When the twitter timeline had something about “BREAKING” and Trump shot – or whatever – I cocked my head about 5 degrees or so and ran my eyes over it again as you do when examining something sceptically. It was just one sentence and included a couple of emojis – a flashing light or a siren or something. It had been posted only a few minutes ago – less than ten minutes, it was single digits. I didn’t recognise the source and after a second or two kept scrolling. There wasn’t anything more about it in the next swipe of the phone screen, so I thought nothing more of it, just a random piece of click bait bullshit littering the platform after Elon Musk made it a free-for-all hatescape of algorithmic loathing (that we are nevertheless addicted to).
I put the phone down where it was charging and went about my any given Sunday morning of plunger coffee and pondering toast. Where was the bread from last night anyway? It took a few minutes to figure out the puzzle – I had made scrambled eggs late last night and used up the last four slices of Vogel’s – aha, of course. I had been on the phone to the editor of The Daily Blog about half an hour before this about a new project that had been delayed a week and I was mulling that over as the coffee ritual unfolded. The day could not be any more ordinary.
And how to finish an already overdue column? I had abandoned it the night before. Here’s how it began:
Joe Biden’s death wish is increasingly public and the media increasingly conscious of it, even if he is increasingly unconscious of it and, look – no joke – increasingly unconscious of everything, and, oh anyway. Each time he puts that loaded microphone to his mouth it might be the last time. The political obituary and the actual obituary are going to be simultaneous if he has his way – or will his demise be as painfully meandering as his now legendary Alzheimer’s wander as he shuffles off stage?
I ask this because the US Government’s Social Security Administration actuarial life table says a US male aged 81 has a 7% chance of dying before turning 82 and can expect to live another 7.43 years. At 85, if he makes it that far, (Biden’s age in the last year of the next term of the presidency) he will have a 10.5% chance of dying that year and should only live another 5 ½ years. And if you like those odds I’ve got more…
The mundanities accumulated as I waited for the coffee to brew. There was the fencing to do and it was a fine day so there would be no excuses for dodging that. The lower Western fence was 45 metres long and I had prepared two strands of wire the day before so at least a head start with that chore. Back to the phone to compulsively scroll. Trump/shooting/assassination/rally/gunman. Oh FFS. Everywhere, every outlet.
It is said you remember distinctly where you were and what you were doing when you first hear the news of a major, shocking event. I can recall being in Mr Coyne’s 5th Form class when someone listening to 1ZB put down his earphones and said Lange had just resigned, I remember the extraordinary live news of things like the Queen Street riot and watching 9/11 on BBC World from the beginning breaking pictures from New York as it happened; but as explained above the first news of Trump’s assassination attempt was cursorily examined and dismissed as misinformation by me in under five seconds.
We are at a stage in respect to social media (and to a growing extent news media) where the boy has cried wolf so often we figure it’s a Greenpeace stunt to save the canine species from human encroachment on their natural environment and all the dead sheep are Greta and her friends play acting, and when the video comes out of the boy being rag dolled about in the jaws of the wolf we will assume it’s all AI-generated and flick through to the next item. We need multiple points of verification before even bothering to click on a story – well, obviously I do – and the wilder the headline the more inclined we are to disbelieve. I have been caught out perhaps two or three times by phoney news I have reposted and it does tend to make you circumspect. If there was a nuclear war we wouldn’t look up to see the mushroom clouds until the electro-magnetic pulse fried our phones as we scroll past all these tedious nuke memes that had suddenly appeared on the TL.
It is a scramble once it is clear it is fact not fiction. What are the true parts, what are false in the maelstrom of reports? Things can get crazy. Remember the car bombing of the State Department on 9/11 – no, because it didn’t happen – and yet that was being reported for over an hour amid all the other incredible events of that attack with no way for the audience to assess its validity. Fortunately the Trump assassination bid was not a complex affair, it was straight forward in the result – he lived. That was clear from the outset. The Dems best chance of victory in the Presidential ballot only grazed his ear and scored a direct head shot on some poor (as yet unnamed) schlub in the bleachers behind him.
