Thoughts Related To Second Trump Assassination Attempt
On security details and conflicting MAGA views about the danger of rhetoric
As James has already covered, yesterday there was another assassination attempt on former President Trump. Thankfully, the Secret Service located and confronted the individual while the former President was out of range, and the gunman didn’t fire any shots at Trump. We will also learn a lot more about the attacker in the days to come as the Secret Service successfully arrested him. In the meantime, I wanted to share a few reflections on this second assassination attempt and the surrounding dialog.
Increase Trump’s security detail
While Trump, as a former President and a current Presidental Candidate, has a secret service detail, it isn’t as large as the detail for a sitting President. From the BBC News:
Trump does not receive the same level of protection that a sitting president does, Sheriff Bradshaw pointed out. “If he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded,” he said.
But two former Secret Service agents said Trump needs more protection than other former presidents, given that he was running for the White House again.
“We now have to re-evaluate,” Barry Donadio told BBC News. “Should all these candidates get the same presidential protective package? I think that’s probably going to have to be the answer.”
McDonald agreed. He said the risk of “copycat” attacks prompted questions: “Is someone going to get a tiny bit closer, is somebody going to have another high-powered rifle and is somebody going to be able to inflict some serious damage?”
Politicians across the divide felt the same, with New York Congressman Ritchie Torres, a Democrat, saying Trump required “maximum protection”. [source]
Increasing the size of Trump’s detail for the remainder of the election cycle is a no brainer and should be done immediately.
Trump and Vance split on the danger of rhetoric
Life comes at you fast. Just yesterday morning, Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J. D. Vance clearly stated that politicians shouldn’t be held responsible for the results of their rhetoric. On Face The Nation he said:
But we don’t believe, Margaret, in a heckler’s veto in this country. You can condemn violence on the one hand, while also saying that there have been terrible problems caused by Kamala Harris’ open border in Springfield. Now, you said that these are false rumors. … [Continued justification for spreading racist and xenophobic rumors clipped]… I would appreciate it if the American media showed up and did some real investigation, rather than amplifying the worst people in the world. Why is somebody calling in a bomb threat, Margaret? It’s because they want attention. I think that we should ignore these ridiculous psychopaths who are threatening violence on a small Ohio town, and focus on the fact that we have a vice president who’s not doing her job in protecting that small Ohio town.” [source]
Vance is clearly indicating that he doesn’t feel that those bad actors should be able to prevent him from continuing to spread lies about the legal Haitian migrant community. Following his logic, if the people calling in bomb threats that are disrupting life in Springfield and terrorizing the legal Haitian migrant community in Springfield are “rediculous psychopaths,” surely the man with a long criminal history and a clear record of mental illness falls into that category too. So why should Democrats be expected to stop talking about the former President’s past actions, including unlawfully attempting to overthrow the results of the 2020 Presidential Election?
Of course, former President Trump has other ideas. From Fox News:
“He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,” Trump said of the gunman in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out.”
Trump pointed to Biden and Harris’ past comments casting Trump as a “threat to democracy,” while telling Americans they are “unity” leaders.
“They are the opposite,” Trump said. “These are people that want to destroy our country.”
He added: “It is called the enemy from within. They are the real threat.” [source]
So which is it? And suppose you agree that Trump is correct, what is your defense for Trump and Vance’s racist and largely baseless accusations about the legal Haitian migrant community in Springfield and others in places like Aurora, CO?
Republicans as “victims” of their own mass shooting strategy
After the first assassination attempt, which occurred just before the Republican National Convention, many right-leaning pundits believed that shooting would help Trump win the White House. And yet, it disappeared from the public discourse within two weeks. Granted, there was other major political news that then happened following that shooting. The point remains that the only place, prior to yesterday’s attempt, where you saw the first attempt discussed was on Trump’s Truth Social feed, which regularly reminded people that “[X number] of days ago President Trump survived an assassination attempt.”
