I read an unconfirmed post that a local swat team was supposed to occupy that roof during the rally, but due to the heat, opted to instead set up inside the building instead. If that's the case, that explains why the counter sniper team didn't immediately engage him. That'll be an interesting point if it's confirmed. 150yrds isn't hard, but it isn't easy either. Some metrics from some other sites & people I follow: The flags behind Trump indicate the wind roughly between 4-7 miles per hour. 5.56 drift is approximately 1.1″ at 100 yards, 5″ at 200 yards, so ~2.2" at 150ish yard range. Now factor in the mechanical accuracy of the firearm, cartridge load and consistency, shooter skill level, optics/open sites, etc.
I wonder what the plan was with the explosives in his car. Was the rifle shot plan A? Or was it plan B, and it became plan A when he realized he could get up there and actually had a shot? Also, I recall a tweet that said the building where he posted up was the state's problem, as it was outside the Secret Service's perimeter. Weirdly that makes sense, and the idea that no one called out this kid climbing up there with a rifle for 30 minutes makes sense from a "wait, who's up there? Let me check, no don't shoot him, for fuck's sakes, probably some last minute change in sniper position or some shit, let me call it in."
I'm in Ohio and have worked near Middletown where Vance grew up. Most opinions I've heard is that he's an opportunistic shitbag.
People have been making Star Wars "The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed" jokes since the shooting, but Trump coming out to the convention with a comically oversized bandage really sealed the deal. The kayfabe would be funny if it weren't so scary.
It’s gonna be like that whole PR stunt The Weeknd did a few years ago. The bandage is gonna get bigger and bigger until he looks like the invisible man.
My assorted pack Band-aids always have knuckle and fingertip bandages leftover. But, I forget, what is the standard size for ear that's been shot with 5.56? Mine doesn't have that one.
How long til he gets cheeto dust on it, and it turns orange? https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-no-poll-boost-after-assassination-attempt-us-election-1925680 It's early, but the fact that there was no post-shooting bump in Trump's polling is curious. I keep wondering how the broader electorate will respond when the FBI wraps up an investigation, but it's kind of insane to think that the man could get shot in the face and it wouldn't change anyone's mind. Biden got his shit together and behaved rather presidentially, all the way through the interview. Trump....less so, but not far out of his norm. It seems the only thing this shooting has done is quiet the dissent on both sides. Haley got in line and spoke at the RNC, and the calls for Biden to step down have abated (for now).
The guy had open sights based on the picture I saw. Which makes me think that this was suicide by Secret Service, the platinum version of suicide by cop, and he would have been there no matter which candidate was in town as it was probably a spur of the moment deal. But had it been Biden the USSS a team would have been there and he would have been notoced and quietly whisked away.
Oh, because the head of the Secret Service previous experience was security chief at Cheetos? Now, that's funny! It's certainly not related to the shooting, but I did find it interesting that the President of the Teamsters Union spoke at the RNC and was the first to do that. No clue what that would do to poll numbers.
All the Trumpers on my socials are already saying that it's a coverup, inside job, Hillary etc so I don't think it matters what they find.
It definitely felt like he grossly misread the tactical landscape. He bought the whole "white working class populism" bullshit, and doesn't realize they're going to use him and then destroy his union anyway. The three PayPal alums own a larger share of the Republican party than every union worker in the country combined.
Trump said that the incident changed the way he feels. He said that his speech was all fire and brimstone (paraphrasing) but he's rewriting it to more of a unity speech. Assuming that's not a load of horseshit, do you think it might sway that ~2% that he needs in the swing states?
Isn't that the same shit that he said after he almost died from the Chinese Virus (allegedly)? I think it's too late to teach that old dog new tricks, and he's still the same petty, vengeful douche bag that he's always been.
I think the most likely effect that his shooting would have would be to encourage those on the right, who are pro-trump but too lazy to vote, to actually go to the polls in November. As far as swaying voters, Trump supporters are now more staunchly pro-Trump than before, the left won’t switch to Trump because he was shot, and I can’t see how those on the fence would shift to Trump because he was almost killed. Why would they? Unless I’m being naive or missing something obvious.
He may have had a change of heart for this speech but the man has absolutely no capacity to change his tumultuous trolling behavior. I haven’t seen any all caps truth social screeds but I honestly don’t go looking for them. He’ll be back to his old ways within the fortnight.