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America Was Less Than An Inch Away From Socio-Political Disaster

America Was Less Than An Inch Away From Socio-Political Disaster

Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack,

Former President and impending Republican Nominee Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday days before his party’s national convention after suddenly turning his head at the last second and thus miraculously dodging a bullet that only ended up grazing his ear. The shooter was killed by the Secret Service, but an eyewitness told the media that he warned the police about a man crawling on the roof a few minutes earlier, though no action was taken.

This security lapse is suspicious and prompts speculation that at least one member of the Secret Service might have purposely waited until after the shooter took his shot before neutralizing him, whether out of sympathy for his cause or perhaps because they were in on some sort of plot.

About the shooter, he’s been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a registered Republican. It remains unclear at the time of writing what his online history was and whether there’s more to his party affiliation than meets the eye.

At the very least, there’s no doubt that the Democrats’ and their allied “Never Trumpers’” hatemongering played a role in radicalizing the suspect.

Had he succeeded in assassinating Trump, then the US would have certainly plunged into socio-political disaster, which it literally missed by less than an inch. Many expect that powerful Democrat donors might soon force Biden to drop out of the race, thus leading to the party selecting their nominee outside of the notionally democratic primary process.

Their Republican counterparts would have done the same on their side of the aisle, especially since Trump hadn’t yet announced his Vice-Presidential pick by the time of his attempted assassination. Both parties would therefore have likely chosen nominees that didn’t complete their respective primary processes, thus blatantly disenfranchising Americans even more than they already are in reality. In theory, the elections could be delayed to re-run the primaries, but Congress might not agree to it.

Even if they did, the aforementioned hyperlinked article reminded readers that the 20th Amendment mandates the end of the President and Vice-President’s four-year terms at noon on 20 January, thus leading to (replacement) President Harris being forced to step down before a new one is elected. Her Vice-Presidential replacement could only be speculated upon in that scenario since the 25th Amendment stipulates that they’d have to be confirmed by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Whether or not the elections would be delayed, the US would continue to be ruled by the “governing oligarchy” that Axios reported late last month is the real power behind Biden. This analysis here that was coincidentally published earlier that same day noted that “The country is being ruled by a shadowy network of transnational and domestic elites that are united by their radical liberal-globalist ideology.” This group simply exploits Biden as their placeholder to publicly legitimize all of their decisions.

They’d remain in power if the Democrats keep the White House or if a “Republican In Name Only” (RINO) replaced Trump had he been assassinated. The former President promised supporters that he’d make good on his former pledge to “drain the swamp” if he’s re-elected, and while precedent suggests that he might once again fail, there’s still a chance that he might partially succeed. At the very least, his return could create the conditions for some replacements, who might be conservative-nationalists.

This insight sheds light on those forces who’d be pleased had he been assassinated, namely the liberal–globalist clique that secretly controls American policy, and they’d also have been delighted that Trump wouldn’t get the opportunity to end their latest “forever war” in Ukraine like he sought to do. His potential Republican successor could try to follow in his planned footsteps, but they also might not be interested in doing so if they’re a RINO, hence why taking Trump out could have been a game-changer.  

On the home front, there’s no doubt that “shitlibs” would have plastered pictures of Trump’s blown-out brains all over social media and their cities in order to incite his supporters to violence, and some of them would have predictably obliged after being endlessly provoked with such images. The ruling liberal-globalists have wanted to radicalize MAGA members for a while already in order to further discredit their movement and create a compelling pretext for cracking down more forcefully upon them all.

It also can’t be ruled out that some of these newly radicalized supporters of his might have carried out “retributive violence” by targeting Democrat officials from the federal level on down to the local one if they blamed them for his assassination. Infamous anti-Trump celebrities and influencers could also have been caught up in this bloody campaign, which might have led to martial law in parts of the country like Trump should have imposed during the Democrats’ spree of urban terrorism in summer 2020.

America’s socio-political fabric could therefore have very easily been torn to shreds had Trump not suddenly turned his head at the last minute and thus miraculously averted this worst-case scenario by less than an inch. There’s no guarantee that this won’t happen again, however, which is why it’s imperative that Trump immediately announce his Vice-Presidential pick and ideally choose someone who the ruling liberal-globalist elite is also afraid of in order to reduce the chances of him being killed.

Regardless of whatever happens, America just got a reality check about how close it is to descending into chaos, which shows how much it’s changed for the worse since 2016. Partisan radicalization and elite scheming have always been around, but they reached an unprecedented level after Trump became the Republican Nominee back then. He’s an imperfect candidate with a lot of personal flaws, but his re-election is the last chance to save America from itself if he succeeds in implementing his lofty plans. 

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 16:20

‘A Mistake’: Zelensky Says He Can ‘Forget’ Biden Calling Him Putin (After Billions Donated)

‘A Mistake’: Zelensky Says He Can ‘Forget’ Biden Calling Him Putin (After Billions Donated)

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky had a brief look of shock and confusion the moment when on Thursday President Biden introduced him before the NATO summit as Russian “President Putin”.

