When John Wilkes Booth killed Abraham Lincoln, the country was healing from Civil War. Lincoln had fought to end slavery and, in the process, prevented a group of states from seceding, a right which they felt they had, and a move that Booth believed was tyrannical.
John Hinckley Jr. shot President Ronald Reagan out of some delusional desire to impress actress Jodie Foster.
Speculation reigns supreme, but when Lee Harvey Oswald shot John F. Kennedy, was it because Kennedy wanted to reign in the War Department and the CIA?
Former President Donald Trump was shot for one, unprecedented reason. Hatred. Not his policies, but because the fervor of left-wing politicians and media ginned up a hatred of this man heretofore unseen in politics.
During World War II, an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler would have been cheered. When Rob O’Neill killed Osama bin Laden, the nation cheered in unanimity. If the unhinged Left in this country had any courage and sincerity, they would release a statement offering their regrets that the bullet which grazed the Teflon Don’s right ear hadn’t been two inches further left. Then they would applaud the attempt and encourage further efforts. Why? Because for years Mr. Trump has been accused by these people of being a threat to democracy, a convicted felon, a racist, dictator, insurrectionist, a homophobe, bigot, a nazi sympathizer, a Hitler. The Left doesn’t have the strength of their convictions to say the truth out loud, but this is their psyche.
Last week in this space I wrote: “Though insidious, to the political left this [the politics of victimhood] has been a successful stratagem. The modern left has created a phalanx of loyal supporters looking to build their own personal realities. This is the prism through which they view the world and this is why they take politics so seriously. To disagree with a policy is to attack not their opinion, but their very being. Politics has become their religion. When truth is allowed to be personally defined, then any disagreement on that perception of truth is a personal attack and the offended person responds accordingly. This fervor has served leftism well.” In this case, it appears that the left-wing media and politicians have motivated an offended and neurotic person to madness. And he took matters into his own hands. While these leftists have been conned into feeling threatened, they are worried about micro-aggressions and opinions, while the right-wing is threatened by bullets.
Nor is this the first time. On June 14, 2017 a man shot up a baseball practice that Congressional Republicans were holding in preparation for their annual game against Congressional Democrats. The perpetrator, a professed Bernie Sanders supporter, was fond of posting left wing propaganda on his Facebook page. “Republicans are the Taliban of the USA,” posted in February of that year, is one of his more direct postings. Just like radicalized Muslims, the broken minds of the political left can be demented by the media into acting out violent fantasies.
Remember, as well, that conservative justices on the Supreme Court have been threatened, and have been living in danger for the two years since the fall of Roe. Not to mention, conservative commentators like Matt Walsh, and Michael Knowles live with full time security details. This is the fruit of liberal hatred. It is never the right perpetrating violence, despite every accusation and slander to the contrary.
To turn our attention to the political ramifications, a few thoughts and recommendations come to mind:
I believe this election is in hand for Trump. Forty percent of America will still vote against Trump. But with all the momentum going his way already since the Biden debate disaster, this is going to make any independents and undecideds swing to Trump. While Trump is taking bullets, to paraphrase Ann Coulter, “the sitting President of the United States may not know his shapes and colors.” The contrast could not be any more colorful.
Trump should name his Vice-Presidential nominee tomorrow morning, and bring stark attention and emphasis to the fact that unlike Kamala Harris, this is not a diversity, inclusion and equity selection. This person will have the stature and wherewithal to be the next President in case Trump is attacked again. Look for JD Vance, a former Marine, and brilliant – but not flashy Senator, to be in the discussion.
In the opinion of this writer, Trump should announce that he is going to pardon a significant portion of January 6’ers and Hunter Biden. This rancor must end and pardoning the first son would be a magnanimous start to his second term. Biden’s crimes are non-violent and scoundrel though he is, he is a political operative, and it might go a long way to securing the Presidency for Trump and calming some people down a bit.
If I were an adviser to Trump, I would suggest he cut down on the personal appearances. To be clear, he would not listen. First for his own well-being and second, because as this campaign is going well for him right now, his mouth can only hurt his chances at this point.
Remember that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requested and was denied secret service protection by Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security.
That picture of a bloodied Trump, hand jabbed defiantly in the air is the next picture in the pantheon of powerful pictures. The marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, the Shuttle exploding, the kiss in Times Square, 9-11. If Trump were a Democrat, that would be a Pulitzer Prize winning picture.
Honestly, what must our enemies be thinking right now? After seeing him take a bullet, repel his security detail as they tried to sweep him off the stage, and then to see him raise his arm? They must be hoping for water leaks in Georgia, Dominion voting machines in Wisconsin and closed polling stations in Arizona. And some might be wetting their pants.
Lastly, this failed attempt cements that Joe Biden will be the nominee of his party. If this election is over, they will not waste their bench candidates for a foregone conclusion. They are going to ride Biden to an ignominious and flaming end.
Thank God Trump is with us still. May God Bless him, his family, and his country.
Louis Biad is a contributor to Catholics for Catholics.
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