Come on America, let’s do democracy at the ballot box, not with lawyers and guns.
Indeed:
It's incredibly depressing. And while I am no fan of Trump, I am enormously relieved he survived unharmed.
Every time there is an act of violence like this, it increases the chance that the US descends into civil war. And that would be a civil war no-one would win.
Come on America, let’s do democracy at the ballot box, not with lawyers and guns.
January 6th says 'Hi!'
I'm glad Trump survived; but not surprised. The devil takes care of his own, after all.
As for gut reactions to the politics: it makes a Trump win much more likely, but not a certainty. I think it makes it harder for the Dems to replace Biden, and harder for Biden to step down. And it makes any Trump presidency much more vindictive and nasty - and many will be cheering him along.
I imagine most of PB does not follow Trumpite Twitter. I do. I also follow left wing American Twitter at equal weight. So you get both sides. That’s how to use Twitter, unless you are a fucking sheep
That says absolutely nothing about the quality of what you follow. Judging by your posts, a great deal of it is pretty shitty.
And Twitter, in any event, is unrepresentative of the outside world. It's a very useful source for news, and a pretty abysmal one for political opinion.
The FBI says it is unable release the name of the man who is suspected of shooting Trump at this time.
They say the man has been “tentatively identified” but that DNA and biometrics tests must be done to conclusively confirm his identity.
“We are not prepared at this time to release the identity of the potential shooter. We are in the process of doing the confirmation. Once we get the confirmation we will release the name officially to the press,” FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said.
“It’s a matter of doing biometric confirmations. There was no identification on the individual. We are looking at photographs right now. We are trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation."
The FBI also could not immediately ascertain what type of firearm was used and how many shots were fired.
I imagine most of PB does not follow Trumpite Twitter. I do. I also follow left wing American Twitter at equal weight. So you get both sides. That’s how to use Twitter, unless you are a fucking sheep
That says absolutely nothing about the quality of what you follow. Judging by your posts, a great deal of it is pretty shitty.
And Twitter, in any event, is unrepresentative of the outside world. It's a very useful source for news, and a pretty abysmal one for political opinion.
Twitter has a very, very low signal-to-noise ratio in any controversial topic. There are insightful debates and analysis on any topic, but they get drowned out with the incredibly partisan rubbish that says nothing, but riles the 'right' people up. And that's without the problem of bots (which oddly enough, Musky Baby has not fixed).
It's very easy to get sucked down a rabbit hole where you *think* you are looking at both sides, but are really only seeing different arguments on one side. Even for people with legendary 'high' IQs....
Its slightly weird how the media are avoiding the use of assassination attempt. Rather saying things like "shooting at Trump rally".
Wolf Blitzer on CNN called it an assassination attempt.
Much of the media is cautious about labelling stuff until they know the facts - see the 'pellet gun' nonsense from earlier to understand why.
The FBI are now calling it an assassination attempt.
Except the US really aren't cautious. They were speculating all sorts of things about reasons why he was shot, what weapons, was Trump really shot at all, etc.
I imagine most of PB does not follow Trumpite Twitter. I do. I also follow left wing American Twitter at equal weight. So you get both sides. That’s how to use Twitter, unless you are a fucking sheep
That says absolutely nothing about the quality of what you follow. Judging by your posts, a great deal of it is pretty shitty.
And Twitter, in any event, is unrepresentative of the outside world. It's a very useful source for news, and a pretty abysmal one for political opinion.
It's also pointless: Trump Twitter is 5% of the US, and Left Wing Twitter another 5%. The idea that you can somehow guage the mood of the nation based on some loonies is... insane.
The FBI says it is unable release the name of the man who is suspected of shooting Trump at this time.
They say the man has been “tentatively identified” but that DNA and biometrics tests must be done to conclusively confirm his identity.
“We are not prepared at this time to release the identity of the potential shooter. We are in the process of doing the confirmation. Once we get the confirmation we will release the name officially to the press,” FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said.
“It’s a matter of doing biometric confirmations. There was no identification on the individual. We are looking at photographs right now. We are trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation."
The FBI also could not immediately ascertain what type of firearm was used and how many shots were fired.