In the embarrassing aftermath, which stunned the US Democratic political establishment at a moment questions were already intensifying over his mental fitness for office, Zelensky has been asked to comment on the uncomfortable moment. The Ukrainian leader as expected played down the flub, calling it a “mistake” which can now be forgotten and that he plans to move on from it.

AFP/Getty Images

“It’s a mistake. I think [the] United States gave a lot of support for Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so,” the Ukrainian president told reporters from Ireland on Saturday, where he’s visiting Irish leader Simon Harris.

Immediately after calling Zelensky “Putin” – Biden corrected himself and looked humiliated, saying the Ukrainian leader was actually going to “beat” Putin.

But the moment overshadowed everything, including the rare Q&A the US president did later that night, which also didn’t go so well (given the references Biden made to “Vice President Trump”…).

“Theater of the absurd,” a Russian reporter said after playing a clip of Biden calling the Ukrainian president by his wartime enemy’s name. —NBC

As for Zelensky downplaying the moment and wanting the world to move on… this is exactly what one might expect from a foreign leader who has been given tens of billions by Biden.

At the same time Ukraine has not looked favorably on a potential future Trump administration. Trump has at times said things which have outraged Kiev, such as promising to end the war within 24 hours by quickly getting each side to the negotiating table.

Trump has reportedly even floated a plan to withhold weapons from Kiev if it doesn’t agree to quickly seek to negotiate toward ceasefire and peace. By and large Ukraine has sided with the Biden administration in looking upon Trump as somehow ‘compromised’ by the Kremlin, given also the past years of pushing ‘Russiagate’ narratives.

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 15:45

Democratic Socialists Of America Withdraws Endorsement Of AOC

Democratic Socialists Of America Withdraws Endorsement Of AOC

Via HeadlineUSA.com,

The Democratic Socialists of America withdrew its endorsement of “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez, D-N.Y., for not being far left enough on Israel’s military strike in Gaza.

In a memo on Wednesday, the DSA acknowledged Ocasio–Cortez has taken some “courageous positions on Palestine,” but said she has not done enough to oppose Israel.

The memo cited her recent panel with leaders from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, calling it a “deep betrayal to all those who’ve risked their welfare to fight Israeli apartheid and genocide through political and direct action in recent months, and in decades past.”

The DSA also took issue with “[Ocasio-Cortez’s] votes, including a vote in favor of H.Res.888, conflating opposition to Israel’s ‘right to exist’ with antisemitism,” and a press release in April she co-signed that “support[s] strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems.”

Because of this, the DSA said it would be revoking its endorsement of Ocasio–Cortez, which it gave to her in June on the condition that she publicly oppose all funding to Israel, participate in the DSA committee, publicly oppose criminalization of all “anti-Zionism,” and publicly support efforts to “end Israel settler-colonialism.”

The group added, “A national DSA endorsement comes with a serious commitment to the movement for Palestine and our collective socialist project. To build a socialist movement that’s capable of defeating capitalism, we must demand more from leaders in our movement.”

In 2018, Ocasio–Cortez became the first female member of the DSA to be elected to Congress, alongside her fellow “Squad” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. She is still endorsed by the DSA’s New York chapter.

Ocasio–Cortez has been openly critical of the Biden administration’s continued support for Israel and has demanded that President Joe Biden pressure Israel to agree to a permanent ceasefire against Hamas. 

However, other groups that considered themselves central to her political rise, such as the Justice Democrats, have likewise signaled that the former bartender from the Bronx has lost site of their core values on her climb up the political ladder.

She has not commented on the DSA’s withdrawal of support for her campaign.

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 15:10

Surge In “Donate To Trump” Searches After Assassination Attempt

Surge In “Donate To Trump” Searches After Assassination Attempt

Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee could be set to receive another influx of donations from Americans, including many mom-and-pop voters across the nation, following the assassination attempt on the former president at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening. If the surge in donations following Trump’s guilty verdict in May, which brought in tens of millions of dollars in the days and weeks after, is any guide, then another donation wave could be imminent, if not already underway. 

Google Trends search data shows that “Donate to Trump” surged nationwide in the moments after the assassination attempt. Folks in Wyoming, South Dakota, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Nevada were searching for ways to donate to the Trump campaign the most. 

The search data already exceeded the prior peak during Trump’s guilty verdict in his criminal hush money trial in May. That month, Trump and the GOP raised $141 million, with more than two million donations averaging $70 each. About 37.6% of the $141 million was raised in the 24 hours after the verdict was announced. 

Americans were also searching for the “Trump campaign website,” and this search trend spiked overnight. 

On Friday, Bloomberg revealed that Elon Musk contributed to America PAC, which is working to elect Trump to the White House. 

Hours after the assassination attempt, Bill Ackman “formally endorsed” Trump on X.

PredictIt data shows that Trump’s odds of winning the presidential elections jumped to as high as 68% last night. Trump’s odds of winning surged at the end of last month following President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. 

The increasing support for the former president comes as Biden’s election efforts falter, and a growing number of Democrats have asked Biden to step aside over his lack of mental acuity. 

