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Ethan Harvey

The Bullet That Changed American History


By Ethan Harvey


It is all but confirmed. Donald Trump is going to be the 47th President of the United States, and all it took was a bullet to the ear. In defiance of the deluge of criminal cases - ninety-one in total – combined with relentless attacks and fierce rhetoric from the mainstream media and government, Trump’s resilience looks destined to win over the hearts of Americans. But can one single-handedly attribute his predicted triumph to a single bullet?


Even if Trump has managed to galvanise the nation with his captivating and inspiring message of needing to unite the country, it is apparent to the most naïve political observer that his campaign was already being aided and abetted by the blunders of gaffe-prone Biden and the avalanche of criminal cases, which some of the MAGA lobby conceive as political opportunism. During the head-to-head debate on CNN last month, Biden's lacklustre performance typified his lack of political astuteness, in which he struggled to string together sentences, permitting Trump the space to capitalise on his errors. Rather than humiliating the man, Trump allowed Biden to humiliate himself, using subtle but effective, puzzled facial expressions that reinforced the likely reaction of viewers when he lost his train of thought. The new reincarnated Trump –witty and wise – knew well enough not to interrupt his enemy when he made mistakes.


Just as we thought Biden had given us enough embarrassment to bear, we recently witnessed two of his most humiliating as far. At the NATO conference, he mistook President Zelensky of Ukraine for President Putin, Ukraine’s arch-nemesis. He later followed it up by referring to his Vice President (VP) Kamala Harris as Trump. If Biden cannot even get the basics right due to what one can only put down to as cognitive decline, how can the American people put their trust in him for what would be another four years of painfully watching an old man further deteriorate?


The answer is that they will not, with his condition prohibiting him. Let us not forget that this man has struggled with communication for years, having previously mistaken his wife for his sister in 2020. His cognitive deterioration is, therefore, not a new phenomenon, and his success in 2020 was by no means a sign that the American people ever had any faith in the man. Instead, they voted against Trump; people saw him as too divisive a leader during a tumultuous period (the COVID pandemic). The noticeably solid economic performance of the first Trump regime suggests his loss was not policy-related but rather what Harold Macmillan would describe as ‘events'. COVID interfered with the tradition which sees the de-facto guaranteed re-election of the incumbent president. This time, however, the Trump ticket appeals to voters across the political spectrum, and there are no events that Biden can use to leverage his re-election chances. The most recent one –Trump’s attempted assassination – will play into only one man’s hands. Donald J Trump.


After his near assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump will hope to capitalise on the political violence inflicted on him by a mentally challenged, non-ideological domestic terrorist. After having a bullet rip through his ear, less than half an inch from his brain, Trump sprung to his feet in defiance of the violence, fist pumping to the crowd chanting ‘fight'.His resilience seconds after near death epitomises his stoicism, the kind that has kept him in the race so far despite being subject to criminal charges and what he would describe as a media and establishment witch hunt.


The political violence inflicted on Trump derives from the unhelpful dialogue perpetuated by the media and the Democratic regime. For instance, rather than playing sensible politics by critically and rationally critiquing the opponent’s policies and proffering an alternative, others weaponised the discourse by falsely framing Trump as a threat to democracy and the rule of law. This rhetoric is unhelpful because it stifles debate by fortifying the spectre that the other side of the political reservoir is not just ideologically misguided but morally reprehensible. The result is forceful rhetoric -the kind that Biden apologised for after calling to put Trump in a bullseye. But this heated rhetoric can translate into violence by the mentally ill who think violence can counter the alleged threat. It is precisely the implication that derives from calling someone a threat to democracy – that their presence is not welcome – which fuels someone into taking the matter into one’s own hands, in this case, with a rifle.


"A 78-year-old pensioner who endured persistent attacks from a media that was out to get him from the start, a cascade of criminal charges and now a bullet to the ear is undoubtedly going to attract sympathy."

Why is this important? Americans tend–whether in movies or real life – to side against the villain whilst cheering on the victim. In this scenario, the assassination has made Trump a political victim, and this will draw empathy towards his attempt at re-election. The context surrounding the shooting also exacerbates his chances of being re-elected. A 78-year-old pensioner who endured persistent attacks from a media that was out to get him from the start, a cascade of criminal charges and now a bullet to the ear is undoubtedly going to attract sympathy. It is a human instinct to empathise with the victims of attacks, regardless of their political opinions.


Despite all this, he still stands today and, in crisp contrast with Biden, is in fine form – both physically and cognitively. Therefore, what was likely to be a close two-horse race has transpired into an open goal for Trump, who can now run on a ticket of unity to win over what Anthony Downs termed the ‘median voter,’ the floating-voter centrist free from tribal allegiances.


Ironically, Trump will win because of his strength and Biden’s weakness. This election is no longer about policy but one of leadership. Who will be the strongest commander in chief and leader of the free world, capable of standing up to despots, de-escalating tensions in the Middle East and sitting at the table with the big beasts, Xi Jinping and Putin? People will think that Trump, who has and is quite literally willing to take a bullet for America, is the most credible candidate for the position. Trump understands the need to appeal to moderate voters and has already begun to do so. Having rewritten his speech for the Republican Convention and appointed the free-market sceptic JD Vance as vice president, Trump is orienting his campaign around the need to unite a divided nation.


Trump is correct; the US is too divided, and its politics should be less tribal. Ironically, the most divisive man in the West has the power to do just that, having already liberalised on social issues such as abortion and state-funded healthcare. Furthermore, for a man who conducts business and forms relations on the characteristic prerequisite of loyalty, it is bizarre that he has appointed JD Vance, who once described him as 'America’s Hitler', as his running mate. The decision indicates that he is indeed running on a ticket of reconciliation. Saved by – in his and his supporter's eyes – divine intervention, Trump is a changed man. Rediscovering God, Trump’s new platform of forgiving, forgetting, and showing mercy will help him across the finishing line. With mistake-prone Biden refusing to step down, Vance as vice president and the centrist voter on his side, a red wave looks sure to sweep the States, and Trump has a bullet to thank for it.


Image: Rawpixel

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