Well hopefully this is the incident that causes everyone in the US to tone down the rhetoric somewhat. Even now there’s some terrible words being spoken online, they all need to take a step back and realise that we end up with an actual civil war if people can’t keep their language in check.
One photographer actually managed to get a photo of the bullet that hit Trump. It’s fair to say that the outcome could very easily have been different today.
Thanks to all the overnight posters. I had gone to bed shortly before this kicked off and the overnight posts were a concise (and at times entertaining) summary of events that will spare me wasting time reading a lot of hyperbolic crap elsewhere.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
It's a pity he didn't get slotted because just imagine the sheer chaos of the imminent Republican convention - which would now be brokered. Every right wing fuckpiece with a pulse would ripping their rivals limb from limb for a chance to the be the candidate. Five star entertainment.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
Thanks to all the overnight posters. I had gone to bed shortly before this kicked off and the overnight posts were a concise (and at times entertaining) summary of events that will spare me wasting time reading a lot of hyperbolic crap elsewhere.
They’ve tried to bankrupt him. Ok fine. They’ve tried to bend the law to put him in jail. Ok but hmmm really weird. Now they’ve tried to kill him but failed
So, fuck it, vote Trump. The other lot are WORSE
Don't be silly. Trump is America's Mussolini. He is not the answer. Biden is utterly incapable of being President. Now. But Trump is also incapable, and arguing him vs Biden ignores his endless lunacy.
I think the democrats are now a worse choice. Willing to jail and murder people, and conspire to hide a mad President then foist him on the voters AGAIN
VOTE TRUMP
"willing to jail and murder people" is Project 2025 sir. Trump would be the end of the west. It can't be Biden either.
Leon is one step away from literally becoming a Qanon supporter, right? Can we still save him?
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I've been having a look at some of the hot takes, videos on twitter and Reddit. A summary:
1) The SS snipers were looking at the guy and didn't shoot. I'm not sure - I think they are looking in a different direction and then pivot round to the right when the shots start.
2) I think the snipers take a single shot after 6 by the shooter.
3) I reckon it will be a local gun nut (young, mental health issues, perhaps incel type) who took an opportunity. No real politics behind it, but rumours registered Republican.
4) SS chief will have to resign. Crazy he was allowed up onto that roof and the SS didn't have eyes on it.
5) The main conspiracy will be around SCOTUS' "Official Act"
The FBI says it is unable release the name of the man who is suspected of shooting Trump at this time.
They say the man has been “tentatively identified” but that DNA and biometrics tests must be done to conclusively confirm his identity.
“We are not prepared at this time to release the identity of the potential shooter. We are in the process of doing the confirmation. Once we get the confirmation we will release the name officially to the press,” FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said.
“It’s a matter of doing biometric confirmations. There was no identification on the individual. We are looking at photographs right now. We are trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation."
The FBI also could not immediately ascertain what type of firearm was used and how many shots were fired.
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
Reports are that the shooter was Thomas Crooks. Reports that he was a registered Republican and others saying he had donated to the Biden campaign.
Twitter is full of absolute stuff that is all over the place e.g. some bloke recording a video of himself pretending to be the shoot have gone viral. I am giving it a wide breath.
The FBI says it is unable release the name of the man who is suspected of shooting Trump at this time.
They say the man has been “tentatively identified” but that DNA and biometrics tests must be done to conclusively confirm his identity.
“We are not prepared at this time to release the identity of the potential shooter. We are in the process of doing the confirmation. Once we get the confirmation we will release the name officially to the press,” FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said.
“It’s a matter of doing biometric confirmations. There was no identification on the individual. We are looking at photographs right now. We are trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation."
The FBI also could not immediately ascertain what type of firearm was used and how many shots were fired.
A named 20-y-o from PA, according to the BBC
The press appear to all have a name for him, but it’s unstandable that the police want to be absolutely sure before saying anything.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
Reports are that the shooter was Thomas Crooks. Reports that he was a registered Republican and others saying he had donated to the Biden campaign.
Twitter is full of absolute stuff that is all over the place e.g. some bloke recording a video of himself pretending to be the shoot have gone viral. I am giving it a wide breath.
Sky have reported that he was a Republican. The donation to Biden is something I've only seen on Twitter.
