Secret Service agents rush Donald Trump off the stage.(AP: Evan Vucci)
Donald Trump, one-of-a-kind Republican candidate for president, arguably irreplaceable for his personal tenacity, courage to speak, and patriotic convictions, was shot Saturday evening – nearly killed. Another innocent was killed. The moment should sober our country. Democracy is fragile.
Several years ago, in a conversation with former Reagan National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Secretary of State Colin Powell, my sense was we had too much chaos. Back then, my observation was that the past was a safer place than the present. Powell corrected me.
Powell reminded me that a free society, dedicated to openness, is perpetually vulnerable. Leadership must be mature, aware, calming not agitating. More, he reminded me the 1960s were dark, a president, presidential candidate, and civil right leader killed, busses encircling the White House to prevent it being overrun, DC and other cities burned, as political violence radiated.
In short, open societies can be destabilized, are always only steps from lawlessness. That is why reasoned leadership, attention to lawfulness, respect for laws, opinions, and reason are important.
Reckless words, urging Americans to think ends justify means, that political violence is permissible, that we should divide on ourselves and call political opponents enemies, is profoundly dangerous.
In 2020, we saw 200 cities implode on idea that violence was somehow permissible, justified by grievance, that attacks on law enforcement, killing, wounding, property damage were excusable.
In the past two years, we nearly had a Supreme Court justice assassinated after rhetoric appearing to justify political violence from leading Democrat voices, including a House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader. We have seen racial, anti-Jewish, anti-Christian sentiment rising to violence.
Meantime, we see little or no effort by national leaders who dislike the tenets of conservatism, including the Biden White House, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Democrat congressional, gubernatorial, or administrations member – to consciously discourage political violence.
This shooting will affect security around Donald Trump, but it is more than that. It is about who we are and will be. If this trend toward justifying violence continues, if reckless words are promoted by those who should be tamping down violent acts, we risk violence not seen in half a century.
Words pushing political violence – hyperbole aiming to demonize, create desperation, stir vengeance, or describe political opponents as enemies of the people – have no place.
The nub is this. That a candidate for president has been shot, nearly killed, shows that political vitriol, demonization of that candidate and those of differing opinions, must stop. If political violence is unleashed, like the 1960s, we will see fear, violence, and escalation, not peace.
Bottom line: This act of violence is a red letter day. It should sober even the strongest Democrat partisans, cause them to be less reckless, more self-aware. Those quick to push radical rhetoric, fan hysteria, imagine the worst in their fellow Americans should be careful. Democracy is fragile. We saw that again, today. Pray for sanity, not a return to the 1960s.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
On 7/08/24 Biden said “We’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye. Wouldn’t this be inciting violence, like they are accusing Trump of Jan. 6th?
1. We are a Republic, not a democracy. 2. Our conservative leaders have gotten so weak that they do not call out or verbalize those, in our government, that are ripping it and our country apart. 3. Our military leaders are not leaders anymore and need replacement. 4. A good portion of our congress needs replacement as well. 5. If our churches don’t regain the will to teach the REAL Gospel, we are doomed for marxism and will look like Germany within 5 years, maybe less. I pray for my country every day. I pray for my government every day. That is the most powerful act we can accomplish. Thank you Mr. Charles for your words.
God bless President Trump. The hand of our lord was surely on him today.
Biden’s characterization of Trump and MAGA Republicans as an “existential threat to democracy” has to stop.
I’ve said this on several media outlets, the Democrat party should be banned in the United States!All of the people especially those who are political, that called for the assassination of a political opponent should be prosecuted to the full extent of the Law!
Our so-called “media” and their 8 years of Vitriol and LIES about Trump are to blame for this…..
Biden recently denied Trump’s Secret Service request for additional protection. I wonder why.
I’m assuming shooter motive here but when you use campaign rhetoric like “MAGA is the greatest threat to democracy” or “we’re saving democracy!” or “Trump is a dictator” or “worse then Hitler”, there will be some nutbar somewhere who believes they are both “patriotic” and “heroic” to act. I mean, its the age old question of “if you could travel back in time and shoot Hitler”… but wouldn’t it be ironic if the shooter turns out to be one of the ISIS trained illegals who crossed the border? TG Trump is safe + my prayers go out to my fellow MAGA + their family killed at the event.
Love the article. The leaders of the Democratic Party are responsible for this. They lie about Trump at every chance . Calling him Hitler is reckless. We need to turn or we will burn
For 2 generations children have not said the Pledge of Allegience “and to the REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS”. So we have millions of Americans who think we are a democracy rather than a REPUBLIC.
THANK GOD for keeping Trump from being murdered today.
