(WGGB/WSHM) – Just days after a gunman tried to kill a former president at a campaign rally, Republicans selected him as their party's nominee.
The country is currently struggling with the aftermath of the attack, but is also looking ahead to the November elections.
Former President Donald Trump officially won the Republican presidential nomination two days after being shot in the ear during an assassination attempt. As Election Day approaches, everything that's happened in the past 48 hours has leaders calling for unity and voters wondering what this means for them.
“It's time to calm things down,” President Biden said. “We all have a responsibility to do so.”
The race for the White House is taking on a new tone: one of reunification.
“He essentially wiped the slate clean on the speech that they had prepared,” Donald Trump Jr. noted. “I was in the office last week as they worked for hours on that speech. I think they started from scratch. We're going to unite this country. I think that shocking moment changed everything, even his thinking.”
The calls from both parties came after a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally, killing one person and injuring others, including the former president, who was seen covered in blood.
“Our hearts go out to Corey, the firefighter who lost his life in Pennsylvania protecting his family,” Cecelia Calabrese added.
“There's nothing wrong with criticizing your opponents, but that doesn't mean it has to rise to the level of malicious conduct or imply the worst motives on everyone's part,” Rep. Neal explained.
Trump is the ninth president in U.S. history to be the target of an assassination attempt and the first since a gunman shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
The “cool down” conversation came at a time when the race was more heated than usual.
48 hours after the assassination attempt, Donald Trump was officially nominated as his party's candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
“It was a really exciting morning!” Calabrese said.
While investigators are trying to determine how the shooter managed to evade Secret Service, safety remains the No. 1 priority.
“I think both parties will certainly be talking about security, and I think the Secret Service, the FBI and those who are responsible will have an opportunity to do this evaluation, and I think the presidential candidates will also be stepping up their security measures,” Rep. Neal said.
How do Milwaukee representatives feel?
“This is probably the safest place right now,” Calabrese noted.
Rep. Richard Neal has warned against conspiracy theories.
“What I find unfortunate now is that the first impulse seems to be conspiracy,” Rep. Neal noted. “I think the more extreme the statements, the more reward you get.”
Neal blamed social media, at least in part.
“This doesn't help our national debate. Our debate in America is getting more and more violent, and it doesn't help our democracy,” Rep. Neal explained.
Neal said he was not optimistic that Saturday's attack would bring together a divided nation, at least in the long term, and again blamed social media and the divisive atmosphere it permeates.
Monday night was just the first day of the Republican National Convention, and we're expected to hear from a host of celebrities, entertainers and politicians over the next few days.
Copyright 2024. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.
