EDITORIAL – Assassination attempt on Trump reaps quick political fallout

 An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

WHO SHOT DONALD TRUMP? His supporters didn’t have to wait for police to provide the supposed identity of the man who came within an inch of assassinating the former president today (July 13, 2024). A bullet that could easily have killed him instead grazed his right ear.

It was, they quickly concluded, “an inside job.” It was a Biden supporter, they said. “Biden is responsible for this.” It was “the left” and the “Deep State.” It was the ubiquitous “they” who are to blame for everything. It was all part of a plot to keep Trump from the White House.

Instant social media experts identified several different men by name as the alleged shooter. One announced that “they got him,” the shooter, that is, and tweeted a brief video of someone being carried out of the grandstand behind the podium. Except the video was actually of a man who had been killed by one of the shooter’s errant bullets.

One television commentator blamed the attempted assassination on the current “rhetoric” against Trump. Without saying it, he was pointing the finger at the Democrats.

That’s outrageous but it seems to be the focus of a lot of the discussion today. The shooting has elevated Trump to the status of mythical super hero battling the evil Democrats who first went after his businesses, then got him convicted of felonies, and finally resorted to trying to kill him.

Certainly, Trump will benefit politically. The photos of him defiantly pumping his fist, face bloodied, as he shouted “Fight, fight, fight,” will become symbolic in his quest to regain the presidency. “Trump took a bullet for us,” has become an instant rallying cry.

Undoubtedly, the shooting has already gained him many votes from people who hadn’t quite made up their minds. No matter who the Democrats settle on as their candidate, it will be tough indeed to beat a man who was almost killed in the service of his country.

As so many have said today, violence has no place in democracy. People shouldn’t have to put their lives at risk to run for office. Trump will survive and it sounds as though he’ll heal quickly, and we can be thankful for that. But let’s not forget who he is. There are thousands of reasons he shouldn’t be president again. The best possible outcome would be for Trump to recover quickly, lose the election and live out his days in good health on his golf course.

So, have a full and speedy recovery, Donald Trump. But issues and personal qualities still need to be part of the decision our American cousins must make. To do that, they’ll have to set aside wild allegations and conspiracy theories such as those emerging today — and it will be no easy task.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.