That’s right folks. There will be a lot of details about the failed attempt to shoot Trump while he was playing golf down in Florida as he so often does to come out in the days and weeks ahead. Yes, shots were fired. However, not a single one was fired AT Trump. In fact, we now know the would be shooter didn’t fire off a single round, even at the Secret Service Special Agents who spotted him at a distance and engaged him, causing him to flee.
The Secret Service did their job. Effectively. Well. And this mental misfit goober was four to five hundred yards away from where Trump was when he was spotted. It’s said the barrel of his rifle could be seen poking out. I think the agents patrolling the holes ahead of Trump saw a bit more than that. I’ve seen pictures of this asshat being arrested wearing a peach or pinkish colored shirt. He fled in panic when he was spotted and shots were being fired at HIM. Right to his SUV and he was spotted fleeing and speeding off but not before someone got his license plate number. Minutes later he was apprehended, and as I said not wearing tactical gear or even any Camo! There are other pictures of his TWO backpacks hanging up there on the chain link fence with precious little vegetation to be seen. And his rifle too which he abandoned.
This was NOT someone doing a “Creep” as a sniper would. No, this was pure dumbass amateur hour idiocy. Back when I was in the Corps I never got any Scout/Sniper training. However as a grunt, just as with soldiers in the Army I learned about setting up for an ambush. Stuff about cover and concealment. Let’s just say any of us who would have left our A.L.I.C.E. pack laying out in the open or hung it on a tree for anyone to spot would have wound up with troop handlers (instructors) ensuring he had a really, really bad day.
Still, what’s standing out to me is despite Trump IMMEDIATELY going online to fundraise off a second assassination attempt the plain fact is he was never in all that much danger. He’s got a solid Secret Service presence, greater than the typical Presidential candidate who isn’t already President or VP that’s a nominee. The (mostly, if not all) sycophantic ass-kissers who allowed the guy in Butler to get in such a prime spot to take a shot(s) at Trump are either gone (on other assignments or ‘administrative duty’) or any left have a larger and more professional group making sure they do their freaking jobs with due diligence.
The Secret Service did it’s job just like it was supposed to. They established a solid perimeter around Trump, and patrolled the ensuing two or three holes he would be playing. I’m sure they also left a “check six” (keep a lookout to the rear) in their wake. Even if this goober had made more effort to conceal himself he’d have likely been discovered. However, just as Trump (and all of us) was lucky in his would be assassin in Butler being such a lousy shot, luck again prevailed here in that the would be assassin didn’t know jack about cover and concealment and was spotted while Trump was a quarter mile away from where he’d set up!
He didn’t fire a single shot! Remember that and if you hear anyone talking about the “danger” Trump was in remind him that he never got eyeballs on Trump and ran away in panic after the Secret Service spotted him and shot at HIM. This article in USA Today makes that much clear:
David Aronberg, the state attorney for Palm Beach County, confirmed to USA TODAY that Routh did not fire any shots while perched just outside the Trump International Golf Course. No shell casings were found at the site, he said. Prosecutors in his office were developing a motion for pretrial detention with no bail until federal officials informed him they would be taking over the case, Aronberg said.
I’ve tried not to go off on a rant here. However I do want to add one final point. The Secret Service has (with help from local and state LE) been foiling assassination attempts against Presidents, Vice-Presidents and former ones (as well as other high ranking officials who’ve needed protection) for decades. Usually we never even hear about it. Plots are identified and broken up before would be killers are ready to try and strike. Sometimes we do learn about it, especially when something gets to the level of actually setting up for an attempt, or an actual attempt. What happened in Butler was a group of hand-picked (for ass kissing capabilities) agents let their guard down and their Protectee is alive only because his would be killer was a piss-poor shot.
What happened yesterday in Florida was an example of what the Secret Service is trained to do and has mostly done damned well. Establish a security perimeter, and even when it’s a challenging one like the Protectee making his/her way around a golf course in the middle of an urban area having enough people in the right places to ensure that wherever their charge was headed would be safe. The system worked. Had it not been for so many of Trump’s former team getting swapped out after Butler Trump (and all of us) would have again had to rely on plain old dumb luck that the shooter wouldn’t be able to hit his target.
