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It was one month ago, in the tiny town of Butler, Pa., that a would-be assassin’s bullet came less than an inch away from changing not just the 2024 presidential election, but the course of American history.
The shocking shooting that left husband and father Corey Comperatore dead, and two more wounded remains a sharp and piercing image in the minds of many voters.
It feels as though decades of politics have taken place in these past 30 days, we have emerged in a very different situation, and if prelude is precursor the next 84 days shall not want for more surprises.
When historians look back at this improbable election cycle, they will need, along with a stiff drink, to consider if it was in fact the assassination attempt, not the debate disaster that finally forced Biden out.
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When Trump took the stage that day, Joe Biden was still defiantly insisting he was the Democrat’s nominee, but once, by the grace of God, the bullet merely grazed the ear of the former president, that was all set to change.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
At a restaurant in Toledo, I watched along with a small crowd as Trump stood, blood on his face, fist in the air, and chanted “Fight, fight, fight.” Since then, I have seen the image emblazoned on T-shirts all across the country. At the time, one of the guys watching said, “That’s it, it’s over.”
But not so fast.
When historians look back at this improbable election cycle, they will need, along with a stiff drink, to consider if it was in fact the assassination attempt, not the debate disaster that finally forced Biden out.
BUTLER RESIDENTS STILL FURIOUS ABOUT TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, SAY MORE THAN INCOMPETENCE TO BLAME
Either way, just 8 days after Trump was shot, and following a successful Republican National Convention, the Democrats pulled the greatest bait and switch in the history of American politics, and suddenly, Trump was running against Vice President Kamala Harris.
For the liberal media it was Christmas morning, and their stockings were full of Harris puff pieces and plenty of excuses to forget all about the shooting in Butler.
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As the assassination attempt faded into the media’s rearview mirror, the whole tone of the Democrats changed from charges that Trump is Hitler, which may well have contributed to the attempted murder, to their current “campaign of joy.”
But this past weekend, when I talked to voters about the near miss, there was still a sense of wonder about it, the slight anxiety in the eyes as they said, as so many do, “we were that close to a total crisis.”
While dodging a bullet is always a good thing, eventually you have to find and eliminate the source of the shooting, and I don’t mean Thomas Matthew Crooks, of whom we still know almost nothing, I mean a political environment of hatred and fear.
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In a nation where so many not only disagree with, but dislike each other, the specter of political violence haunts the election, especially as we look with a cautious eye towards next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The next three months will feature a steady, staccato stream of daily events that move the polling needles. Gaffes, scandals, new policies, debates, the usual circus in town, and yet, the assassination attempt still hangs above it all.
July 13, 2024, was a “where were you” kind of moment, like the killing of JFK or the moon landing, and while things like Tim Walz’s stolen valor or JD Vance’s cat lady comments may fade quickly from the public mind, the shooting of Trump will not.
The nation changed one month ago, an innocence was lost, and everyone can feel it. The stakes of this election are no longer just about which side will win and get to set policies, but also whether we can peacefully coexist at all.
But one thing is certain, for millions of Americans stepping into ballot boxes in November, one image from this campaign season will outshine all others, and when they recall it they will be reminded of Trump’s appeal to fight, fight, fight.
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Transportation
A Bluebikes station is coming to a street near you, Mayor Michelle Wu says.
The mayor announced a new citywide plan to install 100 new Bluebikes stations across every neighborhood in Boston on Monday. The planned expansion will meet rising demand and increase reliability of the bike share system, the city’s Streets Cabinet said in a statement.
The city will execute the plan in phases, the statement said. The first phase, planned for this fall, will add stations in Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Downtown, North End, South End, Wharf District, and the West End. The second phase involves installing bike share stations in Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston, and the Seaport.
“Investing in our regional bike share program is a key component to Boston reaching its transportation goals,” said Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Chief of Streets for the City of Boston. “We are focused on improving the reliability of Bluebikes and ensuring residents have easy access to bike share in every neighborhood.”
Bluebikes announced they would offer free rides to commuters during the Red Line shutdown last month. The BlueBike initiative originally launched in 2011 with just 600 bikes. Now, the city says there are 450 stations and 4,000 bikes across Greater Boston.
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Polls closed at 8 p.m. in Connecticut as candidates await results for the 2024 primary election. Scroll down to find real-time election results.
JUMP TO: U.S. Senate primary results | U.S. House primary results | CT Senate primary results | CT House primary results
In the U.S. Senate primary, Gerry Smith, the top elected official in the town of Beacon Falls, faces Matt Corey, a restaurant operator from Glastonbury. Both say they believe longtime Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy can be beaten but acknowledge that it will be a challenge.
U.S. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (left) and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (right)
In the Republican primary to pick a challenger to Rep Jim Himes in the 4th Congressional District, Bob MacGuffie, a financial executive who was a leader in the state’s tea party movement, is running against Dr. Michael Goldstein, who lost in a primary in the same district two years ago.
The state’s marquee congressional race, however, is already set: Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes, who is seeking a fourth term, will face a rematch with Republican George Logan, a former state senator. Logan lost to Hayes in 2022 by about 2,000 votes, from a quarter of a million cast.
Here are the results for the U.S. Congress GOP primaries in Connecticut as well as the state-level primary election results for Connecticut’s Senate and House:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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