The pictures came out rapidly. If they were available just a little quicker I would have taken the initial report seriously – the stills were conclusive, Trump was bleeding from the ear with a couple of streams of blood across the right side of his face. What struck me though was the photo of the fist pump, blood on his face, defiant, from the middle of a security scrum, the red, white and blue in the background. Powerful would be to understate the significance of that image. It was just so America. It was so evocative. And then it I realised exactly what it was evocative of. I googled up Iwo Jima image – and there it was! The famous one of the US soldiers together erecting the pole with the American flag after they had captured the island from the Japanese – oh that was what the memory trigger was alright. That symbolism is a deep well. That son of a bitch had managed to recreate the defining moment of American victory whilst surviving an assassin’s bullet. That’s a home run, that is the ball game.
The video of the shooting was circulating as a two minute clip. I watched it on twitter, gobsmacked. Extraordinary performance all round. Firstly: from the shooter who came within a lesson or two and a sight adjustment click of blowing that guys brains out across that dais in Buttfuck Pennsylvania in front of thousands of MAGA oiks and on live TV. He probably has a suicide note somewhere because there is no way he would have expected to live. Secondly: from the security staff who rushed that stage in two seconds flat. Thirdly, and most importantly: by Trump. The video and the audio show that once security got him to his feet to get him off the stage he told them, firmly “wait, wait, wait” and then so quick it could be missed he checks his hair (yes, as he would), pushes the security down with his free hand so he can be seen, balls that tiny hand of his into a fist, raises it and pumps it aggressively while saying “fight, fight, fight” – incredible! And fourthly, and finally: the MAGA crowd who respond spontaneously with a chant of “USA, USA”.
On the negative side of the performance was what I observed in the video that came out about an hour later which showed the two police snipers on the roof who took their shots at what appeared to be the same time as the shooter was firing on Trump. Way too late. Clearly visible on the top corner of the stand behind Trump is a section of the audience watching (some of them filming on their mobile phones) these police snipers and – something was up before the attempt was made. The BBC and other interviews later with witnesses reveal the shooter was spotted and reported at least five minutes beforehand. It seems unfathomable that the building he was on was not part of the security area and that Trump was not taken off as a precaution in that period. However if he had been stopped beforehand we would not have these iconic images and Trump maybe wouldn’t have won the election – which seems to be the outcome if the betting markets are to be believed. Luck of the devil?
Great isn’t it, yet another distraction to serve up to the masses while the failures of modern day neoliberal-centic politics just further steamrolls along in the background.
Yup came to the same conclusion myself when I saw the photo of Trump with his fist in the air – for many people all they need is one memorable image etc to cllimb onboard instead of having to actually think for themselves (just look at how successful ‘Up the Wah’s’ has been).
Sounds suspect IMO, Trumps a media personality so knows how to perform on stage and imagine giving the fist pump salute to the unsuspecting audience when you’ve just been shot at doesn’t seem realistic and how does he know within seconds of being shot at that is what had happened to him? He’s never experienced being shot at so can’t distinguish what it is or feels like having a bullet lodged or skimming his right ear. Its a clown show folks and the good ole failing USA is the circus.
He knew he had been shot because he was surrounded by secret service agents no doubt saying that there was a shooter.
Do you really think he organised an event where two people died (one being an innocent bystander) and risked getting shot in the head to get some type of political advantage over someone that he appears to be already beating?
Or perhaps that some messed up young guy (by all accounts a social outcast) who has listened to the non stop political vitriol of the past 8 years decided to get his 15 minutes of fame.
And listening to the rhetoric from both sides in this country we are not so different.
PC he’s a billionaire well connected he could make anything happen this stunt favours him and his ilk because this will consume the news cycle takes the focus off more important issues IMO
It’s not a stunt. PC quite correctly pointed out that two people died as a result of shots at Trump. This was an assasination attempt. Two people won’t be going home as a result. The media needs to focus on them as well as Trump.