Democracy is the word used for government control of the population. That is Marxism or Facism where one person, Biden or Obama, cicumvents the laws and relies on executive powers and regulations to control the people. We are free because others fought and died for our freedoms. God bless them for what they gave.. The United States of America is and always has been a Republic. God bless Donald Trump and the Republic of the United States of America.
It is time to put those that have said Trump needs to be stopped at any cost should be in jail Biden Pelosi and Maxine Waters
Biden called for action last week. Was he calling for the assassination of President Trump? If any Republican had said something like this against Biden, that person would be in jail.
I hope that this marks the end of the Democrat Party. They are the party of Antifa and violence.
Biden said on July 8th that somebody needs to put Trump in the bullseye. And on April 20th, Congress tried to pass a bill saying Trump couldn’t have secret service.
Will tonight’s event elicit a secret service detail for presidential candidate Robert Kennedy? It has been denied to him even though the attempt on his father was successful.
I am pryaing for the person that died and deeply praying for president Trump. This man is our savior. The only way America will survive. Obiden’s comments last night and in the past have led to tonite. Schumer sent the crazies after the Supreme Court justices. And a sitting president who has dementia calls out to eliminate his opponent. He needs to be arrested NOW. A few more millimeters and Trump would be no more. Reminder of the Kennedy assassination. fBI investigating this. That is a laugh. They probably have a hand in it. Trump has to get his own people involved in this. I love president Trump’s fist pump. Which showed till the end he still thinks of the people and let’s Obiden know you missed Joe. Let us pray for president Trump for America and that the arrest of Joe Biden is imminent.
We are, but for the grace of God, “one nation under God”. Evil would love to destroy this nation. We must glorify God to remain.
Arrest Obiden NOW.
Superb article, Mr. Charles. I concur 100%!
I echo others. We, the United States of America, are a democratic Republic. We are not a democracy. AMAC editorial, reporting staff should know better.
The constant calling Trump, Hitler and a fascist and a dictator falls directly at certain news outlets, And some politicans , it is time for both sides to tone down the rhetoric.
President Trump thank God you are ok, what a tragedy, I am so sorry that happened to you. I send my condolences to the Familly of the person who lost his life. Hugs to you
It definitely demonstrates that a line has been crossed and is a message to other candidates. If the Republican candidate has been attacked just prior to the Republican convention, what message does it send to the candidate on the Democratic side. Who ordered this? CIA? Who’s handling Biden?
An innocent was murdered today and another severely injured. Was the shooter part of the MKULTRA mind controlled program? How many other lone wolf shooters were programmed to kill?
Something weird about this. Why wasn’t the area secure? Man on rooftop in open view? No drones flying to keep on eye out? Shooter shot dead? Keep him quiet?
The first shot fired to try and end the process of election in a democratic society. The country is going to experience the same issues as third world elections and power struggles. In the past several years, society has been drawn to violence and destruction by our elected officials, our universities, and the lack of parental guidance. We as a nation will fall if we do not turn these modern woke ideas around and bring back some form of normalized social justice. We are doomed until this change happens soon.
This is an escalation of that attack by a deranged donkey rat against Congressional Republicans during their baseball game several years ago. Congressman Bernie Thompson (D SC) proposed legislation to strip former federal officials who are convicted felons (TRUMP) of Secret Service details. This past July 11 President Trump’s sentence was to be handed down by Judge “Midget” in NYC but was postponed. Thompson was hoping the former President would be remanded to Rikers, totally vulnerable. That did not happen so this did. Could it be an “insurance policy” of the Deep State ?
I know President Trump is more concerned over the others that got hurt and killed than himself. I feel so sorry for everyone involved.
Demoncrats are more unhinged than usual over the probability that Biden will lose his reelection bid. However, moving from messy, ridiculous court cases to keep Trump off the campaign trail to attempted murder is far beyond the pale, even for the Demoncrats.
I believe that the largest chunk of abysmal stupidity I’ve ever heard is the accusation of President Trump being “an existential threat to democracy”… whatever anybody thinks that means.
Because President Trump has demonstrated a preference to adhere to constitutional law, he certainly can’t be much of a threat to anyone except parasitic politicians who buy their votes with taxpayer money… like “President” Biden has recently done by forgiving student loan debt with no strings attached (which made me feel a bit funny, after having financed my own college education by working while taking classes… (long weeks!).
Now, with that in mind, consider the illegal admission of millions of criminal immigrants to our country, which “President” Biden could only have done to “re-invent” the American electorate in his favor. With all the murders, carjackings, rapes, fentynal deaths (ie., more murders) that have taken place since he ordered this depraved course of action (and, after already having been overruled by the Supreme Court on this matter, which makes his immigration “policy” a crime), the resulting tragedies that so many innocent families have had to endure are, apparently, something that Biden and his ilk are “A-OK” with.