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Aren't non-MAGA republican all about 80 years old* and have seen what sensible republican president can be, which means they aren't very keen on Trump antics.
* a bit of hyperbole, but older wiser heads, often comfortably off / retired. So his shtick of Vvvvvchina stealing all your jobs doesn't quite work for them.
I think, like many, this makes a Trump win more likely. I also think it moves the story on from Biden and gives him a good way of avoiding dropping out - no time for more uncertainty, change etc.
I don't want either of these results. But I have to call it as I see it.
I am glad it was not more serious and hope Trump recovers well.
Like others I would like to see Trump defeated at the ballot box.
Reports are that the shooter was Thomas Crooks. Reports that he was a registered Republican and others saying he had donated to the Biden campaign.
Twitter is full of absolute stuff that is all over the place e.g. some bloke recording a video of himself pretending to be the shoot have gone viral. I am giving it a wide breath.
Thankfully Leon is smashed, or asleep, or both, right now. The depths to which he can drag this site we will find out later.
Reports are that the shooter was Thomas Crooks. Reports that he was a registered Republican and others saying he had donated to the Biden campaign.
Twitter is full of absolute stuff that is all over the place e.g. some bloke recording a video of himself pretending to be the shoot have gone viral. I am giving it a wide breath.
Thankfully Leon is smashed, or asleep, or both, right now. The depths to which he can drag this site we will find out later.
You have mentioned the name that should not be named, now the genie will rise from the bottle.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
A few months ago there was scuttlebutt that the Secret Service were annoyed that Trump wasn't following their 'advice' on where/when to campaign from a safety viewpoint.
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
One thought that does occur to me is if he does now drop dead from natural causes - not impossible with delayed shock for an elderly and already quite frail man - the Secret Service will be blamed. ‘They failed first time, now they came back to finish him.’
But theMAGA crowd would have e thought that anyway.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
He'd certainly have to have been a genius marksman to shoot that close and miss.
The conspiracies will inevitably focus on how the guy got so near and such a good vantage point so easily, given the ultra-heavy ultra-paranoid security that always surrounds US presidents
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
A few months ago there was scuttlebutt that the Secret Service were annoyed that Trump wasn't following their 'advice' on where/when to campaign from a safety viewpoint.
Supposed they said no to this site because of a flat roof building nearby. Even if Trump overruled them, surely you just stick some officers around that building to make sure no one goes on it.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
Hey he’s the only famous person us St Neots folk have apart from that very tall man in the 19th century.
TBF I'm struggling to think of anyone else....
I'm very fond of St Neots. It's a shame all the banks are closing, as it means I don't go there quite as often as I used to (except to the swimming pool, that is).
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
A few months ago there was scuttlebutt that the Secret Service were annoyed that Trump wasn't following their 'advice' on where/when to campaign from a safety viewpoint.
Supposed they said no to this site because of a flat roof building nearby. Even if Trump overruled them, surely you just stick some officers around that building to make sure no one goes on it.
And *on* the roof as well. Yes, it's an absolute ****-up by the Secret Service; time will tell how much of a ****=up it was.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
Reports are that the shooter was Thomas Crooks. Reports that he was a registered Republican and others saying he had donated to the Biden campaign.
Twitter is full of absolute stuff that is all over the place e.g. some bloke recording a video of himself pretending to be the shoot have gone viral. I am giving it a wide breath.
Sky have reported that he was a Republican. The donation to Biden is something I've only seen on Twitter.
Gonna mention this despite it being totally speculative (ie basically made up) because it's very on-topic: It seems to be a $15 on the date of Biden's inauguration. One reason to do this otherwise weird thing would be if you lost a bet on whether Biden would be inaugurated.
Thanks to all the overnight posters. I had gone to bed shortly before this kicked off and the overnight posts were a concise (and at times entertaining) summary of events that will spare me wasting time reading a lot of hyperbolic crap elsewhere.
I woke up just before Radio 4 handed over to the World Service
“We’ll go to the world service soon with the latest dramatic updates on the breaking news in the US… but first sailing by”.. and then the metrological forecasts… and then the handover … and then the intro to the next programme …
We are lucky, our crazies just take to annoying everybody by playing stupid music at a million decibels....not taking pot shots at a rally.