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 14:35

“Malice Or Massive Incompetence”: Erik Prince Gives Detailed Assessment Of Secret Service Failure

“Malice Or Massive Incompetence”: Erik Prince Gives Detailed Assessment Of Secret Service Failure

Update (1420ET): Former Navy Seal and Blackwater founder Erik Prince gave a detailed assessment of yesterday’s Secret Service debacle in the wake of a failed assassination attempt on former President Trump.

“Hopefully after the tragedy yesterday in Butler PA we can all recognize that unaccountable bloated bureaucracies continue to fail us as Americans,” Prince posted to X.

Continued (emphasis ours):

Donald J Trump is alive today solely due to a bad wind estimate by an evil would be assasin [sic].

As the graphics show the full value wind of just 5mph was enough to displace the unconfirmed but likely light 55 grain bullet two inches from DJT’s intended forehead to his ear.

DJT was not saved by USSS brilliance. The fact that USSS allowed a rifle armed shooter within 150yds to a preplanned event is either malice or massive incompetence. Clearly there was adequate uncontrolled dead space for a shooter to move into position and take multiple aimed shots. Watching the newsreel one can hear how proximate the shooter is by the very short time lapse between the crack of arriving bullet (supersonic) to the boom of muzzle blast (sonic).  

The law enforcement sniper (unclear if USSS) in newsreels was clearly overwhelmed as his face came off his rifle instead of doing his job to kill the shooter. Clearly they were watching the shooter but apparently have a no “first shot” policy.  The only positive action was an apparent 488yd shot by one USSS sniper which despatched the assasin but after the assassin launched at least 5 rounds, wounding DJT and killing and severely others in the crowd.

In my old business of providing Diplomatic Security in two active war zones we were expected to execute the basics or we would be fired. Clearly USSS failed at the basics of a secure perimeter and once shots were fired their extraction was clumsy and left DJT highly exposed to follow on attacks. It looked like they had never drilled together because those responses should be effectively autonomic. Will there be accountability?  That’s not the Washington way.

Unserious and unworthy people in positions of authority got us to this near disaster. Merit and execution must be the only deciding factors in hiring and leadership, not the social engineering priority of the day.  Sadly nothing in Washington reflects that any longer. DJT is right to question the competence of those protecting him because yesterday they failed in almost every way. Nature abhors a vacuum and there are always other options.

Most importantly, as Americans let’s come together and run a proper valid election so we can get back to what matters a merit based society that judges on character and skill. Nothing else.

(Images from a SEAL sniper instructor at Red Sky LLC)

*  *  *

Indeed…

*  *  *

When looking at the circumstances in favor of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the identified alleged suspect in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, PA, it’s hard to see how the guy failed.  Almost every Secret Service security protocol seems to have been ignored, allowing Crooks easy access to a perfect shooting position and plenty of time to acquire a bead on Trump’s podium.

The rooftop used by Crooks was a mere 140 yards away from the event with a clear line of sight to the right of Trump.  Those familiar with precision shooting know that any shot within 300 yards is considered easy for a moderately trained rifleman.  With the right caliber an expert can hit a torso sized target consistently at 1000 yards or more.  At 140 yards any amateur should be able to hit a pie plate-sized target with little difficulty, even without a magnified optic. 

The Secret Service is supposed to secure all obvious “sniper perches” well before the arrival of a protectee – Meaning, nearby rooftops and buildings are supposed to have a security presence in place along with drone surveillance.  In the case of Butler, PA, this was apparently not done.  SS snipers were only present on the building right behind the venue stage.

The lack of a security presence at the building across the field made it possible for the would-be assassin to brazenly jaunt to the location and climb to the rooftop with his rifle in broad daylight.  The SS traditionally uses concentric “circles of security” going out hundreds if not thousands of yards when preparing a location for protection.  Watch the video below for insight on how meticulous the Secret Service is supposed to be when preparing an area to prevent assassination attempts.

The idea of Crooks being able to get that close with an elevated position on the stage is unthinkable.  Another fail was the lack of sight obstructions put in place near the stage.  The Secret Service is supposed to erect barriers to block the line of sight from potential shooting locations.  Again, this was not done. 

Finally, there’s the dismal lack of response time.  Witnesses outside the event report that they saw Thomas Crooks climbing to the building rooftop with his rifle at least three minutes before he started shooting.  They claim they tried to warn police and Secret Service agents to no avail.  

“How could you have somebody on the rooftop?” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise – a victim of political violence, after the shooting. “There are reports that people watched him climb up the roof and even alerted authorities, and we’re going to be looking into that.“

Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Saturday night demanded immediate answers from the Secret Service as to how it failed to prevent the assassination attempt.

“I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing,” Comer said on X. “The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon. There are many questions and Americans demand answers.”

As Just the News notes, warning signs about the Secret Service were there months before the Trump assassination attempt.

Back in May, Congress requested a briefing with the Secret Service, after several incidents allegedly raised internal concerns over the quality of its trainings.

A petition within the Secret Service has reportedly been circulating because of the incidents and called for a congressional investigation into the agency, according to Comer.

One incident saw a Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris allegedly attack her superior and other agents. The unnamed agent also exhibited other “concerning” behavior, according to her colleagues.