One explanation for this is that Republicans have been a bit too successful for their own good when it comes to successfully getting the public to move on from mass shootings. In the past, to deflect discussions of gun control in the wake of mass shootings, Republicans and their allies in the gun lobby, have focused their crisis management on the shooter’s mental illness and how these events are “a way of life” in America (thanks J. D. Vance). Given the clear signs of mental illness from the man who just attempted to shoot the former President and the overall lack of discussion about gun control in this election, I think we should expect the same thing to happen here.
Also, it helps to police your own house first
Some commenters will clutch their pearls about this post and how it doesn’t take this second attempt on the President’s life seriously enough. FWIW, I think I am treating this far more seriously than Republicans and MAGA folks have treated past physical attacks on Democrats. For example:
I mean, that’s just one of Donald Trump’s sons, who is also a key campaign advisor and surrogate. I’m sure someone can explain how this is appropriate.
It’s also worth calling out that only a few hours before the shooting, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (who are Trump supporters) tweeted out the following (before deleting it):
If commenters want to call me out for hypocracy about my side, go for it. But at least do me the favor of finding people who are as close to Harris and Walz as Don Jr is to Trump to make the argument.
How long do people expect a failed assassination attempt to hold the public’s attention when successful school shootings don’t?
I’m OK with Trump getting protection equal to Biden IF congress votes the extra funds to increase the details. I don’t want Biden’s protection or Harris’s protection cut just because Trump won’t follow advice on outdoor venues and golf courses.
Rhetoric like this is what motivates crazy people. This isn’t someone calling for calm, it’s someone trying to get his lunatics to start shooting.
The Democrats’ rhetoric is backed up by an attempted coup in January 6th 2021, by el Weirdo Chicken’s own words, and by Project 2025, among other things.
Someone has to convince me this isn’t a Trump campaign “inside job.” Get at me.
I don’t know. The security detail stopped and captured this guy before he got off a shot. Seems like it’s big enough to do the job, and they’ve learned their lessons from the last assassination attempt.
If I’m wrong, and a third attempt is successful, I’ll be the first to point out that I was wrong.
Perhaps Trump should get himself a handgun for his personal protection if he feels threatened.
He’s in Florida, and they let any random felon buy a gun there so it shouldn’t be a problem. And if they do actually do a background check, there’s always the gun show loophole.
@DeD:
Honestly I keep thinking that too, but I keep coming back to the fact that Trump/Maga is probably too dumb to pull it off. Like, it’s a lot of work to find someone to do it (like crazy, but not too crazy) that would do it and not blab. They they have to set it up. Then they almost have to hope the cops shoot the guy so he doesn’t blab. Then you have to hope no one messes up or gets spooked and blabs. Like, it’s a ton of work for people that are fundamentally stupid and lazy.
Like, the only reason we aren’t getting more about the fracas at Arlington is that there are too many career people scared about careers. They wouldn’t be able to get a career person to take a shot at Trump. They’d need to do a whole lotta work.
Oh, and do you think the Old Man would be ok with someone even potentially shooting at him? He’d shit his pants and spill the beans the second he thought he might accidentally get shot.
@DeD:
Convincing someone to play-act this and risk being killed (and guaranteeing serious jail time) would be rather difficult, in my view. I also think that hiding the needed payoff would be very difficult.
Remember: at one point only Clinton and Lewinsky knew about their dalliance. I have an extremely hard time believing that something like this could be staged and kept secret for very long.
@Gustopher: As I wrote in the other thread, if Trump truly wants to live more safely, he could drop out of the presidential race and directly accept a prison sentence for the crimes for which he has already been convicted.
I’m not understanding the argument for increased SS protection for Trump. The current President and VP get major protection because they are important — they are intimately involving in running the country (and the world), which makes them targets. Both likelihood and consequences of an attack are heightened. Former Presidents get protection as a courtesy, but they are not important to the functioning of the nation. Candidates don’t get any protection at all, just for being candidates.
