2024 Election - Thread #1

[Labster]

I mean political violence in general is bad. Just look at Mexico, where candidates not in the pockets of los narcos end up six feet under.

On the other hand, this guy already confessed to tyranny, with his “day one dictator” thing. As they say: ear today, gone tomorrow.

[classicdrogn]

Political violence is bad, and no one should doubt it. I just think we're past the point where things can be settled without watering the fields, and if it's going to happen, I want the side that's more likely to put things back in order as a liberal democracy at the end to win, rather than collapse into authoritarian dictatorship. Lopping off the figurehead is likely to make the righties splinter as the most virulent extremists push for more direct action and the more moderate slow their roll or even return to seeking nonviolent solutions. At worst, it goads them into action before gutting the various DOJ agencies and military command and replacing the professionals with Republicriminal loyalists.

[robkelk]

Don’t worry, Trump is as smart as a bull moose.

For those who aren't up on their history: in 1912, one block away from where the Republican National Convention is scheduled to be held, Teddy Roosevelt was shot while at an election campaign rally.

Quoting from Trump rally shooting flings U.S. to perilous juncture: What path will it take?:

There's something else Roosevelt did that day, and we'll find out quickly whether Trump emulates him now during a fragile moment for American democracy.

He turned the temperature down.

Surrounded by a potential mob, Roosevelt urged everyone to stay peaceful. His supporters wanted action against the mentally disturbed gunman, chanting "Kill him!" Roosevelt encouraged first them, then the arresting police officers, to leave the man unharmed.

It's what happened north of the border, too, when the leader of the Parti Québécois was targeted by a shooter in 2012. In the aftermath, Pauline Marois maintained rhetoric to avoid stoking more violence.

The same article mentions that His Orangeness said "It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country" in a statement after the fact. I'm guessing that he's never taken in a play at the Ford Theater, or driven past the Book Depository in Dallas.

---

Two years old, but still relevant:



Source: CPOST/NORC, University of Chicago

---

Some links, starting with one for future readers who stumble across this thread:

• CBC: Trump safe after apparent assassination attempt at rally that left suspect, 1 attendee dead
  
• CNN: Long list of presidents have been shot or shot at
  
• CBC: Trump rally shooting flings U.S. to perilous juncture: What path will it take?
  
• CBC: Secret Service protection for Donald Trump is different than for other ex-presidents
  

---

... One of the other attendees died ...

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.

(That is the usual phrase, isn't it?)

[Dartz]

Wasn't this the same person who once said: "You second amendment people, you know what to do?"

... said words have consequences.

[robkelk]

Don’t worry, Trump is as smart as a bull moose.

Scientific American: A Show of Moose Smarts

[Disruptor]

Here's an oppisite view
https://rumble.com/v56u88d-emergency-liv...t-tru.html

[classicdrogn]

They can suck a Flint Special candy too.

[robkelk]

Here's an oppisite view
https://rumble.com/v56u88d-emergency-liv...t-tru.html

As soon as they said "no-one else was hurt", I stopped listening.

I would much rather get my news from somebody who actually does fact-checking. Or do they believe that Corey Comperatore didn't exist?

[Disruptor]

That was a live stream at the time

[classicdrogn]

At this point I have more sympathy for the mobiks drafted and sent to Ujraine than I do for redhats who choose to be there. They (or their leaders and the loudest voiced influencers on the far right that chivvy the herd along) have gone to great lengths to paint themselves as fighting a war for the fate of America, so fine, they are now enemy combatants. If things can be settled without bloodshed, great, if harm befalls them, that's what happens when you declare war.

I just hope the side that wants to live up to the ideals of America instead of down to the worst of the rough patches wins it... and despair at the lack of means or physical ability to do much more than make bitter posts about it on the internet.

Fuck this world anyway.

[GethN7]

Oh, huh. Somebody tried to shoot Trump yesterday. Just a week after that Republicrim Lt. Governor running for I-forget-what was up on stage and shouting about how "Some folks need killin'!" Bet it sounded like a great idea until it was their guy.

Trump's fine by the way, got his ear clipped but nothing more than a streak of blood on him. One of the other attendees died and two more with gunshot wounds last I heard, probably plus plus however many tripped or got knocked into something while evacuating.

edit: Actually, no. I'm not going to pretend to be upset about this, just disappointed it failed. The shooter died instead, but that's not something you do without deciding your life is worth the attempt, and at least he managed to get above zero so better than the majority of human lives.

I rarely post here, but I'm going to make an exception to register my horror at this sentiment.

Personally, I do not like either of our options. I do not wish to vote for Biden, nor do I want Trump. I truly wish we had a third option to vote for.

That said, in Trump's defense, he was campaigning entirely lawfully and submitting to the risks of entirely legal political activity by campaigning, and while I really wish I had another option, both he and Biden are entirely entitled to campaign for their election to any political office peacefully, I wish neither bodily harm nor death and pray whoever wins transitions to power lawfully and peacefully. 