Luckily for Trump, Crooks seems to have had terrible aim and he was not smart enough to shoot from a covered position which would have offered him protection and allowed him even more time.  Unfortunately, the shooter’s stray bullets hit at least three bystanders in the crowd, leaving one dead and two in critical condition.  The security failure in this situation is so complete that former Secret Service agents are admitting it publicly and calling for an investigation into how this could have happened.

The motive for Thomas Crooks’ actions is not yet known.  Reports claim the 20-year-old Bethel Park resident was registered to vote as a Republican, yet, he also donated money to Democrat run organizations in 2021, including ActBlue and the Progressive Turnout Project.  

As we warned only two weeks ago, Democrat rhetoric has been increasingly violent after the Supreme Court decision on Trump’s prosecution immunity.  Many Democrat representatives and activists openly suggested Trump could (or should) be assassinated in response to the ruling.  The media’s fear mongering over the “imminent destruction of Democracy” should Trump prevail might not be directly related to the shooting attempt, but it certainly doesn’t help.  In the wake of the failed assassination many have still taken to social media to argue that the shooting was “staged”, while others complained that the shooter missed his target.             

Regardless of one’s position on Trump, this kind of political vitriol should be considered poisonous.  It can only lead to more violence in the future. Again, the shooter was given every opportunity; Democrats almost got what they have long wanted.

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 14:24

“Joe Biden” Offers Hope For All Americans Now Suffering With Stage 4 Incredulity

“Joe Biden” Offers Hope For All Americans Now Suffering With Stage 4 Incredulity

Authored by Marc Crispin Miller via ‘News From The Underground’ Substack,

Having long kept all its eyes wide shut to “our” president’s spectacular debility – despite his triple-pratfalls, stunned expression, physical and verbal wanderings, frequent “inappropriate touching” and (pardon me for writing this) loud public farts – “our free press” is now suddenly fixated on the fact that he’s too old to stand for re-election, as if (a) this hasn’t long been obvious to anyone not crazed by Trump Derangement Syndrome, and as if (b) “Biden” was elected in the first place.

Of course, the reason for this sudden, total shift from deference to contempt was that (literally) unspeakable “debate” two weeks ago (with “Biden” barely capable of speech, while Trump was barely capable of shutting up) and the swift grim verdict by the audience. That face-off between rank senility and aging juvenility was, to put it mildly, no barrel of laughs, in part because there was no audience in the room, no doubt so that no MAGA-heads would be there to pump Trump up even more, reminding everybody of his greater popularity.

That eerie absence of the usual two rival mobs—an unnatural quiet reminiscent of Biden/Harris’s locked-down inauguration—deprived us of the evening’s only possible guffaws, as it (maybe) would have been a hoot to listen to the anxious hush of all those Democrats, hand-picked for their partisan intensity (as if some able bio-engineer had cloned Joe Scarborough for the occasion), faced with the impossibility of mustering anything but gloom at the macabre sight of “Joe Biden” struggling to come off as “presidential,” or alive.

In this dismal moment there was actually some cause for hope, and not just for Trump and his true believers; but before we get to that, and in preparation for it, let’s hark back to the forgotten struggles of his less-disabled, yet far more popular predecessor, Ronald Reagan—who, though capable of often rallying grandly, tough old trouper that he was, showed signs of his Alzheimer’s from the start. (Mark Lloyd, employed by CNN in 1980, told me at the time that he was shocked not just by Reagan’s addled state at the Gipper’s first encounter with the press, but, no less, by his colleagues’ blithe indifference to it.) In August of 1984, some three months prior to Election Day, Reagan, grinning vacantly, with Nancy at his side, went blank before a scrum of journalists when asked a question about arms control.

“We’re doing everything we can,” his helpmate quietly prompted him, enabling him to say, not too convincingly, “We’re doing everything we can.”

Having turned a blind eye to his illness at the start of his long run, the press now underplayed it:

“Nancy Reagan says she did not prompt President Reagan’s recent response to a question on arms control but was simply talking softly to herself,” UPI reported a day later (the New York Times running only that terse item), and that was the end of it for the moment.

The issue then blew up big-time after Reagan’s first debate with Walter Mondale, when the usually-hale-seeming Chief Executive, though still looking agedly boyish at 73 (eight years younger than “Joe Biden” is today), rambled, stumbled, looking lost, thereby giving rise to the “age issue,” as the ever-helpful media delicately termed it. Great actor that he was, he finally put that roadblock behind him at the next debate, when he turned the tables on his uppity young rival (a mere lad of 56) by stoutly quipping that he “would not make an issue of his opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

Whoever crafted that bon mot, it brought down the house, ensuring Reagan/Bush’s landslide re-election victory in November.

From Politico:

Thus Reagan jigged away from his unnerving likeness to such ancient, highly perishable Soviet heads of state as Brezhnev/Andropov/Chernenko, and that was that, his Alzheimer’s staying largely out of sight until Nancy managed his sad post-presidency. Unluckily for “Joe Biden” and his true believers, Ronald Reagan’s was the last major presidential ailment that “our free press” was eager not to magnify, after having totally blacked out FDR’s polio and JFK’s Addison’s disease (along with his astounding sex life, as people never tire of pointing out). Especially now that he performed so poorly opposite the snidely jabbering Trump, and on top of all the falls upstairs and weird remarks (“God save the queen, man!”) and—here I go again—loud farts that have defined “his” presidency (along with his flagrant non-election), “our free press” has been piling on with a zest unprecedented in the history of the US president-and-media.