Until he wins an election, Trump is not important enough to anyone or anything to justify enhanced levels of protection.
@DeD:
I agree with what @Steven L. Taylor wrote. To that point, given that the shooter was taken alive and doesn’t appear to be particularly mentally stable, I suspect any secret plans won’t stay secret for long.
Ultimately, I don’t think speculating about conspiracies is where investing our limited energies is best. In my experienced, the simplest explanation is usually the best.
@Matt Bernius: Confronted about their racist lies terrorizing Ohio, JD Vance admitted to “creating stories” for attention. That’s the kinda loony, nasty behavior getting them side-eyed as The Campaign Who Cried Assassination.
Conspiracy theorists invite conspiracy theories. Gun nuttery invites gun nuts. Inciting and/or mocking assassination attempts (on Pence and Pelosis) invites apathy when the tables are turned.
Thoughts and prayers to Trump.
@DeD:
Never assume malice & conspiracy when basic human insanity & stupidity is sufficient.
But then again, we’ve got a group with a potent blend of malice and stupidity so I suppose all bets are off.
@DrDaveT:
That’s completely incorrect. Major party candidates get secret service details starting at 120 days before an election:
see: https://www.secretservice.gov/protection/leaders/campaign-2024 and https://www.secretservice.gov/about/faq/general
That’s an opinion. I take a different opinion: that as a major party candidate in our two party system, he’s critically important to our electoral system.
There have been two attempts on the former President’s life tied to his being the Republican nominee for President. That indicates he is at a high level of risk. This is a particularly contentious Presidential cycle. Kamala Harris has also been the subject of allegedly credible death threats as well.
We have never had a major party candidate assassinated after they were officially nominated. We have no idea what that could do to us as a nation or public opinion on the integrity of our overall election process. Beyond the risk of future attempts on his life, the choice to ignore these realities and keep Trump’s security detail the same size can easily feed a narrative that Biden/Harris don’t care about his safety. Allowing that to happen would be an own-goal.
Any additional cost for increased protection over the next 50ish days is nothing compared to the negative impact on the country if anything happened to either of the candidates. Is that potentially just a performative action? Sure. That doesn’t make it the wrong thing to do.
Welcome to politics.
@DK:
That’s on my list to write about. Unfortunately, I just learned I have COVID and so my output for the next few days is up in the air.
Whataboutism.
[Better job on your revision Paul. You’re getting closer to something that is the ball park of addressing the topics of the post. It’s still the gishiest of gallops, but at least you’re getting to something that is human readable and on point.
Suggestion: it might be useful for you to explain which of my points is whataboutism and whether or not you think Vance or Trump is correct about the rhetoric being dangerous topic.
Keep at it and you’ll make it there. I believe in you! – Your Orwellian Overlord!
ps. also for transparency, this email address is now going to moderation first, so we get to have these semi-public discussions without anyone else seeing what you wrote. Again, you are free to write your thoughts on your own site about this and share a link here. I will never edit that out.]
@Beth: who says trump would be in on the plan?
@Matt Bernius:
Good to know. Thanks for the correction. Feel free to revise the subsequent comment to “Trump does not warrant any more protection than any other candidate not currently serving in the government.” Going down the path of “some candidates are more important than others” does not end well. IMHO.
I have very little interest in getting into the weeds of just how much SS protection Trump, or any candidate, deserves/should have.
I say give them the works, I really do not want to see him shot for a variety of reasons. Some of them are compassionate, some are not. Don’t get cute.
However, I am not about to stop cataloging the things he has done. Things that are in evidence. Things we all saw. Things that represent a betrayal of trust, and a betrayal of America. I am not advocating for shooting him. What I want to see is an electoral repudiation of him, and of his way of doing things.
I’m not at all sure I’ll see that. I’m not at all sure I won’t. This election season has been really unusual.
@Matt Bernius:
Most of that post was the 2nd second Trump shooter repeating Democrat talking points about saving Democracy.
And you believe it was the closest that I have been to being on topic.
