I mean, Jesus.
I only just published here on the continuing nightmare that is this American election: and then *this* happens.
I’m not posting anything more substantial on this latest story right now, as I haven’t had the time to comb through news sources or first-hand reports – and we should wait anyway for more information to come through.
However, I did post this five minute YouTube video with my immediate reaction: highlighting some news coverage clips of interest and making some observations on the raw footage of the shooting incident.
It’s worth noting that more than one eyewitness has told news reporters they saw the alleged shooter setting up position some minutes prior to the shots being fired, and that they informed law enforcement officers of this minutes before anything actually happened.
Given that there have been previous security incidents at Trump rallies in 2016 (which are shown in the short video above), you would think the Secret Service would do a more thorough job of securing the area.
You’d think someone would also tell Trump to stop holding rallies in big open fields.
Those aforementioned security incidents from 2016 might’ve been fake/staged: designed to enhance Trump’s ‘heroic’ image as the man standing up to danger for the sake of Making America Great Again.
This much more substantial incident in Pennsylvania is harder to judge: but the effect will be the same.
This incident is probably what wins Trump the presidency.
The imagery and myth-making potential is just too good. That image of a defiant Trump, with bloodied ear, raising his fist, with the American flag fluttering in the breeze and the perfect blue sky… that’s the greatest thing that could’ve happened for this presidential campaign.
I mean, it’s almost *too* good.
That’s an image that will be reproduced over and over again between now and November.
Neither Biden nor anyone else can compete now with that single photo.
I’m making no judgement on what happened here or what the true nature of it was: just observations, as expressed in the video.
I may publish something more substantial on this in a few days, if it’s still necessary.
For now, as I said in the last article, the American Nightmare continues.
Thanks for that. In my opinion the shooting is not authentic or even close. It is utterly ridiculous.
I would have thought Trump was headed for victory anyway, especially as he is running against someone who can scarcely remember his own name.
Engagement with a strong subtext of division are the only motives that make sense and I don’t know but 100% that video of Trump does not show someone being shot..
Thanks James. I’m still working my way through it all and trying to come to a conclusion. I must admit I at least believed that Trump was grazed at the ear: but I’m not fully sure about any of it.
And really, it’s at a time like this that I really wish you were still regularly publishing content, and we could have your analysis at Crimes of Empire.