Whereas, before what we might call his Waterloo (although that reference gives him too much credit, since, unlike Napoleon, “Biden” really had no prior smashing victories to speak of), this president’s “senior moments” were played up mainly by Fox News and other outfits on the right, that fatal contest has now freed many on the “left,” if not most of it, to cry up every sign of his infirmity, both past and present, as fiercely as any tribune of “conservatism.”

“I’m proud to be, as I said, the first vice president—first black woman—to serve with a black president,” “Biden” mumbled on the Fourth—a comic slip providing CNN’s Jake Tapper with a pithy intro to the network’s blistering montage of such moments post-debate.

(That inadvertent statement of trans/cross-racial pride apparently caused people not to notice what “Biden” said right after that: “[I’m] proud to have been involved with the first black woman on the Supreme Court.”)

Such has been the tone throughout the Anglo-American media machine. “The other weird thing about Biden, which nobody seems to be talking about,” nattered BBC veteran Emily Maitlis (famed for skewering Prince Andrew on Newsnight, and played by Gillian Anderson in the Netflix movie Scoop), “is that he has been, from what I can see, Botoxed up to the eyeballs,” making his face “very, very rigid. It is not a good look.” (Over here, that catty shot was headlined in the ultra-“liberal” Daily Beast.) “I’ve seen Joe Biden up close,” confessed the Guardian’s Joanna Coles. “Nobody can deny his decline” [emphasis added].

Further glaring evidence of “his decline” is everywhere you look. “Biden didn’t show up for an early evening meeting with the German chancellor because he had to go to bed,” giggles Business Insider. “Staff provides Biden with instructions ‘on how to enter and exit a room’ with large print and pics ahead of events,” reveals the New York Post. “He can’t say ‘Afghanistan’ anymore,” claims his former stenographer. Thus “our free press” continues to ignore the myriad big scandals simmering beneath the surface of the “Biden” White House—the mind-boggling corruption (putting even Richard Nixon in the shade), the open brinksmanship, the ongoing treason at the border, the relentless push for censorship, the enablement of genocide—in favor of the trivia of “his decline.”

And just as “our free press” is all about the second childhood of “Joe Biden,” so, suddenly, has most of “Hollywood” been hammering that gong since the “debate,” a celebrity “revolt” (as the Washington Post terms it) led, seemingly, by George Clooney, and joined by such “liberal” stalwarts as Stephen King, Rob Reiner, Michael Moore, Damon Lindelof (“Lost”) and Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, along with the leading lights from the CIA’s Comedy Desk. “Stephen Colbert, other late-night hosts turn on Biden as they mock train-wreck debate,” exults the New York Post. “Excuses for Biden’s ‘shocking display of cognitive difficulty’ are ‘bulls—-,’” according to Jon Stewart (as headlined in The Hill). “Seth Meyers Lays Into Democrats Over Their Indecision on Joe Biden’s 2024 Candidacy,” headlines the Hollywood Reporter—and on and on and on.

Clearly, such loud complaints disprove Joanna Coles’ overstatement that “nobody can deny his decline,” since “Joe Biden” also has a fretful chorus of defenders on the “left,” who either don’t believe that he’s a total wreck, or think it really doesn’t matter all that much, since “Biden” isn’t Trump. Those holdouts include Gretchen Whitmer (who concedes that cognitive testing “wouldn’t hurt”), Jen Psaki, Mika Brzezinski (who sees Obama’s cunning hand behind George Clooney’s leadership of that celebrity “revolt”) and her jut-jawed consort Joe Scarborough, the patently insane Keith Olbermann (who blames the president’s undeniable debility on CNN, barking, with his usual subtlety, “Burn it down!”), the yapping heads on MSNBC and—not least—the brain trust on “The View,” all desperately denying the undeniable, as we have seen them do for some four years.

And therein lies the only sign of hope in this preposterous episode—not that it means Trump can win, or that Kamala Harris, or Gavin Newsom, or any other leading Democrat can save the party’s bacon. Let’s note here that both sides in this acrid “liberal” conflict actually agree, since every single one of them is, as ever, terrified of Trump, with most believing that “Joe Biden” can’t win “re-election” (although, with our disastrous voting system, “Biden” can “beat” Trump, just as he seemed to do before), while the minority believes he (really) can, farts and all. (Again, forgive me.) What’s hopeful here bears no relation to the outcome of the next election (if any), since there’s no hope in the victory of either party, the two being one, with We the People losing out in any case.

If so many “liberals” can now (painfully) admit that he’s a wreck, what other taboo truths will people finally see, because of all that EVIDENCE?