I deplore political violence for any reason, regardless of party or ideology. As a human being, I condemn murder in any form, and as to the would-be assassin now explaining themselves in the beyond, I hold no pity for them, they elected to attempt the crime of murder and were killed in the attempt, and I will weep no tears over them, though I mourn for his family, who no longer has a son.

As for Trump, as a human being, anyone who regrets his assassination was not successful appalls me, and I say that as someone who is disgusted by the crime of murdering anyone. I also mourn the lives wrongfully taken by this incident and my condolences go out to the families of the victims. Even Biden had the decency and civility to deplore this crime and wish Trump a speedy recovery. Nancy Pelosi had an attack in her home and had the humanity to realize despite political differences, Trump did not deserve to have his life and safety harmed by a thankfully failed assassin.

I shall levy no opinions on who anyone wishes to vote for, and all I will say, to all voters, is to vote whom your conscience compels. That aside, I would also advise all sides to realize politics that gets so heated it leads to attempted murder should horrify anyone, especially in a nation that was designed to allow for the transition of power lawfully and peacefully.

[classicdrogn]

I don't think there's much of a reply I can make that would be both genuine and not simply repeating the follow ups on this page. That said, if more of the righties held the sentiments you express, Geth, we wouldn't have gotten to a lynch mob trampling police and IIRC a few of each other to storm the Capitol, let alone this point.

[hazard]

Attempted murder Geth?

No, that was no attempt. They may've only grazed the one they were aiming at, but they did murder somebody else in the line of fire.


That said, while the murderer has been identified and investigations are ongoing, there appear to be a few facts made public.

The shooter fits the profile of a right wing shooter, although the motivation may not have been political. Or at least, not a result of Trump's political agenda.

[GethN7]

Attempted murder Geth?

No, that was no attempt. They may've only grazed the one they were aiming at, but they did murder somebody else in the line of fire.


That said, while the murderer has been identified and investigations are ongoing, there appear to be a few facts made public.

The shooter fits the profile of a right wing shooter, although the motivation may not have been political. Or at least, not a result of Trump's political agenda.

Fair point. People did die, but it's only rational to assume, given the event, Trump was the primary target.

That said, your point remains entirely true. Murder was committed, even if of unintended persons, and that is still despicable.

As to motive, I do not know enough to speculate and will refrain from such.

[robkelk]

As to motive, I do not know enough to speculate and will refrain from such.

And we never will, since it's now impossible to interrogate the suspect. A trade-off with keeping the crowd safe, and if this was a mass shooting it would have been the correct action, but this wasn't a mass shooting.

[hazard]

No, it was 'only' an attempt to murder a politician, and which still murdered one member of the crowd and severely injured at least one more. Killing the shooter most likely significantly limited casualties.

It would've been nice to interrogate the shooter, yes, but I'll take 'guy who tried to shoot people is now dead' over 'guy who tried to shoot people kills 5 more while law enforcement tries to arrest him'. We'll just have to guess as to his motives by what records were left behind.

[Jinx999]

And it other news, "Judge" Cannon has thrown out the documents case against Trump, on the grounds of "because i said so".

[classicdrogn]

If only that was shocking news...

[Dartz]

My dog died a few weeks ago. That's not a good feeling.
A friend just list a beloved pet too. They''re devastated.

And yet Trump lives on. Promising to ruin people's lives.

Lately, it seems like all the light's are going out in the world.

[robkelk]

The GOP ticket is Trump/Vance

Yeah, a conservative (even by GOP standards) white male.

[Labster]

Sure, there's a new VP candidate, but what about the even bigger news: Elon Musk says he wants to build Iron Man suit after Trump assassination attempt. OMG, it's actually happening folks.

[classicdrogn]

Sure, just like they could make robotic legs for Christopher Reeve. He might even get half the movie Mk1 performance out of something Hulkbuster sized (minus flight or repulsors entirely) if he throws enough cash at it. This world does not accept Rule of Cool as justification for bending physics, not even a teensy tiny bit.

[nemonowan]

Sure, there's a new VP candidate, but what about the even bigger news: Elon Musk says he wants to build Iron Man suit after Trump assassination attempt.  OMG, it's actually happening folks.

He's way behind Adam Savage:



But it's not the best thing against bullets:

[Labster]

I’m not going to say it’s over for Joe Biden, but I’ve gotten several fundraising texts and emails for Kamala Harris today. It was terrible timing for him to catch the corona this week.

[robkelk]

If he does drop out of the race for one reason or another, are the DNC delegates expected to vote for whoever got the second-largest number of ballots in each state's primaries? Or do you go straight to the backroom horse-trading that typifies practically every Canadian party convention before the first ballot?