You must live in a wield world if you believe what you are saying .I hate the likes of Trump as much as anyone but your opinion is way out of order.
Stephen I will lay any odds that you like that this was just a messed up young person. As I said above it sounds like he was an outcast socially and look at what the past 8 years have been like. From COVID to ever more divisive politics. It’s no wonder that we see this type of thing happening.
I think you give Trump too much credit that he could ever organise anything like this, and at the moment his opponent is busy defeating himself.
I believe he organized the event as much as Trump believes the last election was stolen and that voter fraud was the reason he lost.
Could have been the “lone gunman”. Could have been a more involved failed deep state assassination attempt. Could have been brilliantly staged by the Trump camp. This last seems most unlikely, however, even given the cui bono argument. It would have taken a better shot than William Tell to miss Trump’s skull and graze his ear. We have already been told, on the day of the shooting, that the gunman “acted alone”. That may have been a desperate effort to avoid violent partisan reactions, but it is obvious that no honest investigator could have reasonably come to that conclusion within a matter of hours. But I suspect that there is a larger body of evidence already out there than we had in the case of John F Kennedy assassination, and the truth will not be so easily hidden.
Given the nature and background of the shooter, being a lone gunman is the obvious conclusion to make. Just about all modern would be and actual assassins in the US have this type of background. They are never the highly competent professional that feature in movies.
The FBI were very quick to tell the American public that the deceased shooter was a registered Republican who acted alone. Those claims were clearly intended to forestall any violent reactions from Trump supporters, which is politically legitimate even if it violates the most basic principles of criminal investigation. At the very least questions will be asked as to why law enforcement allowed a man with a rifle to enter a position commanding a view of Trump’s platform.
Assassinations have been many in the United States over the centuries and the assassins have been a mixed bag. However it would be wrong to characterize them as “never … highly competent”. In most cases they have done the job. That is the crucial test of competence. It also helps immensely if law enforcement inexplicably drop the ball at crucial moments, as in the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald.
If the Dems were unhappy before they are truly deeply depressed now. It’s game over. Let’s just fast forward to the result.
Who are you going to vote for America. Porridge for brains or the man raising his fist defiantly, under an American flag, blood running down his face.
100%
What you really mean is porridge for brains or the greatest salesman in America.
Isn’t “sales” just politics 101 these days? It seems that way.
Yes squeaky, it’s exactly that.
Yes Peter. It’s exactly that
Certainly was the money maker shot for Trump in securing another term as president. 20 ml to the left and history would’ve been re-written. Only in America.
Meh… Iwo jima image… calm down Tim.
What this reminds me of is an obscure little film Tim Robbons made in the early 90s called Bob Roberts.
A fraudulent ultra right wing conservative politician that has the ability to whip his followers into a frensy through baseline trggers.
A clueless media more interested in feeding the fire with speculative and populous nonsense rather than actually asking questions.
An assassination attempt he “miraculously” survives that boosts his polling and secures his incumbency.
Probably the best political satire ever made….yet somewhat prophetic 30 years later.
“Bob Roberts” satirical 1992 snl based movie on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iZbT_izZ20
I hear one of the secret service agents yelled “Donald, Duck”.
I like what you did there ..
Haha. Ducks? No they’re seagulls.
Make Van Gogh Great Again.
Mean while the world burns or floods and 100 are killed and another 300 are maimed in gazza
Yes Gordon, that is far more important.
No-one should praise or give this twat any sympathy. He has innocent Blood on his hands from the capitol riots and other events he instigated for polilitcal gain at the expense of many grieving families. Wake up Americans ,
he is a dirtbag.
No-one should praise or give this twat any sympathy. He has innocent Blood on his hands from the capitol riots and other events he instigated for polilitcal gain at the expense of many grieving families. Wake up Americans this twat is a dirtbag
He denies that of course, though he is proud of having organised the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, a man of honour for whom no American politician would be a match.