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 12:50

Foreign Leaders React To Trump Shooting: ‘Clear To All Outside Observers His Life Was In Danger’

Foreign Leaders React To Trump Shooting: ‘Clear To All Outside Observers His Life Was In Danger’

World leaders have decried and condemned the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and have issued expressions of solidarity. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, expressed what many are feeling, saying on X Sunday that he was “shocked” by the attempt on Trump’s life. “We pray for his safety and speedy recovery,” after the bullet clipped his ear.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister “strongly condemned” the “attack on my friend” Trump. “Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him speedy recovery,” he posted on X. Among the more interesting statements was issued by Argentina’s President Javier Milei, who quickly blamed the “international left” for what he called a “cowardly assassination attempt”.

“In panic of losing at the polls, they resort to terrorism to impose their backward and authoritarian agenda,” said the populist leader, despite little official info on the shooter’s motives at this early point.

Source: International Business Times

China’s President Xi Jinping expressed his “compassion and sympathy” in a brief official statement and urged the world to reject violence as a political solution.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s office also said it “strongly condemns any forms of political violence,” and expressed its condolences to the family of the spectator who was killed in the shooting, according to official media. The statement noted that Putin does not intend to call Trump, however.

But spokesman Dmitry Peskov interestingly went on to describe that the “atmosphere that was created by this administration during the political struggle… around Trump has led to what America has faced today.” Peskov went on to say the following: 

“After numerous attempts to remove Trump from the political arena with the help of legal tools, courts, the prosecution, attempts to politically discredit and compromise the candidate, it was clear to all outside observers that his life was in danger,” the presidential spokesperson stated. 

Below is a partial list of the reactions of additional leaders from across the world, compiled by Al Jazeera…

* * *

Albania

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on social media platform X that it was “distressing” to witness Trump being shot while speaking at a rally and to hear an attendee had died.

“This is a tragedy for the democratic world,” he said.

Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the shooting as “concerning and confronting”, expressing his relief that Trump was safe.

“There is no place for violence in the democratic process,” he added.

Austria

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on social media platform X that he was appalled by the attempt.

“Political violence has no place in our society! My thoughts are with all the victims of this attack!” he said.

Brazil

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the shooting “must be strongly condemned by all defenders of democracy and political dialogue”.

Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “sickened” by the shooting.

“It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans,” he wrote.

Chile

President Gabriel Boric expressed his “unqualified condemnation” of the shooting.

“Violence is a threat to democracies and weakens our life together. We must all reject it,” said Boric.

China

China’s President Xi Jinping expressed his “compassion and sympathy” to Trump, a spokesman said, following the assassination attempt.

“China is closely following the situation surrounding the shooting of former President Donald Trump,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

El Salvador

El Salvador’s presidential palace said President Nayib Bukele condemned “the assassination attempt”.

“There is no place for violence in a democracy,” the President’s office said in a press release posted on X.

Estonia

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas posted on X saying she was shocked by the shooting and that her thoughts were with the victims. “Political violence in any form has no justification,” she wrote.

European Union

Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said he was “shocked” by the news of the attack.

“Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives,” he wrote on X.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron wished Donald Trump a “speedy recovery”, calling the assassination attempt on the former US president “a tragedy”.

“This is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the shock and indignation of the American people,” Macron said on social media platform X.

Hungary

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his “thoughts and prayers” were with Trump “in these dark hours”.

Iraq

Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, condemned the attack on X “in the strongest terms,” saying his thoughts are with the victims of “this senseless act of terrorism.”

Italy

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was “following with apprehension” updates from Pennsylvania and wished Trump a speedy recovery.

She also expressed her hope that “in the following months of the electoral campaign, dialogue and responsibility can prevail over hate and violence”.

Japan

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also spoke out against political attacks, saying, “We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy.”

He wrote on X, “I pray for President Trump’s speedy recovery.”

NATO

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said he was “shocked” by the assassination attempt of Trump, stressing that “Allies stand together to defend our freedom and values”.

“I wish him a speedy recovery and my thoughts are with those affected. I condemn this attack. Political violence has no place in our democracies. NATO Allies stand together to defend our freedom & values.”

New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was shocked by the attack on Trump. “No country should encounter such political violence,” he wrote on X.

Philippines

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was greatly relieved to hear that Trump was safe after the assassination attempt against him.

“Together with all democracy loving peoples around the world, we condemn all forms of political violence. The voice of the people must always remain supreme,” he wrote.

Poland

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said the attempted assassination was a “moment of shock not only for America, but also for the entire free and democratic world”.

In a posting on X, Duda “thanked God” for having “saved the life” of Trump and expressed hope that he would “recover all his strength soon”.

Sweden

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his country condemned “the terrible attack” and his thoughts were with the victims and their families.

South Korea

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said on X that he was appalled by “the hideous act” of political violence. He added the people of Korea stand in solidarity with Americans.

Slovakia

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt himself in May, condemed the shooting in a Facebook post. He drew direct parallels between the two incidents, suggesting that the attack on Trump was the result of a campaign by his political opponents.

Taiwan

President William Lai Ching-te said his thoughts and prayers were with Trump and wished the former president a swift recovery.

“Political violence of any form is never acceptable in our democracies. I offer my sincere condolences to the victims affected by the attack,” he said.

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination attempt on X, offering his good wishes to Trump, his family and supporters.