Indeed, although let’s not forget about David Amess, Jo Cox and others killed or injured by idiots in recent times.
A country with poor mental health and easy availability of guns is a bad combination though, as we have seen tonight.
The suggestion is that the gunman was on a flat roof next to the rally’s location, roughly 400’ from the stage. If that’s correct, it points to one hell of a failure by the security team around the former president that no-one had eyes on such an obvious place. A couple of regular local cops could have done the job. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, but the head of the Secret Service must be more than slightly worried about their position right now.
Reports are that the shooter was Thomas Crooks. Reports that he was a registered Republican and others saying he had donated to the Biden campaign.
Twitter is full of absolute stuff that is all over the place e.g. some bloke recording a video of himself pretending to be the shoot have gone viral. I am giving it a wide breath.
Sky have reported that he was a Republican. The donation to Biden is something I've only seen on Twitter.
Gonna mention this despite it being totally speculative (ie basically made up) because it's very on-topic: It seems to be a $15 on the date of Biden's inauguration. One reason to do this otherwise weird thing would be if you lost a bet on whether Biden would be inaugurated.
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
It still always impresses me how rarely assassins manage to get close to US presidents, given the prevalence of guns there and the huge global target on the POTUS head.
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
He would be up on a health and safety charge for endangering himself over here...
Initial pointers seem to suggest the shooter was a non-MAGA Republican.
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
Trump has never struck me as the martyr type.
And he wasn’t seriously hurt.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
If it was a set up, the secret service must surely have been involved. Either they allowed it to happen or, more likely, they did a very poor job at assessing the risk of the site.
It still always impresses me how rarely assassins manage to get close to US presidents, given the prevalence of guns there and the huge global target on the POTUS head.
Isn't the silly stat something like 25% of US presidents have been shot? Although that has now gone up.
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
He just pointed at Trump's face and got lucky with the rest.
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
He just pointed at Trump's face and got lucky with the rest.
No way was he composing the picture.
No, but he did crop it well afterwards, probably adjusted the colour balance and exposure too.
Morning all. Interesting snippet from Kate Andrews:
In an interview with the BBC, one bystander stated that he and others had tried to point out to the police and secret service that there was a shooter crawling on a nearby roof.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
He just pointed at Trump's face and got lucky with the rest.
No way was he composing the picture.
I’ll go with he’s been doing the job for decades, and knows instinctively where to point the camera in such a pressured situation, and I’ll add a bit of the AP picture desk being really good at post-production, knowing that a little rotation or cropping can make a big difference to how any given image comes across.
It is very strange this reluctance to use that term.
It was a mostly peaceful rally....
Because until you know the motive, “assassination” is a loaded term. You don’t want to colour the assessment of the crime with false terminology
You obviously weren't watching the coverage they were explored every conspiracy theory, reasoning, etc etc etc.
Of course they were.
But the at doesn’t mean Biden or the FBI should. That’s why the FBI used the phrase “what we are now calling an assassination”
I didn't say they should. I was talking about the ridiculousness of some of the media who went from Trump falls over headline to shots at Trump rally while speculating on all sorts of stuff, but missing the point somebody tried to assassinate him.
It is very strange this reluctance to use that term.
It was a mostly peaceful rally....
Because until you know the motive, “assassination” is a loaded term. You don’t want to colour the assessment of the crime with false terminology
You obviously weren't watching the coverage they were explored every conspiracy theory, reasoning, etc etc etc.
Of course they were.
But the at doesn’t mean Biden or the FBI should. That’s why the FBI used the phrase “what we are now calling an assassination”
I didn't say they should. I was talking about the ridiculousness of some of the media who went from Trump falls over headline to shots at Trump rally while speculating on all sorts of stuff, but missing the point somebody tried to assassinate him.
This collage of headlines would be quite hillarious, if the subject wasn’t so serious.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
It is very strange this reluctance to use that term.
It was a mostly peaceful rally....
Because until you know the motive, “assassination” is a loaded term. You don’t want to colour the assessment of the crime with false terminology
You obviously weren't watching the coverage they were explored every conspiracy theory, reasoning, etc etc etc.
