hard to imagine.
This time, another war, this one in Gaza, has created the potential for deep division against an incumbent president by Arab Americans, many of whom live and vote in Michigan, a state considered critical if Democrats are to win in November.
Then, there was a recent Israeli airstrike aimed at killing a Hamas leader that may have been unsuccessful but in the process may also have killed as many as a hundred Palestinians or more. That would only add to the estimated 40,000 Palestinians already killed in the war inspired by the October 7th Hamas attack on Israelis.
Add to that a President many in the party feel is too old to win in November, and the table is set for something. Just what? Democrats and the nation can only wait.