He said he believed “the investigation into the attack will be conducted effectively” so as not to undermine the US elections.

United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday he was “appalled by the shocking scenes” at the rally and offered Trump his “best wishes”.

“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack,” the British leader wrote.

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 12:15

Trump Gunman Reported To Be Thomas Matthew Crooks

Trump Gunman Reported To Be Thomas Matthew Crooks

Summary (footage below):

  • Shooter reported to be 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, NY Post. No official confirmation has been made.

  • Trump has responded, saying on Truth Social “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

  • Secret Service says one spectator was killed and two were critically injured.

  • Former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear by a would-be assassin at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally on Saturday.

  • Trump could be seen grabbing his ear and falling to the ground, before standing up and walking off stage.

  • Approximately nine shots rang out.

  • A member of the crowd, as well as the shooter, are dead following the assassination attempt.

  • One Trump supporter says he alerted Secret Service before the shooting and was ignored.

  • Trump’s team reportedly asked for ‘beefed up protection’ and was rebuffed over and over by Biden DHS.

*   *   *

Update (0013ET): The shooter has been identified by the NY Post as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel park, PA. According to sources, crooks was planted on the roof of a manufacturing plant over 130 yards away from the stage at Butler Farm Show Grounds.

*  *  *

Update (2350ET): Watch as the FBI, Secret Service and state police hold presser following the Trump assassination attempt.

*   *   *

Update (2126ET): President Trump has responded on Truth Social, writing: “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”

Trump has been released from the hospital:

The would-be assassin is allegedly pictured here:

The secret service, which reportedly ignored a warning about the shooter climbing a building (see below), has issued the following statement:

During Former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the evening of July 13 at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue. U.S. Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased. U.S. Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and Former President Trump is safe. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured. This incident is currently under investigation. and the Secret Service has notified the FBI.

Update (1918ET): Trump was grazed by a bullet and two people are dead, including the shooter, according to the Butler Country District Attorney.

According to The Federalist‘s Sean Davis,

“A source familiar with Trump’s security detail tells @FDRLST that the former and future president’s detail has been asking for beefed up protection and resources for weeks, but has been rebuffed time and again by Biden’s DHS.

DHS, which oversees Secret Service protective detail “wasn’t responsive to those requests” for more resources, the source said.”

New audio has emerged from moments after the shooting.

*  *  *

Donald Trump appears to have been shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former President could be seen grabbing his neck and then falling to the ground as the sound of shots rang out.

Longer clip with closer vantage (shooting at 21 seconds):

Trump was seen standing back up with blood on his face, and was led off stage by the Secret Service, who could be heard shouting “get down” during the incident.

“I saw blood on his ear,” one rallygoer, Ron Moose, told the NYT.

Nine shots were heard, including three before Trump grabbed his ear.

Some reported seeing the military chase someone on the left hand side of the bleachers. The Times is also reporting that secret service is kicking out the press and has declared the venue a crime scene.

Trump’s ear was visibly wounded.

According to Secret Service spoksman, Anthony Guglielmi, Trump “is safe” after “an incident occurred” at the Pennsylvania rally.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said that Trump is “fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility,” adding that Trump “thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act.”

“Everyone join me in praying for our President Trump and everyone at that rally. I hope everyone is ok,” GOP Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) posted on X.

One Trump supporter told the BBC that he and others saw the shooter before the assassination attempt, alerted police and the secret service, and was ignored…

The incident comes days after Joe Biden and top Democrat donor Reid Hoffman make assassination comments.

Democrats are bummed…

And of course, the Washington Post goes with “Trump Rushed Offstage From Rally After Loud Pops.”

Yes, ‘loud pops’ … ‘loud noises,’ really just an annoying sound is what we think they’re trying to convey.

And then there’s CNN…

Elon Musk, who recently donated to Trump, says he hopes for his ‘rapid recovery.’

Now, turning to PredictIt odds…

Here’s a better view of Trump’s soaring odds. 

Google searches for “donate to Trump” are surging nationwide. If the sham guilty verdict in NYC in May was any indication, then Trump’s campaign could pull in millions of dollars overnight into Sunday. 

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 12:00

Sacramento Threatens To Fine Target For Reporting Retail Thefts

Sacramento Threatens To Fine Target For Reporting Retail Thefts

Via HeadlineUSA.com,

Sacramento officials threatened to sue Target this week if the corporation continues to report retail theft crimes to local law enforcement.

The Sacramento City Attorney’s Office allegedly warned Target, located in Land Park, that it could face public nuisance charges if it continues to call the cops when its merchandise is stolen, according to the Sacramento Bee.

An official with the Sacramento Police Department confirmed the location to the publication. But the City Attorney’s Office denied that it was aware of any litigation threats.

However, city officials reportedly met with Target during a meeting following the report to come up with a “safety plan” to mitigate future retail theft. During the meeting, city officials allegedly aired their grievances against Target, which agreed to beef up its own security measures—including “alarms, cameras, and security personnel” along with the implementation of “light fixtures, landscaping, wayfinding and space activation measures,” according to the Bee.