Of course they were.
But the at doesn’t mean Biden or the FBI should. That’s why the FBI used the phrase “what we are now calling an assassination”
I didn't say they should. I was talking about the ridiculousness of some of the media who went from Trump falls over headline to shots at Trump rally while speculating on all sorts of stuff, but missing the point somebody tried to assassinate him.
This collage of headlines would be quite hillarious, if the subject wasn’t so serious.
CNN: “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage, after he falls at rally”, is surely one of their stupidest headlines of all time?
If it wasn't been live streamed and they were reporting this 2nd / 3rd hand they might have some defence....but there was live video stream of the whole thing.
The headline might as well been "overweight man with fake (golf) handicap falls over."
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
I know presidents have been assassinated in the past, but is this the first serious (and nearly successful) assassination attempt on an ex-president, or on a presidential candidate?
RFK was a strong contender for the 1968 Dem candidate.
George Wallace also caught four rounds, but survived, while campaigning to be the Dem candidate in 1972.
I did see a tweet which I now can't find, gist of which was:
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
I'm slightly bemused by a plaque on the wall in my local town that proclaims that the assassin of Spencer Perceval was born nearby.
It is very strange this reluctance to use that term.
It was a mostly peaceful rally....
Because until you know the motive, “assassination” is a loaded term. You don’t want to colour the assessment of the crime with false terminology
You obviously weren't watching the coverage they were explored every conspiracy theory, reasoning, etc etc etc.
Of course they were.
But the at doesn’t mean Biden or the FBI should. That’s why the FBI used the phrase “what we are now calling an assassination”
I didn't say they should. I was talking about the ridiculousness of some of the media who went from Trump falls over headline to shots at Trump rally while speculating on all sorts of stuff, but missing the point somebody tried to assassinate him.
This collage of headlines would be quite hillarious, if the subject wasn’t so serious.
CNN: “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage, after he falls at rally”, is surely one of their stupidest headlines of all time?
If it wasn't been live streamed and they were reporting this 2nd / 3rd hand they might have some defence....but there was live video stream of the whole thing.
The headline might as well been "overweight man with fake (golf) handicap falls over."
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
Different vibe though. It is a photo of defiance, and it’s angry - it captures Trump as his supporters would see him, resilient under attack. It’s different from photos of triumph like Iwo Jima.
It is very strange this reluctance to use that term.
It was a mostly peaceful rally....
Because until you know the motive, “assassination” is a loaded term. You don’t want to colour the assessment of the crime with false terminology
You obviously weren't watching the coverage they were explored every conspiracy theory, reasoning, etc etc etc.
Of course they were.
But the at doesn’t mean Biden or the FBI should. That’s why the FBI used the phrase “what we are now calling an assassination”
I didn't say they should. I was talking about the ridiculousness of some of the media who went from Trump falls over headline to shots at Trump rally while speculating on all sorts of stuff, but missing the point somebody tried to assassinate him.
This collage of headlines would be quite hillarious, if the subject wasn’t so serious.
CNN: “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage, after he falls at rally”, is surely one of their stupidest headlines of all time?
If it wasn't been live streamed and they were reporting this 2nd / 3rd hand they might have some defence....but there was live video stream of the whole thing.
The headline might as well been "overweight man with fake (golf) handicap falls over."
Perhaps Newsweek’s is even worse:
“MAGA responds with outrage after Donald Trump injured at Pennsylvania rally”
We surely have to consider it inevitable now that Trump will be POTUS by January.
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of Western democracy? I think we probably are. Dark times ahead.
That's a bit hyperbolic, even Leonesque.
While Trump 2 The Return will be a bad thing, it won't be terminal for democracy in the USA and certainly not in the rest of the world. If Project 2025 happens it will be because the Americans wanted it.
Indeed the spread of democracy is one of the major trends of modern times. There is only one dictatorship in South America for example, and a lot of Africa and Asia are democracies too.
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
He would be up on a health and safety charge for endangering himself over here...
I think Altizer overeggs the premeditation of the exact photograph a little, especially the technical composition. The photog himself talks about the need to document history.
A pro-cam used by the press will be able to burst 20 or 30 photos per second, at shutter speeds of 1/5000 to 1/8000 of a second. So I'd suggest the positioning is careful, but he has a lot of pics to choose from.
