After the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the frenzied hours that followed paradoxically showed a glimpse of a better America, one that has been hard to see for the past eight years.
There was unanimous condemnation of violence, a conciliatory tone towards political opponents, and a fair play that was previously unthinkable. In short, a “step back,” as suggested by Joe Biden, from the apocalyptic rhetoric that has been used by the media for years.
Biden’s “step back”
Immediately after the attack, Biden perhaps, for the first time, fulfilled the promise he made to all Americans four years ago: “I want to heal the American soul. I promise to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unite.” The Democratic leader strongly condemned the attack, stating that “there is no place for this type of violence in America.” He called Trump on the phone, offered his prayers, and in a video message to the nation, reminded that “we cannot continue on this path,” that despite political differences, “we are not enemies” and that we must “stay united.”
What is the “path” mentioned by the Democratic president that the United States cannot continue on? It is the path of unrestrained hatred on newspapers, social media messages, and television statements.
Those Trump-Hitler comparisons aging poorly
Biden himself knows this. Just minutes before the assassination attempt, referring to Trump, he wrote on social media: “Americans want a president, not a dictator.” And two weeks ago, he attacked Trump saying, “Donald Trump is a genuine threat to this country. He’s a threat to our freedom. He’s a threat to our democracy. He’s literally a threat to everything America stands for.”
Donald Trump is a genuine threat to this nation.
He’s a threat to our freedom. He’s a threat to our democracy. He’s literally a threat to everything America stands for.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 28, 2024
A headline on the front page of the Washington Post, which aged terribly, read on the day of the assassination attempt: “Biden targets Trump.” In several articles, the New York Times and the Washington Post have equated the Republican leader with Adolf Hitler. In December, Mike Godwin wrote in the title: “Yes, it’s okay to compare Trump to Hitler.”
Cnn’s mea culpa
After the incident at the Butler Farm Show, even CNN, never soft on the former president, perhaps realized they had crossed the line. Scott Jennings, a contributor for the network, stated on air: “The country is in shock, and we really need unity.”
“I hate to say it, but the rhetoric around Trump in recent weeks that if he wins the election, it will be the end for our country, our democracy will be destroyed, and there will be no more elections. Well, these things lead to consequences,” he added. “This hyperbolic extremism must end.”
Trump: “I want to unite this country”
Even the Republican leader played his part. After being rescued, Trump could have attacked his political opponents and immediately capitalized on support. Instead, he thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement in a message. He expressed condolences to the family of the deceased individual and the injured supporter.
Then he decided to completely rewrite the speech he will deliver on Thursday at the Republican convention, which will designate him as the party’s candidate for the November elections. “The speech I had prepared would have been a bomb, one of the most incredible ever made,” he said to the Washington Examiner. But following the attack, “it will be completely different. There is a chance to unite this country. I have been given this opportunity.”
Enough with apocalyptic criticisms
One should not harbor too many illusions. It is likely that when the shock has passed, as the presidential elections approach, the tones will return to being rough and the attacks fierce. But the hope is that the criticisms remain on the political plane and do not turn apocalyptic as they have in recent years.
If no one knows how to bring a deeply divided country like the United States back to unity, the presidential candidates have set a good example. The hope is that the media also learn to follow this path.
