Will Trump Gain More Momentum Following the Butler Rally?
Al-Jarida, Kuwait, July 17
The shooting at President Trump’s election rally in Pennsylvania last week reverberated through the media faster than the bullet that grazed his ear. The media relentlessly dissected the details and interpretations of the “failed assassination attempt” that Trump survived, casting a spotlight on the ensuing political drama within the Republican Party, oscillating between unity and division among its voters. As previously noted, scenes of blood during critical events attract media attention, like sharks to chum. This incident was no exception, drawing sharp media scrutiny to gauge its impact on the Republican Party’s endorsement and support of Trump while also delineating the stark contrast between Trump and President Joe Biden. The key question looms: Will Trump manage to reclaim the White House following these events? Trump has emerged as both a hero and a victim. Biden reached out to Trump to check on his health, denouncing political violence in a gesture befitting a statesman. However, Biden has struggled to communicate his administration’s accomplishments effectively amid frequent gaffes, such as mistakenly referring to Zelenskyy as Putin. Now, he faces the Herculean task of convincing voters of his commitment to protecting democracy. Social media has exacerbated the political divide, as it invariably does during election cycles. The polarization brought about by a figure like Trump, who defies conventional presidential behavior, has further inflamed the political landscape. Some Republicans are attempting to shift the blame for political violence onto Democrats, a label previously attributed to the far right. In a surprising move, Trump selected J.D. Vance as his running mate—an erstwhile critic who had lambasted him in numerous articles. Vance, a Republican senator, was previously dubbed by the media as the man with the angry countenance. He authored the Washington Post piece titled “Trump’s Dictatorship is Imminent” and penned a novel titled Hillbilly Elegy, which delves into his working-class upbringing and the socioeconomic challenges he faced. Today, Vance stands as Trump’s vice-presidential pick, backed by his wife, a distinguished legal scholar of Indian descent. This choice might just bridge the divide within the Republican Party and bolster Trump’s acceptance. In summary, the firing of the bullet and the dynamics of the US presidential race have triggered a flurry of predictions and analyses concerning the future of regional powers and conflict zones, as well as the personal and health profiles of the presidential candidates. These factors will undoubtedly influence not only the election results but also the decision-making process in the forthcoming period. —Nada Suliman Al-Mutawa (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
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