That's not to take anything away from the photog, though.
I wonder how many fools are destroying their career by publicly regretting on twatter that Trump wasn't killed.
Quite a few, it seems. Although classy replies from the likes of Obama.
Obama, and the other senior politicans, all understand just how real is the threat to their own lives. He still lives with round-the-clock security, and can’t go to the shops without dozens of policemen being involved in weeks of planning beforehand.
I read somewhere today that there are more than 6,000 officers in the Secret Service, looking after security for just a few dozen individuals.
We surely have to consider it inevitable now that Trump will be POTUS by January.
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of Western democracy? I think we probably are. Dark times ahead.
That's a bit hyperbolic, even Leonesque.
While Trump 2 The Return will be a bad thing, it won't be terminal for democracy in the USA and certainly not in the rest of the world. If Project 2025 happens it will be because the Americans wanted it.
Indeed the spread of democracy is one of the major trends of modern times. There is only one dictatorship in South America for example, and a lot of Africa and Asia are democracies too.
I hope you're right Foxy but it all feels a bit depressing to me right now.
Comments
Quite the news to see first thing.
It's incredibly depressing. And while I am no fan of Trump, I am enormously relieved he survived unharmed.
Every time there is an act of violence like this, it increases the chance that the US descends into civil war. And that would be a civil war no-one would win.
https://x.com/mariannaspring/status/1812267214336094515?s=61
I'm glad Trump survived; but not surprised. The devil takes care of his own, after all.
As for gut reactions to the politics: it makes a Trump win much more likely, but not a certainty. I think it makes it harder for the Dems to replace Biden, and harder for Biden to step down. And it makes any Trump presidency much more vindictive and nasty - and many will be cheering him along.
It's not a time to be a minority in the USA.
Judging by your posts, a great deal of it is pretty shitty.
And Twitter, in any event, is unrepresentative of the outside world. It's a very useful source for news, and a pretty abysmal one for political opinion.
They say the man has been “tentatively identified” but that DNA and biometrics tests must be done to conclusively confirm his identity.
“We are not prepared at this time to release the identity of the potential shooter. We are in the process of doing the confirmation. Once we get the confirmation we will release the name officially to the press,” FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said.
“It’s a matter of doing biometric confirmations. There was no identification on the individual. We are looking at photographs right now. We are trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation."
The FBI also could not immediately ascertain what type of firearm was used and how many shots were fired.
The FBI are now calling it an assassination attempt.
It's very easy to get sucked down a rabbit hole where you *think* you are looking at both sides, but are really only seeing different arguments on one side. Even for people with legendary 'high' IQs....
https://x.com/collinrugg/status/1812349524465303969?s=61
One photographer actually managed to get a photo of the bullet that hit Trump. It’s fair to say that the outcome could very easily have been different today.
https://x.com/tpostmillennial/status/1812290278168105036
https://x.com/tvkev/status/1812268479049027607?s=61
1) The SS snipers were looking at the guy and didn't shoot. I'm not sure - I think they are looking in a different direction and then pivot round to the right when the shots start.
2) I think the snipers take a single shot after 6 by the shooter.
3) I reckon it will be a local gun nut (young, mental health issues, perhaps incel type) who took an opportunity. No real politics behind it, but rumours registered Republican.
4) SS chief will have to resign. Crazy he was allowed up onto that roof and the SS didn't have eyes on it.
5) The main conspiracy will be around SCOTUS' "Official Act"
6) This tweet from Biden on assault rifles was beautifully timed: https://x.com/JoeBiden/status/1812166350049026070?t=2VaDK9gNahunONtRZzMiuw&s=19
7) Biden response pretty solid and cogent. More evidence that whatever he has is intermittent.
8) the flag/fist photo is one of the greatest in American history
https://x.com/dvdaltizer/status/1812294212840280325
Congratulations to photographer Evan Vucci, who ran towards the stage as the shots rang out. He’s a PA photog based in Washington, and follows all the politicians around.
This is a shocking new development in US politics!!!
