The apparent assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump on Saturday “outraged, electrified and emboldened Republicans, who hailed Trump’s clenched fist in the wake of gunshots, while it sobered Democrats who were already nervous about the threat of political violence and their diminished prospects this fall”, reports Politico.
Within minutes of the gunshots at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Republican anger at the shooting turned to admiration and jubilation for Trump’s defiant gesture.
“President Trump survives this attack — he just won the election,” said Representative Derrick Van Orden (Republican-Wisconsin) soon after the shooting.
To everyone’s relief, Trump is “fine” and received treatment at a medical facility, according to his campaign.
But his condition was unknown when Republicans began sharing an Associated Press photograph of Trump— blood splattered on his right cheek — pumping his fist beneath an American flag.
In the eyes of his supporters, this was Trump at his most defiant.
‘Epitome of courage’
“President Trump was the epitome of courage under fire,” said Simone Ledeen, a former senior Trump Department of Defence official. “The iconic photos of him being beamed across the world show the true American spirit.”
The shooting sent shock waves around the world.
It was the first shooting of a US president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempted assassination of Republican President Ronald Reagan.
And it cast Trump in a heroic light, just as Reagan was admired for being able to joke with his wife and the doctors after being hit by a gunman’s bullet.
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the “subject involved” in what it called an assassination attempt on Trump.
Crooks, the deceased gunman, was a registered Republican, according to state voter records.
But the Republicans blamed the Democrats for the shooting in which one person was killed and two others were injured.
Democrats blamed
One of Trump’s potential running mates, Senator J.D. Vance (Republican-Ohio), said, “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist must be stopped at all costs.” “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination,” he added.
Bill White, a Republican donor and longtime friend of Trump, went further. He said Biden “should be forced to resign immediately”. “He called for President Trump’s death by saying, ‘Put a bullseye on Donald Trump,’” White said.
Many Republicans predicted that the shooting would strengthen support for Trump and fire up their base in the November election.
“This will energize the base more than anything. And he, you know — with his fist in the air and he didn’t want to leave. And he’s yelling, fight, fight, fight. That’ll be the slogan,” said Representative Tim Burchett (Republican -Tennessee), referring to photos and videos of Trump that quickly circulated online.
The Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, beginning on Monday (July 15), is expected to deliver a hero’s welcome to Trump.
“The raised fist will become the iconic symbol of the convention,” predicted longtime GOP strategist Mike Murphy.
‘Compassion for Trump’
The attempted shooting may also help Trump gain public sympathy and forge ahead in the opinion polls. “There will be some good, old-fashioned American compassion for Trump,” predicted Murphy, who opposes the former president’s campaign.
The incident was a setback for the Democrats. They quickly paused their attacks on Trump. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both condemned the shooting.
The Republicans, however, want to extract every concession possible.
Senator Mike Lee (Republican-Utah) urged Biden to drop all federal charges against Trump to “take the political temperature down”.
“There was a reason so many Republicans thought to quickly post the photos of a blood-streaked Trump: They will prove politically potent,” said Politico.
“In campaigns, perception can quickly harden into reality and symbolism is often more significant than substance. The pictures and film of Trump rallying the crowd will likely be the enduring image of this election and perhaps his entire political career,” it added.
