“If the election were being decided today, I have no doubt that Donald Trump would win.” For Nicole Bacharan, a political scientist and specialist in the United States, the assassination attempt against the former Republican president, during a rally on Saturday, July 13 in Pennsylvania, “completely disrupts the American campaign.” After this shooting, from which the former White House resident emerged injured in the ear, with blood on his face but his fist raised, “Donald Trump has entered the history of American heroes,” believes the political scientist.
“This image of a bloodied candidate, who gets up with composure, determined, the American flag flying in the background, will remain etched in memories,” continues the specialist. A symbol that contrasts with the current difficulties of Democratic President Joe Biden, candidate for re-election, but whose doubts are growing about his ability to lead the country, while he has appeared weakened in recent weeks. “We have, on the one hand, a candidate as solid as a rock, and on the other, a president who has lost his political aura. Biden is going to have an extremely hard time competing,” she analyzes.
Risk of political polarization
A few hours after the shock, the United States woke up to fears of a resurgence of political tensions. Although the alleged assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, aged 20, was identified by the FBI as a Republican activist, this did not prevent Donald Trump’s supporters from unleashing against the Biden camp, accusing it of having paved the way for the attack by multiplying, according to them, calls for hatred against their candidate. Ohio Senator James David Vance, Donald Trump’s potential running mate, said on social media that the shooting “was not simply an isolated act”, reports the Washington Postwhich lists dozens of accusatory statements against the current president of the United States.
“The attacks on Democrats are unimaginable,” continues Nicole Bacharan. “Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters, who have been accusing Joe Biden and the American deep state for months of manipulating justice to imprison their candidate, now believe that they wanted to have him assassinated.” The Republican body is now turning the rhetoric of the President of the United States against it, summarizing the campaign as a battle between “democracy”, embodied by Donald Trump, and “fascism”, which the Democrats would be.
This assassination attempt is reminiscent of the one suffered a few years ago by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one of Donald Trump’s international allies. Attacked with a knife during a campaign event in the city of Juiz de Fora in 2018, this event allowed the populist to galvanize his supporters and win. “We are not immune to a similar scenario,” believes Nicole Bacharan.
Attempted violence against American presidents is common in the history of the United States. However, the country does not trivialize them. “Often, this leads to a political demand for more order and security, a theme favorable to the Republicans, which suggests that the campaign is practically already over,” concludes the specialist.
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