To refute part of your post.
I don’t see the Trump assassinations as mass shootings.
A Mass shooting [Mass Murder by gun] implies that the shooter was using a weapon of war for its designed function of murdering “as many people as quickly as possible & to do the most damage [to any survivors](ask a doctor).”
Not the definition that includes the NYCPD gunning down civilians for officer safety in the 2012 Empire State Building shooting as a mass shooting.
a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident.
I remember when the Republican baseball practice was attacked “for healthcare” and it was spun by the media and Democrats as it was a attack on all of Congress instead of just Republicans.
Remember how to defeat and humiliate me and my Gish gallop.
You have used point #3.
@Paul L.:
Matt may object, but for me, I am definitely engaging in whataboutism. Unapologetically so.
What about Putin-puppet Trump, a grave threat to democracy, inciting the Reichstagesque Jan 6 terror attack to assassinate his vice-president and members of Congress — the culmination of an attempted illegal coup overturning an election Trump lost by 8 million votes?
What about Trump, Don Jr., and MAGA still mocking the assassination attempt on Paul Pelosi?
What about unqualified neophyte JD Vance admitting he’s creating stories — racist lies terrorizing the people of Ohio — to get attention?
Why do Trump voters continue to support and enable these vile, dangerous, fascistic behaviors? And since they do, why should otters care about crybaby criminal Trump attracting the bad karma he has so violently sown?
Y’all ain’t got no coherent answers. Because Trumpism is indefensible, and everybody knows it.
@becca:
I think I would be in agreement with you, but these people are stupid and weird. I could see one of them saying “we better tell the boss before we do this so he doesn’t get mad at us later.” or maybe run it by jr. top see if that flys. Anyway, I think the end result is the same.
@Paul L.:
See Paul, it might have taken a few rounds of edits, but you delivered a comment that was coherent enough in unpacking your thinking that it makes it through without any edits.
For the record, because you don’t cite your sources, that isn’t clear to your reader. How hard is it to write:
“Here are some of the attempted shooters most recent posts from x:”?
Beyond that, the shooter did repeat Democrat talking points in… checks notes… a tweet or two. And this is a huge challenge with your reasoning process. You find a single example of someone writing something and then project it out to be their only belief no matter how much else the person has written that might contradict it. Which turns everyone–including yourself–into a hypocrite. Which at the end of the day is nihilistic and useless for having a discussion.
If you are advancing the idea that this person’s actions were created by a democratic talking point, then there is a wealth of evidence that the current campaign of terror on the community of Springfield OH is based on things that Trump and Vance have said:
So I call whataboutism on your whataboutism and also hit you with the wild draw 4 card!
BTW, you haven’t told us of you come down on “rhetoric doesn’t cause actions” (J. D. Vance) or “rhetoric causes actions” (Trump). So that’s also a reverse card there. Which of the two views do you ascribe to?
I completely agree with you. The assassination attempts are technically not mass shootings (though in the first one multiple people were hit). They are still extraordinary shooting incidents. So, unsurprisingly, the same general principles appear to apply in terms of how people are processing them.
And I also suggested, through the Don Jr quote, that perhaps Republicans haven’t taken past non-shooting political assassination attempts particularly seriously. Sew the wind and reap the whirlwind.
See you were doing so well… and then you go down a mass shooting rat hole of a Gish Gallop. Also you lose points for failing to address the latest police instigated mass shooting in NYC over the crime of… checks notes… jumping a turnstile.
https://gothamist.com/news/at-least-1-nypd-officer-shot-near-brooklyn-l-train-police-say
Oh Paul, I’m not trying to humiliate you. My entire intent is how to teach you to bring a coherent argument. Any humiliation you feel is well… on you. In that process I’m not going to let you get away with Gish Gallops anymore.
Yup. You are correct. That is exactly what I am doing. It’s great that you recognize it.