On the other hand, his war on fossil fuels has certainly made retail prices skyrocket, and interest rates increase. His sale of much of our strategic petroleum reserve inventory (that Trump topped off before he left office) will do horrific damage to our well-being in the event of a national emergency… which could be in the works, given the state of Biden’s national leadership. He makes us look weak and stupid.
As you can see, what our “President” Biden has done is not at all in our best interest… but, he did do all of this in HIS, SOLE BEST INTEREST.
As any thinking person can see, “President” Biden is NOT innocent, and, what he has done during the past 3 years is NOT really in the same ballpark as, say, having left a toilet seat up. It really wouldn’t hurt to put him in a padded cell for awhile so things can be sorted out.
My best wishes go to President Trump for a speedy recovery, after his terrible night in Butler, PA.
The responses from radical Progressives over Trump’s being shot are heinous! I can’t believe that so many who claim to be American citizens are being so hateful over an attempted assassination of a former president who is running to be elected again.
The hateful nature from Progressive Democrats lets US know that if they remain in power, we are all expendable. When Progressive Democrats speak of “our democracy”, this is what they envision.
God Bless and heal our great president Trump. He was just released from the hospital. So happy about that. MAGA
it’s not a democracy for pete’s sake!!! you are legitimizing the talking points of the communists.
Find out who is behind this! Right away I want to blame the left and the stinking Democrats. This is the thing we are waiting to find out, who is behind this evil and cowardly action.
You say democracy is fragile, and it is. It’s majority rule and majorities change with the wind. Thank our founding faters and the Lord America is NOT a democracy. We are a republic!
This is so sad and pisses me off. Praying for President Trump !!! It’s past time for the silent majority to stand up and do what needs to be done!
We are not a democracy; we are a constitutional republic! Democracy is mob rule!
To be honest, I was expecting this. The left has a terminal/congenital case of TDS. Was the guy one of Maxine Waters’ constituents? Thanks to the idiocy of the Dept. of Edu. the current crop of voters is woefully ignorant of our true history. We are SUPPOSED to be a Constitutional Republic. I fear what we currently are is a kakistocracy. God Bless & protect President Trump, our Republic & her people from those actively trying to destroy us from within. Lots of folks to be brought up on charges of Treason.
We are and will be praying for President Trump, His family, and Our country every day!
The Secret Service was asked for additional security for President Trump and it was denied. RFK Jr. asked for Secret Service protection and was denied. The head of the Secret Service should resign for failing to do their job. This should not be a political decision. President Trump came within inches of being assassinated today.
From what was said on RAV Biden had told someone on the phone just ester that Trump had tone made a ‘bullseye”. Then the guy, Biden said that to, told some else. What do you use a bullseye for? a Target. What do you use a target for? a bullet. There is no righteousness or conscience for a Marxists. They ‘identify’ as Marxists. No Morales, no conscience, no integrity, no ethics. They are their own gods.
Secret Service works for Biden…they suck
We’ll never know all the facts about this, Hell they’re still lying to us about the Kennedy shootings and we just accept it.
These idiots should be ended…immediately.
I want to know who is pushing for the murder of our President Donald J. Trump.? All involved need to be found and put in prison waiting for the electric chair.
It seems to me people should be pulling up all the comments made by politicians and talking heads after Gabby Giffords was shot. Remember all the hubbub over the map that had a bullseye on it and about Sarah Palin’s target list? How everyone was talking about how irresponsible it was to encourage violence that way and that those on the right were guilty of encouraging the shooting? (Which of course turned out to be complete nonsense).
Maybe we have another nut job here too, but I’ll find it a LOT harder to believe that the Left’s rhetoric didn’t have something to do with this. Regardless of the shooters motivations and influences, we should make them eat their own words about inciting violence.
We actually are a democratic Republic as the people have the right to elect those whom they believe will lead us well-guess sometimes we get hoodwinked-the person isn’t who we thought…then time to replace. We have one of the most free lifestyle of most nations, and by constantly tearing each other down, we will lose our precious freedom
Well written, and the current purveyors of division remain the same as always – the left.
When watching the footage of President Trump’s shooting, did anyone else notice the minimal panic of the crowds? If this were a Biden rally, a stampede would have ensued. Praise the Lord that President Trump has recovered from his slight injuries. Pray for the family of the rally attendee who lost his life.
Shooter’s head belongs on a pike on the nearest bridge. Like Old London. Let people see if you try this.
AMAC, of all voices, should know the difference between a Republic & a democracy. I find it disgusting that they would blatantly allow one of their presumed spokespersons to publish, or allow such a statement to represent them.