Apart from the 4 US presidents who were assassinated, the 2 wounded, the numerous assassination attempts and plots on presidents and the presidential candidates killed or wounded.
https://x.com/autismcapital/status/1812362384473993667?s=61
Early days though.
And no, it wouldn’t altogether surprise me if Trump’s campaign had set it up. But it seems unlikely.
* a bit of hyperbole, but older wiser heads, often comfortably off / retired. So his shtick of Vvvvvchina stealing all your jobs doesn't quite work for them.
I don't want either of these results. But I have to call it as I see it.
I am glad it was not more serious and hope Trump recovers well.
Like others I would like to see Trump defeated at the ballot box.
He won’t have set it up himself anyway, even if it was a setup, given he’s so gaga now.
But I think it unlikely. More likely it was a lone desperado with a gun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bellingham
https://st-neots.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/historical-plaque-on-cross-house-in-st-neots-for-john-bellingham-who-assasinated-spencer-percival-prime-minister-p-ibbett
https://x.com/tpostmillennial/status/1812349950640243050
But theMAGA crowd would have e thought that anyway.
The conspiracies will inevitably focus on how the guy got so near and such a good vantage point so easily, given the ultra-heavy ultra-paranoid security that always surrounds US presidents
I'm very fond of St Neots. It's a shame all the banks are closing, as it means I don't go there quite as often as I used to (except to the swimming pool, that is).
I do hope horrible crossbows will be controlled asap.
I suppose it's possible to construct a timeline where Trump says "I was attacked by a gunman, therefore control guns", but I'm not sure it's likely.
And the stupid partisanship of the gun debate in the US feels like one of the first steps on the path that has ended up where they gave ended up.
“We’ll go to the world service soon with the latest dramatic updates on the breaking news in the US… but first sailing by”.. and then the metrological forecasts… and then the handover … and then the intro to the next programme …
A country with poor mental health and easy availability of guns is a bad combination though, as we have seen tonight.
The suggestion is that the gunman was on a flat roof next to the rally’s location, roughly 400’ from the stage. If that’s correct, it points to one hell of a failure by the security team around the former president that no-one had eyes on such an obvious place. A couple of regular local cops could have done the job. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, but the head of the Secret Service must be more than slightly worried about their position right now.
No way was he composing the picture.
That's digital imaging for you.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/trump-is-now-a-living-martyr/
But the at doesn’t mean Biden or the FBI should. That’s why the FBI used the phrase “what we are now calling an assassination”
https://x.com/tpostmillennial/status/1812375040828039298
CNN: “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage after he falls at rally”, is surely one of their stupidest headlines of all time?
The headline might as well been "overweight man with fake (golf) handicap falls over."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Neot_(monk)
Idiot.
Secret Service asleep at the wheel ?
https://x.com/peterbale/status/1812286286931317096?s=61
So we have Biden doing restriction, and the Supreme Court reintroducing Bump Stocks.
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of Western democracy? I think we probably are. Dark times ahead.
Let’s count up beeb appearances of him and Ed Davey over the next 5 years.
In this case I’d expect this is something he’d be able to contribute to given his links to Trump.
“MAGA responds with outrage after Donald Trump injured at Pennsylvania rally”
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1812350972116795550
That Twitter account is also collating posts of people making total morons of themselves on social media, and there’s a lot of them out there.
While Trump 2 The Return will be a bad thing, it won't be terminal for democracy in the USA and certainly not in the rest of the world. If Project 2025 happens it will be because the Americans wanted it.
Indeed the spread of democracy is one of the major trends of modern times. There is only one dictatorship in South America for example, and a lot of Africa and Asia are democracies too.
Then there are people CO State Rep Steven Woodrow who is in big trouble, a university of British Columbia professor, etc etc etc.
NEW THREAD
A pro-cam used by the press will be able to burst 20 or 30 photos per second, at shutter speeds of 1/5000 to 1/8000 of a second. So I'd suggest the positioning is careful, but he has a lot of pics to choose from.
That's not to take anything away from the photog, though.
The shots of the bullet in flight are startling.
https://x.com/thatcoderguyy/status/1812372083365621942
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/14/us/politics/photo-path-trump-assassination.html
I read somewhere today that there are more than 6,000 officers in the Secret Service, looking after security for just a few dozen individuals.