Once you stop galloping, I won’t have to do that any more. So develop the self understanding to understand you are starting a gallop and stop before you do it. Otherwise the same thing will keep happening. And since I, for the moment, control the edit button, you’re never going to win with a gish gallop. What I will always commit to is being honest when I’m editing yours (or anyone else’s posts) and be transparent about when I am taking the basic steps needed address bullshit being spread.
And as I say every time, if you don’t want to be edited, post something one your blog and put a link to it here.
@Matt Bernius:
I wanted to use the recent NYCPD subway shooting but it has 3 victims so it didn’t fit the GVA definition.
@Paul L.:
But you won’t be able to recall Democratic officials extolling or holding fundraisers for that Bernie-loving shooter, like felon Trump is doing for his would-be Jan 6 assassins.
You also won’t find examples of a Democratic president or his children mocking that attack, or falsely claiming the perp was Steve Scalise’s lover, like Trump and his sons still are with the Paul Pelosi assault.
Because Democrats nominate candidates with the humanity that lawless, fascistic thug Trump and his lying stochastic-terrorist veep pick both lack. Hence why Republican officials who have retained their basic decency and/or their respect for democratic ideals are urging all Americans to vote against MAGA in 2024.
@Paul L.:
So when Trump goes on his usual tangents about Harris/Walz/Pelosi/democrats wanting to destroy this country destroy your way of life and replace you those aren’t talking points about needing to save democracy?
@Paul L.:
Ahh got it. I was not familiar with the Gun Violence Archive and did not realize that was where you were pulling your definition from.
https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
BTW, that’s why it’s helpful to source your quotes.
Also everyone, if this discussion goes too far down the what is our what isn’t a mass shooting or how a mass shooting from five years ago was covered, comments will start to get edited regardless of who posts them.
@Matt Bernius:
I would also like to just point out that this is something I’ve dealt with from some of the most abusive people in my life. I’ve had this weaponized against me by my family of origin and other people bent on control.
It’s basically saying, “you said something once so you are locked into it FOREVER, but I am better than you so I, and only I, am allowed to change/forget/whatever. If you step out of line there will be punishment.”
@Beth:
FWIW, I definitely have experience with and occasionally struggle with that mode of thinking. Perhaps Paul does as well.
I definitely know from experience it isn’t productive or useful. In fact I think it’s fundamentally impossible to be completely consistent in all moments across the complex existence we call life.
@DK:
What political office does Paul Pelosi hold? Does the same standard apply to Boobert’s ex husband being mocked?
@Matt Bernius:
Democrats and their minions and allies like to point to the Gun Violence Archive as proof there is mass shooting and school mass shootings like Parkland/Sandy Hook/Uvalde pandemic every day.
@Paul L.:
That’s funny, because I don’t remember that, so I went back and checked. Here are a few news stories on Dem-leaning sites:
MSNBC: Rep Scalise severely wounded in mass shooting–“Rachel Maddow reports on an update on the condition of Rep. Steve Scalise, who was badly wounded in a mass shooting at a Republican congressional baseball practice, and talks with Amber Phillips, reporter for the Washington Post, about the harrowing scene.”
Balloon Juice: “Some Thoughts on Today’s Shootings” which early on says this: “As numerous others have referenced today there is a lot to unpack behind today’s events. Both the shooting targeting Republican members of Congress in Alexandria and the active shooter/mass shooting in San Francisco.”
TPM: Scalise Remains In Critical Condition After Baseball Practice Shooting, which begins with this: “Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) remains in critical condition after he was shot in the hip on Wednesday morning at a GOP congressional baseball practice in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., according to an update from the hospital treating the House GOP whip.”
Daily Kos: Morning Digest: Gunman attacks GOP baseball practice, badly injuring Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise
Hey, look at that. It doesn’t look like any of them did anything other than acknowledge that this was an attack on the GOP. They were also clear that the shooter was a liberal, as in this from the Kos article: “The shooter, James Hodgkinson, was shot by police and died from his wounds. Hodgkinson, a home inspector from Belleville, Illinois, frequently wrote letters to the editor and posted on social media about his liberal political views, including his support for Bernie Sanders and his hostility toward Donald Trump.”