Trump and Republicans will howl loud enough to wake the dead over this. What they SHOULD do is simply thank the Secret Service for doing it’s job well and STFU instead of forcing details about HOW they do their job into the public domain. However that would make it tougher to exploit what happened yesterday for money and votes. In a truly perverse bit of irony Trump and his enablers will make it MORE difficult to protect him!
I hate the man with a passion I can’t put into words even if the gifts of Shakespeare suddenly found their way into me. However the last thing I want is Trump dead and especially not by assassination. No way do I want him gifted martyrdom. No, I want him alive, humiliated at the polls in November and then tried and convicted. Then sentenced to prison. (It pisses me off he’d get better conditions than he deserves) After a few years, when he’s had time to absorb how it all came crashing down and that not even his kids want to spend time coming for a visit, when no reporters come around wanting to talk with him, when he realizes he’s largely forgotten THEN I’ll be okay with him up and dying.
Until then, please Secret Service keep his worthless ass safe and alive.
All excellent points! Absolutely the Secret Service has squashed more of the same type plots against our presidents and we have never heard anything about them which is how it should be. Thanks for once again giving a thoughtful analysis of the situation.
The initial reports were that “pop pop pop pop” was heard and the Secret Service agents “pounced” on Trump. I’m going to have to go back and find the initial reports. (I’m curious to know which outlet said that.)
I’m sure you’re right, Denis, about these details. My point is that now it’s one more urban legend, like Trump being “shot” in the ear. That’s the problem. The right-wing media run with the fantasy and then that’s what is remembered is the fantasy not what actually happened.
Aren’t we STILL waiting for that medical report?!?
…..remember to not hold your breath…..
I’m sure that had it been up to his detail, we’d still not know about this thwarted attempt. Of course big mouth cry baby has to pitch a hissy for attention every couple of minutes so…
Anyone arrested 100 times, having once barricaded himself in a business in 2002 with a gun, he’s the poster child for the lack of gun regulations that this pissant has BRAGGED ABOUT. It’s also clear he’s not a trained killer, as he’s been caught MANY MANY times. Hey fatboy…you made jokes about Nancy’s husband being attacked…how about now? You’re right Denis…I want the child killer in jail, not martyrdom. VOTE!
This asshat needed (a long time ago) someone like Charlie from The West Wing to jack him up:
The only thing that one might (MIGHT) fault the Secret Service for is, as I understand it, security services never let a protectee do predictable things. Different travel routes, different activities, keep the world guessing! Trump is a mule-headed idiot who undoubtedly cries until he gets his way, but can’t the Secret Service say “no golf today, sir, go read a book?!” 🤣🤣 Sorry, my question was serious, but I couldn’t resist!! ðŸ¤
Golf IS a problem with Trump. Not that he plays, but where he insists on playing. Unlike others who’ve held the office and play at places more easily secured Trump will only play at courses he owns. Places he’s really familiar with. Where everyone knows better than to challenge him for cheating. Where, if he doesn’t feel like walking an extra thirty or forty feet from the cart path onto the green he can just drive his cart across the green, tearing it up in the process. (He does that sometimes) That’s the kind of thing that will get a person kicked off and banned from a course. And kicked out of ANY golf/country club in this country and others.
There are lots of courses down there he could play, but he’d have to behave himself. And have a lot more trouble cheating on his score. So it’s the same places each time. Still, it’s possible as we saw yesterday to secure things enough where he can get out there, and if a threat does emerge it can be dealt with before he’s in imminent danger.
Al Pachino in The Godfather was arguing with his brothers who insisted a police captain was untouchable. He said: if history has taught us anything…anyone can be killed. Stir up hate for a decade…laugh about violence to others…encourage it against your political opponents, brag about no gun control, spread 10s of thousands of lies knowing you lead a dangerous cult, and THEN act shocked when it comes YOUR way. Really?
I want him.to outlive me by a dozen years, fed through a tube in a nursing home whe re he he is kept in a “clean” ( double locked ) room after threatening staff and no one comes to see him.