A time of troubles.
The photograph of Donald Trump, bloodied, fist raised defiantly under an American flag while the Secret Service converges on him, should win its photographer, Evan Vucci, another Pulitzer Prize — unless the year 2024 brings more drama, which (we suspect) it will. Joe Biden can talk about getting back up after you get knocked down but Saturday 07-13-24 in Butler PA was not Teleprompted.
It was the former President’s Bull Moose moment. A statement that the past and future President is indestructible, a fighter. Like Rocky Balboa, he won’t quit. Maybe he didn’t sacrifice his fortune like those misguided fanboy Facebook posts claim, but who can deny the man is sacrificing his safety? Joe Biden shows himself before 350 scanned and wanded supporters in a middle school gymnasium in friendly Madison — Trump stands before ten times that many in a state up for grabs.
“The photo is nearly perfect, one that was captured under extreme duress and that distills the essence of a man in all his contradictions.Many commentators have already surmised that this image alone will cost our current president his reelection bid.” — Tyler Austin Harper in The Atlantic
We’d like to believe
We would like to believe that the attempted assassination would quell the fires of dissension. (Joe Biden did the right thing by calling him “Donald” Saturday night. It was humanizing! ) We would like to believe Jews and Arabs, Russians and Ukrainians would live in perfect harmony like those Coca Cola commercials of yore. That cancer would spare young children and Blaska would get his own weekly column in the WI State Journal.
One inch to the man’s left and it’s not his ear that gets blown apart but a country. Not that it still couldn’t happen. Believers in the Deep State will take Butler PA as proof that their conspiracies were Right All Along. The dead shooter — one Thomas Matthew Crooks, age 20 — appears to have been registered as a Republican but contributed small change to Democrats. May be revealed the man is nuttier than an almond grove. Won’t matter. MAGA will blame it on Hillary and the redacted names in Epstein’s log book. They’re stocking up on more ammo, jerky, and freeze-dried fruit. Maneuvers in the deep woods. Democrats will blame guns; their amen corner in the news media are blaming the victim, who they unsparingly call a threat to democracy itself. Calm the rhetoric, indeed!
AN UPDATED THOUGHT: The shooter managed what Trump himself never could; made him a sympathetic figure even on CNN.
We are old enough — but more sentient than some — to remember a presidential contest 56 long years ago. An unpopular war, restive campuses, assassinations, and tear gas. Two unloved figures competed for the presidency after an unpopular President quit the race. A third party kook siphoned off voters. 🎵 Gee, our old LaSalle ran great. 🎶
Blaska’s Bottom Line: This next week, Republicans in Milwaukee will enjoy a partisan rapture. As the last Republican President advertised, “Be there. Will be wild.”
We can’t take too much more wild, any more.
22 responses to “It’s 1968, again”
Bomb Making Materials Found In Suspect’s Home/Vehicle
The Gotch
This is so sad. The rhetoric on the left up to this point has certainly made fertile soil for something like this to happen. They shoulder much if not most of the blame but will take none of it. Trump is now all but guaranteed to win the election now.
I do believe you are correct.
Who would have believed a few days ago that Trump would ride to victory on the SYMPATHY vote?! The 2024 election will certainly go down in history as the greatest show on earth–and there’s still nearly 4 months left before the grand finale. Since everyone’s calling for a calmer, gentler political atmosphere (which we might actually get–for a week or two), Trump should make the supreme gesture by inviting Biden to his Inauguration.
At our humble home, we implore the good Lord that Mr. Trump will take the ear-nibble at the rally as a sign of Providence — that he will now campaign with, and govern with, a decency and seriousness befitting a chief executive of the USA. Not with slogans, but with sincere policies and humility.
A man can hope.
Exactly the same thoughts, here; The Gotch is hoping, but not altogether hopeful.
Expect social media to be awash in despicable Lefty hatred, and inundated with a tsunami of Schrödinger’s Douchebaggery
The Gotch
The bullet was dead-center, “on target”, for what will happen in the next 3.5 months.