1) Anytime a conservative claims the liberal media didnt cover anything it usually takes about 10 seconds to google and find it.
2) SS protection sounds kind of un-American. The usual way to handle shootings is to do nothing about them then offer thoughts and prayers after someone is killed.
Steve
@Matt FWIW, I don’t see the Don jr or the NH Libertarian tweets on my IPad. They do show up on my desktop.
@DeD: Inside job? I can’t see it for the reasons others have mentioned. I think it was a crazy person. Maybe we’ll find out what his motives were in the coming days. Wanting to be in the history books?
On the subject of “mass shootings” I would just say that we designate such only for pragmatic reasons. We have so many fucking shootings in this country every day that we have to differentiate and call out the worst of them.
And again, no pity whatsoever for a guy who has worked to assure that guys like the gunman have ready access to weapons of all types. I’m glad Trump wasn’t shot because I don’t believe in the assassin’s veto – and I want Trump to suffer in prison as an old man, paying for his crimes, having been beaten by both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
@Argon:
There you go, Argon. Everybody keeps saying “in my experience.” Well, in MY experience, I’m not gonna go into the depravities I’ve encountered on the job. Raw human nature is an ugly-ass thing. Also, just because the Millers, Gorskas, LaCivitas, and Lewandowskis are evil doesn’t mean they aren’t shrewd, conniving, and maliciously clever. As you said, all bets are off.
ETA: And what makes any of us think that that malignant crew gives a f*k if anyone spills the beans? They’ll just lie and deny it, just like they’ve done everything else.
@Scott O:
“When you understand the nature of the thing, you’ll know what it’s capable of.”
@DeD:
2 reasons, depending on whether or not Trump is in on it:
1. If Trump is in on it and anyone found out the jokes would be non-stop. It would be a month of nonstop jokes about what a pussy Trump is that he faked an assassination attempt. Trump hates being laughed at more than anything.
2. If Trump isn’t in on it, first, also #1 and then also Trump would probably be scared shitless that anyone was even close to fake killing him and he would go ape shit on whatever underlings were involved. Then there would be even more jokes.
As weird as it sounds, as long as whoever decides to do this stupid shit is crazier than a shithouse rat, we’re probably safe-ish. Once actual partisans start taking shots we are donzo.
@DeD: I’ll see your quote raise you an Occam’s razor.
@Paul L.:
Seriously? You are attempting to equate “being mocked” with a near-fatal attack with a hammer? What the hell is wrong with you?
I have mixed feelings about more USSS protection for Trump. On one hand, hell yes: we should not let a candidate for office who has already been targeted twice get killed for lack of resources. On the other hand, I think given Trump’s grift on USSS protection when he was president I think there should be some strings attached. Like maybe no golf, or at least some restrictions on when and where he plays. Full protection for any campaign event though. Maybe an agreement to reimburse the government for any protected activities that are outside the recommendations of the USSS? Or at least reimbursement if he loses
@Scott O:
Except it’s Trump and MAGA: Occam’s doesn’t apply. Neither do logic, rationality, or the normal rules of…
@Scott O:
Action of a partisan isn’t any more complicated in this case. I don’t believe that it’s the action of a partisan, but I won’t exclude it either.
According to Governor DeWine, the calls are coming from overseas, most from a single country (which inexplicably he declined to name). So I’d bet good money the motive is to keep Harris’s-third-world-illegal-Haitians-eating-Springfield-pets story in the headlines for as long as possible, in the belief it helps Trump’s chances of winning the election. There’s no shortage of state and non-state actors in countries from Israel to Russia willing to invest time and money in pro-Trump election activities.
This is the position of Trump and his countless apologists:
– Democrats are saying Trump is a threat to democracy. This is untrue! Moreover,
– These untrue claims are inciting crazy people to acts of violence!
