Rhetoric and violence have always been part of American politics. The shocking attempt on former US President Donald Trump’s life has brought into stark relief the toxic climate in America’s politics. While the details of the shooter’s motive remain unclear, the violence is a further gauge of how what was once unacceptable, if not unthinkable, in American society has become painfully commonplace. However, the shock and outrage that swept through the country, which has seen multiple assassinations of Presidents and one candidate for President, have given way to the sobering need for peace and unity. Calls have been made from both sides of the political divide for lowering the temperature.
The lack of civility and hostility in the run up to the Presidential election will send a wrong signal. It is time to cool it and turn the temperature down. President Joe Biden took the lead in calling for unity within an hour of the shooting and in an address from the White House. Biden sent out a video message, addressing American citizens after a failed assassination attempt on his rival and former US President Donald Trump, urging people to “lower the temperature” of US politics and “take a step back.” Biden said, “We are not enemies, we are friends, neighbours, co-workers and most importantly we are fellow Americans, we must stand together. Yesterday’s shooting in Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back.”
Even Trump’s campaign has prohibited staff from publicly commenting on the shooting, saying dangerous rhetoric on social media will not be tolerated. Trump, who has tended to use tough language with allusions to physical violence, has endorsed this new spirit after his transformational experience, saying, “I had prepared an extremely tough speech all about the corrupt, horrible administration. But I threw it away.” He went to tell the interviewer that a new speech was being worked upon now because “I want to try to unite our country. But I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided”.
Trump reached Milwaukee on July 14 evening for the four-day convention that will end later this week after formally crowning Trump as the party’s nominee for the White House. Trump has said that he will address the convention as is the practice, squashing any uncertainty caused by the assassination bid. Republican Senator J D Vance, who is one of the contenders for Trump’s running mate slot, has also said that he is toning down his speech for the convention. The same goes for Nancy Mace, a Republican member of the House of Representatives who is among the scheduled speakers at the convention. It’s good that both sides of the political divide are toning down the rhetoric and urging for an end to vitriol.