In response to the report, state lawmakers also took action and added an amendment to a retail theft bill this week that would outlaw these types of threats toward businesses from authorities.

California Republicans, who have raised concerns about the retail theft bill, blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom and his “pro-criminal policies” for punishing law-abiding businesses and rewarding criminals.

“Newsom keeps insisting that reports of theft are dropping—well, now we know why. Not only are thieves let off without even a slap on the wrist, but now the victims are being threatened for even reporting crimes,” said California Assembly GOP leader James Gallagher.

Even leftists in the state agreed that Sacramento’s alleged behavior toward Target was disconcerting. Blake Randol, a criminal justice professor at California State University, Stanislaus, told the Sacramento Bee that Sacramento’s alleged actions would only deter other businesses from reporting future crimes.

“What’s problematic is that what Target is complaining about is a legitimate crime concern,” Randol said. “The city does have a responsibility to be more responsive to the public and be responsive to crime control demands from the public.”

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 11:40

Massive Secret Service Failure Led To Nearly Successful Assassination Of Donald Trump?

Massive Secret Service Failure Led To Nearly Successful Assassination Of Donald Trump?

When looking at the circumstances in favor of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the identified alleged suspect in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, PA, it’s hard to see how the guy failed.  Almost every Secret Service security protocol seems to have been ignored, allowing Crooks easy access to a perfect shooting position and plenty of time to acquire a bead on Trump’s podium.

The rooftop used by Crooks was a mere 140 yards away from the event with a clear line of sight to the right of Trump.  Those familiar with precision shooting know that any shot within 300 yards is considered easy for a moderately trained rifleman.  With the right caliber an expert can hit a torso sized target consistently at 1000 yards or more.  At 140 yards any amateur should be able to hit a pie plate-sized target with little difficulty, even without a magnified optic. 

The Secret Service is supposed to secure all obvious “sniper perches” well before the arrival of a protectee – Meaning, nearby rooftops and buildings are supposed to have a security presence in place along with drone surveillance.  In the case of Butler, PA, this was apparently not done.  SS snipers were only present on the building right behind the venue stage.

The lack of a security presence at the building across the field made it possible for the would-be assassin to brazenly jaunt to the location and climb to the rooftop with his rifle in broad daylight.  The SS traditionally uses concentric “circles of security” going out hundreds if not thousands of yards when preparing a location for protection.  Watch the video below for insight on how meticulous the Secret Service is supposed to be when preparing an area to prevent assassination attempts.

The idea of Crooks being able to get that close with an elevated position on the stage is unthinkable.  Another fail was the lack of sight obstructions put in place near the stage.  The Secret Service is supposed to erect barriers to block the line of sight from potential shooting locations.  Again, this was not done. 

Finally, there’s the dismal lack of response time.  Witnesses outside the event report that they saw Thomas Crooks climbing to the building rooftop with his rifle at least three minutes before he started shooting.  They claim they tried to warn police and Secret Service agents to no avail.  

“How could you have somebody on the rooftop?” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise – a victim of political violence, after the shooting. “There are reports that people watched him climb up the roof and even alerted authorities, and we’re going to be looking into that.“

Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Saturday night demanded immediate answers from the Secret Service as to how it failed to prevent the assassination attempt.

“I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing,” Comer said on X. “The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon. There are many questions and Americans demand answers.”

As Just the News notes, warning signs about the Secret Service were there months before the Trump assassination attempt.

Back in May, Congress requested a briefing with the Secret Service, after several incidents allegedly raised internal concerns over the quality of its trainings.

A petition within the Secret Service has reportedly been circulating because of the incidents and called for a congressional investigation into the agency, according to Comer.

One incident saw a Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris allegedly attack her superior and other agents. The unnamed agent also exhibited other “concerning” behavior, according to her colleagues.

Luckily for Trump, Crooks seems to have had terrible aim and he was not smart enough to shoot from a covered position which would have offered him protection and allowed him even more time.  Unfortunately, the shooter’s stray bullets hit at least three bystanders in the crowd, leaving one dead and two in critical condition.  The security failure in this situation is so complete that former Secret Service agents are admitting it publicly and calling for an investigation into how this could have happened.

The motive for Thomas Crooks’ actions is not yet known.  Reports claim the 20-year-old Bethel Park resident was registered to vote as a Republican, yet, he also donated money to Democrat run organizations in 2021, including ActBlue and the Progressive Turnout Project.  

As we warned only two weeks ago, Democrat rhetoric has been increasingly violent after the Supreme Court decision on Trump’s prosecution immunity.  Many Democrat representatives and activists openly suggested Trump could (or should) be assassinated in response to the ruling.  The media’s fear mongering over the “imminent destruction of Democracy” should Trump prevail might not be directly related to the shooting attempt, but it certainly doesn’t help.  In the wake of the failed assassination many have still taken to social media to argue that the shooting was “staged”, while others complained that the shooter missed his target.             

Regardless of one’s position on Trump, this kind of political vitriol should be considered poisonous.  It can only lead to more violence in the future. Again, the shooter was given every opportunity; Democrats almost got what they have long wanted.

Tyler Durden
Sun, 07/14/2024 – 11:05