One inch to the left, the internet would explode with viscious comments, “I guess your God didn’t want Trump!” “God’s will, Bible thumpers!!”
One inch to the right and the headlines would read “Crazed gun nut takes wild shots at Trump rally, killing one and wounding two”.
Trumps EAR provides the proof of how close this event came to becoming an entire chapter, rather than just a paragraph in history. This will initiate, and perpetuate, the notion of “Divine Intervention” and of Trump’s being “God’s Chosen”. (and the progs will have no snotty come-backs for that) That 20 year old idiot may have just delivered his “kill shot” to the Dems, instead. (and become responsible for the future of our country)
The bullet was dead-center, “on target”, for what will happen in the next 3.5 months.
One inch to the left, the internet would explode with vicious comments, “I guess your God didn’t want Trump!” “God’s will, Bible thumpers!!” One inch to the right and the headlines would read “Crazed gun nut takes wild shots at Trump rally, killing one and wounding two”. Trumps EAR provides the proof of how close this event came to becoming an entire chapter, rather than just a paragraph in history. This will initiate, and perpetuate, the notion of “Divine Intervention” and of Trump’s being “God’s Chosen”. (and the progs will have no snotty come-backs for that) That 20 year old idiot may have just delivered his “kill shot” to the Dems, instead. (and become responsible for the future of our country)Despicable Act, from what appears so far to be an awkward loner incel white male. No conspiracy, this was an act of suicide by return fire to try and make history. Upon learning news, after fishing all day, my centrist friend’s phone began to explode with vile comments from all his leftist coworkers and his conservative friends. The rhetoric from BOTH groups is a sign of the times.
My comment is we are better than this as humans and Americans.
Your evidence of such?
mmm, walleye, delicious.
Funniest thing; no mass rioting, looting, mayhem, property destruction, rapes, arson, assaults, murders, FIERY BUT MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTS by Righty.
That because Donald Trump is just a candidate for the Presidency of the United States and not a career, lowlife criminal doing what they do best?
Oh yeah; Righty’s the Threat to Democracy!
The Gotch
Hear, hear.
Ah, yes. Memories of the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention, where Bill Buckley called Gore Vidal a “queer”, threatening to “sock” him, and Vidal called Buckley a “crypto-Nazi”. On live television.
As an aside, Mr. Vidal’s two-volume memoirs are worth the read, IMO.
An evil Donald Trump is forcing the Alzheimer-Addled DementiaJoKe to post dangerous, violence-inviting rhetoric: Tweet sent under Biden’s name about two weeks ago: “Donald Trump is a genuine threat to the nation. He’s a threat to our freedom. He’s a threat to our democracy. He’s literally a threat to everything America stands for.”
Yessirree, couldn’t be any more clear; Righty’s the problem!
The Gotch
Project 2025 will bring back Disco.
“Project 2025 will bring back Disco.”
Will it bring back the…um…SARTORIAL EXCESSES as well…?
DISCLOSURE: In the mid-late 70s, The Gotch was a bouncer at the Fogcutter Underground, a disco in the Concourse Hotel.
The Gotch
Studio 54… a reminder that Vitas Gerulaitus DID NOT die young.
Something from the late sixties to early seventies that I miss is being asked to name my astrological sign. Not taking this s–t seriously, I’d have a little fun and answer, “Sagittarius, half horse and half man, which makes it difficult to stand up in bathroom stalls.” Reactions were a mix of puzzlement or laughter, so it was easy to spot the ones who had a sense of humor.
Strawberry fields forever, boys and girls! ♐
Seems we survived some annoyingly funky $#!t!
The Gotch
When Reagan took a (non-lethal) bullet only months into his presidency, his approval ratings skyrocketed. RR opted for a jokey response to his near demise (To his wife: “Honey, I forgot to duck.”) while Trump opted for defiance (“Fight, fight, fight!”) Here’s hoping that Trump’s ratings reach and remain in the stratosphere–at least until Nov. 6th.