– The truth is that Harris is the “enemy within” who wants to destroy the country. Harris is the threat to democracy!
– No these claims will not incite crazy people to commit acts of violence, because reasons.
This is known as “ConservaLogic”.
@Erik:
Trunp posted “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” on social media, again proving his deep maturity and seriousness. He has no plan to reduce housing or healthcare costs, or help the women facing death and injury courtesy of extreme Republican abortion bans. But all the time in the world to drum up hate for Haitians and an overhyped pop singer.
I think some of Trump’s Secret Service detail should be reassigned to Taylor Swift and to the Ohio schoolkids he’s terrorizing.
@Paul L.:
What political office does Hunter Biden hold?
I’m not surprised the MAGA position is it’s okay for the Trumps to mock attempted murder of political spouses who don’t hold office. Wouldn’t expect anything else from deplorable extremists who support thugs like Trump and Vance fomenting hate with racist lies.
We can discuss people trying to assassinate Trump. The GOP would prefer that to we talk about a lot of other topics.
@DrDaveT:
This isn’t true and hasn’t been since the Robert Kennedy assassination in 1968. Even primary candidates sometimes get Secret Service protection.
I’m entirely shocked that the party which has been promoting Second Amendment Solutions For Politicians for over 2 decades is targeted by mentally unstable people with multiple guns.
Complaining about that is like being shocked that removing content moderation from Twitter is, in fact, ending the business because advertisers don’t want to be associated with the insanity that mentally unstable people post about.
Who’dathunk that mentally ill people should, in fact, get treatment?
The problem is that a lot of people who are mentally ill or have personality disorders don’t know they have them/refuse to admit they have them.
Couple that to the fact that our treatment of both mental illness and personality disorders is like trying to do brain surgery with an axe and, well, we have problems.
“The Dems need to tone down the rhetoric” says candidate who says immigrants eat pets, regularly accuses opponents of treason, threatens to jail them, etc.
The math on this attempt ain’t mathing. How did this guy even know that Trump was there on an unscheduled golf outing?
FYI y’all, I have COVID and taking the day off from everything. So no new responses or posts today.
@Matt Bernius:
Get well soon. If possible at all, get Paxlovid.
@Matt Bernius:
Sorry to hear that, Matt. Get well.
Separately, I hope you, Taylor and James are proud of your commenters. It’s one thing to just cater to some of the most vacuous people on any blog ever. It’s another to read such filth about an assassination attempt.
Beyond comment.
@Jack:
Here’s Trump, the repulsive hatemonger who controls you, on the Paul Pelosi assassination-attempt he and his cult have been joking and lying about for two years:
This came years after Trump’s sore loser election lies incited Jan. 6 mob chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” — but before Epstein-bestie felon Trump prompted bomb threats with his wicked hate targeting black migrants.
I understand why rightwing extremists get so triggered as you hate read. Morally-bankrupt incels melt down when they fail to manipulate conversation with the standard far right gish gallop of lies, racism, victimhood, and hypocrisy.
Keep crying. Your MAGA tears taste delicious. Your deteriorating mental state will only worsen as bad karma keeps boomeranging back onto Trump, the violent thug who called for “2nd Amendment people” to stop Hillary.
@Paul L.:
FWIW, the Pelosi attacker had invaded the house thinking that Nancy was home and planned to take her hostage. Paul Pelosi just happened to be home instead. So this was from the start intended to be a political attack. In some ways, this is no different than Trump suffering superficial injuries in the first attempt on his life while that poor fire fighter was shot and killed.
@Jack:
Jack, no offense but you are the last person who should be attempting to guilt or shame us about the people who comment on this site. I realize you might say, “Hey, at least I never made fun of someone who was the victim of a violent attack,” but that’s setting the bar really low. And I’m also sure if I search through the archives I can find equally ugly statements you’ve made in the past about Biden and others.
All that said, thanks for the well wishes. I am feeling a little better.