Agreed Mr Dixon. This slimy individual has let the genie out of the bottle, and unfortunately it looks nothing like Barbara Eden.
Trump was always going to beat Biden, lefties know that now and desperation setting in.
The left are always prone to violence when things are not going their way…Antifa/BLM as examples.
Gonna be a landslide for Trump if Biden stays in the race.
(Not a Trump fan, but my god….Biden is one step away from a retirement home and the dementia ward)
Was it left leaning people that stormed the Capitol because they lost the election? Generalise much?
“The left are always prone to violence when things are not going their way…”
Capitol hill and the retard righties..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_6_United_States_Capitol_attack
Not too bright there retard Im right.
Biden might not be out of place in a retirement home dementia ward, but Trump isn’t far behind, walking up the Golden Acres care home driveway, getting ready to knock on the door to be let in, just in time for supper and meds. Melania has probably got his care home forms and affidavit stating Trump has lost his marbles, stashed under her pillow, all set to go.
Remember the school shooting when Trump criticised the Police response and said if he had been there, he would have run inside like some super hero? Remember Trump wooing the support of the gun toting NRA? Remember Trump thinking that drinking bleach could cure lung infections? Remember Trump putting tariffs on NZ steel exports? Remember Trumps speech motivating his followers to violence during the insurrection. Remember Trump saying he could stop the war in Ukraine within 24 hours.
Would it be such a surprise, if the shooter turns out to be a championship winning crack shot registered republican party member atlas netwok deep state false flag mole, capable of blowing the ear off a politician at 130 metres, to improve their election chances – not in any sane country, you would say – I rest my case.
Quite a personal piece of writing, Tim – there’s about 21 “I”s in it!
False flag! Where is Alex Jones when you need him.
Hahaha you gotta laugh at the MSM…just the story they prayed for. “Inside the shooter’s mind”…”Astonishing images of bullet”…etc. Almost like they paid the shooter?
Hahaha you gotta laugh at the MSM…just the story they prayed for. “Inside the shooter’s mind”…”Astonishing images of bullet”…etc. Almost like they paid the shooter?
The only image from this incident that’ll make the history books is the size of the crowd vis-a-vis the camera angle clearly trying to make it look bigger than it was.
Did anyone reading this take a good look at the overhead shot? The one that included the crowd, the podium, and the building the shooter sniped from?
That building was 150 yards from the podium. No arguments about that. The police, FBI and SS all confirmed it.
The stand behind the podium was two thirds full – lots of empty seats. The crowd in front of the podium was barely five deep!!!! There was a huge expanse of grass between the crowd and the building.
That all means the crowd on this day was less than 200 people.
That’s the sum total of Felon Daipher Don’s support!!
Still think he’s going to win on Nov?
Remember, no Democrat or Independent will vote for him, and neither will half of the Republicans. Still think he’s going to win in Nov???
Get real. He’s a dead duck.
Which apparently is what the SS called out when the shooting started “Donald Duck”, but he didn’t.
It’s now an absolute certainty Trump will win the election sending the left into an insane frenzy.Whilst I’m not a big fan of Trump I’m going to enjoy the frenzy,which is already underway.
Hate to rain on your and I’m Right’s parade, but the reputable independent polls just aren’t on your side. Of course, both of you are just parroting the extreme right wing media BS propaganda, and not having done any real research, don’t really know what the American public thinks about Felon Daipher Don Dementia Loser. Anyone who thinks a Russian stooge in the White House is a good idea needs their head read. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Americans don’t think like you, and neither do the overwhelming majority of people worldwide who care about their democratic entitlements that have been hard won with blood by our forbearers. Your remarks are an insult to them and what they stood for.
Bob the Fart who is an arsehole is just programmed to make arsehole comments
Arseholes cling on actually
There’s only been one poll so far – shows Trump has fallen slightly behind compared to what he was a week ago. The race is now within the margin of error of 2% for this particular poll anyway.
