Donald Trump survived yet another shooting on Sunday and even a liberal website, along with Speaker Mike Johnson can say, “Thank God.” Having given thanks, questions remain as to who else might be thanked and more critically, not thanked. How has this happened twice within approximately two months? We shouldn’t really have to answer that question and Speaker Johnson may be putting his faith first in a matter that must also raise stern questions put to the Secret Service.
Kelly and I are departing Mar-a-Lago, where we just spent a few hours with President Trump and are thanking God for protecting him today—once again. No leader in American history has endured more attacks and remained so strong and resilient. He is unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/43Rm8SPGU8
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) September 15, 2024
Speaker Johnson is thanking God for keeping Trump alive and again, it’s certainly fine to do so in keeping with his beliefs. Yes, yes – I get it, it might look like the Secret Service should be commended in Florida for at least capturing 58 year-old Ryan Wesley Routh. And perhaps after an intense examination by the FBI, this may prove true.
But should Trump have to endure two attempts at his life within almost 60 days? Almost certainly not, especially in situations where both shooters were armed with assault-style rifles. These were killers, not people using a handgun at a long distance sending a message. Should we overlook the fact that a rally-goer in Pennsylvania was shot and killed when a bullet scraped Trump’s ear, while two more were left critical in an attempt that couldn’t have missed Trump any closer.
In response to the Pennsylvania shooting, US Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle resigned and five agents were suspended to temporary assignments in desk jobs for the July shooting . Perhaps the protection at the Florida shooting should find themselves similarly situated. Per CBS News:
Law enforcement officials confirmed that members of Trump’s U.S. Secret Service detail opened fire at the armed suspect after spotting him on the edge of the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, a few holes ahead of where the president was golfing. Secret Service officials said it was not clear if the suspect fired any shots.
Routh was later caught 50 miles away on I-95 and arrested. The Secret Service did fire their guns when and Routh also fired according to MSNBC it is unclear whether he got shots near Trump.. So, while Speaker Johnson is appropriate in thanking God, perhaps he should also ask  penetrating questions about how a man gets an assault rifle and poke it through a bush at 300-500 yards at a former president and currently nominated candidate.
This should not happen with or without God’s help. Additionally, this isn’t a partisan question – the Secret Service has to protect people from both sides, and a shooter’s partisan beliefs could arise out of either side. (the Florida gunman voted for Trump in 2016, no details on voting in 2020.)
As opposed to Speaker Johnson, Rep. Steve Scalise – who has been shot himself, raised the appropriate issue:
Authorities just acknowledged if President Trump was president, they’d do more to protect him. This must change. There have been TWO attempts on Trump’s life. Secret Service must up their level of protection of him to their FULL capabilities—including expanding the perimeter.
While it is very difficult to secure an entire golf course, it really shouldn’t be this hard to prevent someone within 300-500 yards.
It couldn’t be clearer, the Secret Service must substantially raise their level of protection, at least after the nomination. Additionally, Former President Trump and Vice President Harris both have a regular security detail so any increased protection must rise over their normal security detail. But yes, given what has happened now and given the partisan rage in this country, it is time to up the Secret Service protection to the presidential level even though it will be ungodly expensive.
As for Speaker Johnson? He must now move forward in budgeting to increase the protection for candidates and do so with or without God.
God Bless, I can be reached at [email protected]
Perhaps Mike Johnson might want to talk to members of Gerald Ford’s family about “No leader in American history [enduring] more attacks.” Ford was shot at close range twice within a month’s time. And he was actually THE President–not some asshat whose sole reason for running is to keep his fat ass our of jail.
I’d also like to suggest that Johnson consider that maybe–just maybe–that “God” he’s thanking did this to say “Hey, dude. Enough with the guns already. You people do NOT need them, especially not that type. You mortals got along for millennia without needing them and you did pretty good for yourselves. You still managed to kill people with astonishing efficiency, mind you, and you managed to feed yourselves with wild game, using good old bows and arrows, and slings and rocks. David didn’t need anything more than a little sling and rock to take down Goliath. Are you saying you modern people are so ineffectual you couldn’t do that?”
But, no. Of course not. Because the right-wing gun nuts who claim to worship their God would NEVER believe their God would tell them to put down the guns.
Meanwhile you right wing religious hypocrite…four children were killed in Gaza yesterday, bringing the total to over 15,000 children. Hey phuckhead…who exactly should their parents, relatives, friends, etc. be thanking? As a Religion major…let me suggest you stick your misguided ideology about this universe up your stupid narrow minded ass. Praise the Lord!
Nobody shot AT the Melon Felon this time, did they?
No squeaker johnson, more ss protection should NOT be put into play for NON-PRESIDENTS. If candidates for prez are inciting people to the point they are shooting at the dumb-ass candidates, perhaps someone needs to sit down with the candidate and tell them they need to tone down the rage/hate-filled rhetoric. In fact, I will venture to ask that perhaps ss details for non-prez needs to be smaller since we are needlessly risking the lives of the unfortunates assigned to be the former prez’s security detail. Take some of his detail away and tell him “you get these back when you start acting like a rational adult”. Former presidents damn sure don’t need the same size details they had while in office. That is totally asinine. Increasing it when no shots were fired at the fool is even more idiotic.
Besides, the mango moron doesn’t need to wait too much longer and the point becomes moot-he will need a whole lot LESS of a security detail when he is in prison.
RW love “their Melodramatics/Histrionics!” No shots were fired at tRUMP. Maybe the Perp was just lurking, thinking about it?? RW are “reaping, what they have sown.”
seriously doubt this guy would have fired a shot, more dramatics from the very people that brought us all this hate, and diversity, the ultimate hypocrites among many many more horrible things they have brought upon us, hopefully, they will be gone Nov