What we watched this weekend was of historical significance. Reflecting on the former President surviving an assassination attempt – only to jab his hand to the sky in defiance of death, a weakened President Biden – overwhelmed by the events of his time, and thinking of the Republican Convention this week in Wisconsin, I was reminded of something I read a long time ago. In Spring of 1951, Democratic President Harry Truman’s approval rating was near 25 percent. In April of that year, General Douglas MacArthur gave his farewell address to a joint session of Congress. Those listening were invested to hear if the five-star General of the Army had political aspirations. As recounted by his friend, Pat Buchanan, Congressman Pat Hillings was quoted as saying, “When MacArthur finished his address with that line from ‘Old Soldiers Never Die’, there wasn’t a dry eye on the Republican side of the aisle – or a dry pair of pants on the Democratic side.”
One can just imagine what Trump is going to say in Milwaukee. This is going to be like the debut of a John Wayne blockbuster. For who is there better equipped to massage drama into the most watched convention in a long time. I remember as a kid, watching with my dad, both conventions. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore with only political junkies watching more than highlights of the nominee’s speech. Viewers are going to see Trump emerge to music, maybe Shoot to Thrill from AC/DC, or Bulletproof by La Roux. Knowing Trump, it may be John William’s theme to Superman the Movie. We have come to expect no less. And why wouldn’t we? Trump is coming in on the heels of an unsuccessful assassination attempt, complete with iconic reaction and photograph. About the only thing better he could have done would have been to stand up, dust himself off, and finish the speech. And he might have, if not for compassionate deference to the innocent victims of the politically motivated rampage. Trump was gaining in popularity anyway with everything coming up roses for the man; his convictions, court appearances, mugshot, delay of sentencing in his farce New York case, and most recently the rightful dismissal of his confidential documents case in Florida. He has the wind at his back. Ronald Reagan’s polls jumped close to 20 percent after he was shot, and the same seems to be taking shape here. And then there was that debate that showed his opponent as the shell of a man.
Viewers are going to see a unity and vigor from the RNC that they will just not see, if they even tune in to Biden’s DNC, regardless of who is the nominee. They are more likely to see rioting and protesting at the Democrat convention than at any time since their 1968 Convention in Chicago.
Then Trump is going to announce his pick for Vice President which will give him another headline. He just demands the spotlight and sucks the air from out of Biden’s sails, to the continued consternation of the vitriolic mainstream media. Trump will nominate someone whose competence will directly contrast with Kamala Harris. If Biden had nominated a Joe Liberman, or an Al Gore, they would not be in the shape they are in. Tulsi Gabbard would have been very hard for the GOP to counter in 2020 and even more so now. A capable VP would have helped with the debilitated Biden’s reelection chances, but this is what political correctness breeds. This is actually an important pick for Trump, given the physical danger in which he finds himself. The person who Trump chooses to ride shotgun with him will be no D.E.I. hire. If Trump should choose JD Vance, a former marine, it will be a stark comparison to the metrosexuals who these days dominate politics. Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Mike Johnson and Lindsey Graham don’t exactly ooze masculinity. Michelle Obama is about as close as they come. Compared to these guys, a Trump/Vance ticket, right after surviving an assassination attempt will even make the shirtless, horse riding Vlad Putin envious.
The selection of a competent running mate, especially if it is a male, will highlight the disastrous week for the Secret Service and particularly female agents. The Secret Service, specifically their boss Kimberly Cheatle, are in for a rough week. Videos of the would-be assassin getting into position minutes before pulling the trigger are all over the internet.
There have been other presidential assassination attempts in history but I believe this is the first one where dozens of people saw it coming and spent minutes pointing him out to law enforcement who responded by doing absolutely nothing about it
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) July 15, 2024
So are records of people warning law enforcement. The implications, and the questions it raises are going to make a spectacle for the Deep State to handle. One lesson to learn is never to leave Ajejandro Mayorkas’ Depart of Homeland Security in charge of your safety. His incompetence and corruption know no limits. It appears that Trump’s Secret Service detail was thin was because First Lady, Doctor Jill Biden, Ed.D. was speaking in Pennsylvania at the same time as the former president/current candidate Donald Trump. And who hasn’t seen the videos of that female agent fumbling to draw and holster her sidearm or the picture of her crouching behind the scrum of agents diving to cover their client? This is a time, when ladies all over the world really should evaluate if they want to do jobs like this. Being a fire fighter or Secret Service sound great when they think about walking at a slow pace along the presidential limousine, with that cool thing in their ear, but when the manure hits the fan, there isn’t always going to be a protectee standing between you and a bullet. This country is past the fantasy of political correctness. We just witnessed what a real threat is, and it is much greater than micro-aggressions and mean words. God willing, this is where the violence stops, but the reality is that the rubber has hit the road.
And this, the USSS agent who could not holster her sidearm. Why is she ducking instead of shielding Trump? pic.twitter.com/O1nDplBMO0
— Ed Renner (@Onecrazyndn) July 14, 2024
Consider. If the next four months go Trump’s way, it will be the greatest physical and political comeback in history. Forget about a second act, this would eclipse the resurrection of Richard Nixon’s career after he lost to Jack Kennedy and became a punching bag for the media. It will be of vast historical impact as well. Instead of four more years of the Biden/Obama/Elites Administration running this country, we may have four years of an invigorated Donald Trump at his most fearless. Possibly followed by eight years of his hand selected, MAGA approved successor, with Trump as his biggest cheerleader. This is a drastic 180-degree difference – if he pulls it off. Even if Trump wins, it is going to be close. The system is still stacked against him. But it may be that this is a turning point to save America.
There is only one yuge thing left for Trump to do. The former President should convert to Catholicism. Given the danger to his life, he should follow the example of his wife, who appears to be a very private Catholic or at least Catholic adjacent. He needs to be baptized, make a good confession to an experienced confessor, enter the Church and live his life in Grace. Then he will know real fearlessness.
Louis Biad is a contributor to Catholics for Catholics.
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