Oh so terribly incorrect. There’s literally hundreds of polls in the USA, and about three dozen verifiable independent unaffiliated ones, including Gallup. Ever since Jan 6, the independent ones have been tracking not just registered voters opinion, but factions within these.
They’re all out there for anyone doing research, which obviously you haven’t, or you wouldn’t have made such a stupid comment.
For interested readers, track the registered Republican opinion and the MAGA opinion. It tells a completely different story to what MSM are putting out. And which some of the lazier commenters here are saying.
My information was incorrect, and so is yours to a certain extent. But you didn’t need to be such a cunt about it. And Trump still didn’t get a noticeable bump.
Actually he didn’t get any bump at all in the independent verifiable polls. That’s been confirmed. My criticism of lack of research by looking only at Fox lead polling is valid. The only cunt is the cunt who can’t take it when it’s handed back.
Nope. You could have made your point without the rudeness. And one thing – to paraphrase Churchill – I can always improve my research skills, which aren’t nearly as bad as you seem to think – one of my trusted sources let me down a bit – but you will always be a rude cunt.
Every responsible leader in the western world is saying violence has no place in politics.
Trump is fist pumping and screaming “fight..fight…fight”.
This event is a gift for the orange monster.
Fight != violence
Not at all. A turd is a turd is a turd. There’s not much difference between a US president and a corpse. If I was in America, the only reason I wouldn’t vote for Biden is the Gaza Holocaust. So, yes, I wouldn’t.
Yankland, as I say to Robert Reich, is just not legitimately based. 45 years of ‘direct’ rich rule. All the people’s rule the rich don’t veto, Dems or Reps. Why the Fascist threat is so strong.
Interested to see a survey of Dem donors to see which they’d prefer, Trump and fascism or Sanders and democracy. I feel the former. Not worth fighting for such a figment of a democracy.
If they weren’t so caught up in their fine flowery words and closer to reality America would’ve given Trump a pardon to fuck off and the military would take control.
For everyone who ignores Gaza Trump is indigestible. To me Gaza is the end of the Yank plutocracy. They did one revolution, now they need to do another. The sad thing is it’s just to come up to Canada’s standard.
Just got to laugh at the pro and anti Trumpists here. You are playing your roles perfectly fight one another about nothing important, just strained emotions over issues of little importance. Meanwhile the people who should be the real targets of our wrath, the tiny oligarchic owners of corporate wealth carry on ruling outside our scrutiny. Biden, Trump, who cares? They win either way.
He cut his own ear, on cue
Gaslighting 101
Gaslighting 101
What we need is some good old conspiracy theory/fake news style nonsense. There are apparently only about seven conspiracy theories floating around at the moment. Where is Alex Jones when you need him?
I must say though that the Democrat response to trumps shooting is a damn sight more classy than the Republican response to the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, where Trump and others mocked. You have to think – if Biden had been shot in the ear, all those fox news “pundits” would be joking about his free piercing.
Let’s not forget he’s a convicted felon and sex abuser. Those thinking otherwise have very poor morals.
Watch out his big fan Bob the Fart will whack himself in the forehead again
As, look at me, divine, mil miss, nothing devine//////////////////////////////////////. Heh!, forget you, what the deflection kill, not a mention. dONALD, wHAT a case book of selfish me i ego, and one of your support caught the deflection kill.
Why do Americans so often assassinate their leaders? The stock reply is because they have a history of glorifying violence and ready access to firearms. I would suggest another reason, which is that the democratic spirit is more strongly developed in the United States than anywhere else in the Anglo-Saxon world and Americans kill their political leaders when the system allows them no other way of making those leaders accountable. The practice of regicide has been widespread in history from primitive societies through the Byzantine empire to the present day. The tragedy is that we now have the means to make our leaders democratically accountable. We simply fail to insist that they should be. And being denied democratic means of calling people to account, some of us go on to commit homicide. Particularly in America because in America there is an almost universal belief that governments should be responsible to the people.
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