There is no doubt that the shots fired at the Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump was wrong by any measure. Morally, politically or, legally.
Thankfully our nation was speared having to deal with the demise of another public figure. Many of us lived thru the tumultuous time which claimed the lives of John Kennedy, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy. It is not a time that any sane person wants to live through again. Many have pondered whether the attempt against Trump will increase his popularity as it did when Reagan was shot. People should recall that when Reagan was shot, it was in the first few months of his presidency the so-called honeymoon. Second, he was not the divisive figure that Trump is.
In recent times we have seen former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe assassinated and the present Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico survive an attempt on his life.
There is precedent for the Trump incident namely former president Teddy Roosevelt who also chose to run again for the White House. As he left his hotel to deliver his campaign in Milwaukee (ironic given that’s where the GOP convention is being held) a man opened fire. Despite having a bullet in his chest Roosevelt refused to go to the hospital and went on to deliver a 90 minute speech.
While the FBI searches for a motive for this senseless attack, quite frankly unless it’s an Ides of March or Wag the Dog scenario, it’s irrelevant. This was an action perpetrated by a delusional individual, that should be highly and without equivocation condemned by all Americans.
As news networks including CNN seek to distance themselves from what may be seen as fiery rhetoric there is a concern that Trump will not be subject to the same scrutiny that he might have received has this not occurred. Watching Jake Tapper listen stoically as Senator Ron Johnson blame things such as DEI and critical race theory for the attack on Trump. Unfortunately Tapper allowed this to continue without pushback.
President Biden is correct in his call to tone down the rhetoric. Nonetheless we should not lose sight that the Trump who survived the attack on Saturday is the same guy who instigated the violent attack on the capital, has been found guilty of sexual assault which the judge called rape with another 18 alleging that he sexually assaulted them as well. He is the same man who has been found guilty of fraud. He is the same man found guilty of 34 felony counts. He is the same man whose foundation has been shut down because of fraud. He is the same Trump who called for the death penalty for the Central Park Five but couldn’t admit he was wrong after they were found to be innocent. He is the same Trump who instigated the doxxing of officials during his trial which led them to be the recepients of death threats.
In the Bible we read about the Road to Damascus. It is the story of the conversion of Saul who persecuted Christians. On his way to Damascus he encounters Jesus. It is here that he undergoes a transformation and becomes a devout follower of Christ.
In 1972 Alabama Governor George Wallace ran for president. Known as a devout segregationist he was shot 5 times which left him paralyzed from the waist down. It was during his recovery that he experienced an epiphany about race. It became his road to Damascus experience.
Trump is raising money off the events of Saturday. The RNC convention will no doubt use the atrocity from Saturday to cast Trump as a conquering hero. While Trump is called for unity, his surrogates are doing anything but that.
It is yet to be seen whether or not this has had a Road to Damascus effect on the essence of Trump
Given his propensity for violent rhetoric and a life of believing he is above the law with help from the Supreme Court, I would probably be forgiven if I express skepticism about Trump becoming a new man.