How did America get to the point where a decorated combat veteran can confuse an obviously blowhard bully with a courageous man ... and then be given a forum on a major commentary site so that he can wave this error in everyone's face?
Please spare us all the airhead Trump idolatry. There is a far more plausible reading of the situation: Trump is so stupid and so clogged with his own braggadocio that even after shots had rung out (and he ducked for cover), he went on to actually risk exposing himself to more gunfire ... to no purpose. Incredibly, he attempted to surge out from under the protection of the cordon of bodyguards (who were trying their best to control him) so that he could raise his fist and perform more braggadocious grandstanding before his incurable admirers - who, like all narcissists, he clearly can't live without. (He doesn't even seem to understand what a security detail is for.)
In short, it was Trump's ego that got winged by that bullet, and his response was certainly in character - just not the kind of character that Mr Ackerman has in mind.
The point Elliott Ackerman is making here isn't at all undermined by Trump dodging, or choosing to avoid service in Vietnam. GW Bush, Bill Clinton, and a huge percentage of currrent senators born in the 40s and early 50s also opted not to serve in a war that was unpopular and believed by many,.like the scholar and French resistance veteran Bernard Fall to be unwinnable.
What Ackerman highlights here are Trump's instincts under fire. He didn't cower. He didn't show fear. He showed defiance and a comcern for the crowd, who went on to chant, USA, USA, not Trump, Trump.
That Trump chose not to serve in Vietnam but rose to the occasion in a situation he couldn't avoid isn't lost on Ackerman, or me.
Trump's raised fist is the ugly mirror of its leftist heritage last expressed during the riots.. It's a penny dreadful cartoon image but he will win this election with it. Democrats have sowed the wind.
It was also my first thought. I served as a enlisted infantryman with the British army in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan and my immediate thoughts after the shock passed was, "that's (Trump) is a leader of men." Panic as the author of this article will know is contagious and Trump's actions likely saved lives.
Yes it could have easily turned into a stampede due to panic and fear. Reminds me of a time when I was at the Taste of Chicago and there was a shooting. A tidal wave of fearful humanity ensued and thankfully me and my friends got out of the way. More people were trampled than were shot.
One of the fundamental problems our society has right now is that those in power are trying to make us pretend that all human beings are interchangeable, instead of accepting that there are always a few on the fringe who are the exception to the rule. 'Women and men are the same.' 'No one has differing innate talents that might be applied to different tasks.' And, maybe we need all of the tasks, not just the ones that involve college (which has a terribly inflated value with so many who have years of education beyond college mastering less than an 8th grade graduate from the 19th century).
So, along with the other failures like keeping an eye on rooftops, listening to citizens who raised the alarm, and sending the A team to guard Jill in Pittsburg (she is running the country) - we Americans should demand taller Secret Service Agents:
"Scene one: after President Trump ducks, a group of agents leaps to him and protects him with their bodies. A female agent who rushes to the stage acts bravely, without a doubt, but the point of the “huddle” is to protect the president. The agent was much shorter than President Trump, leaving his head and neck exposed after he stood up."
" DEI. The Secret Service has highlighted “diversity” as a key priority and its director, Kimberly Cheatle, named to the position in 2022, has pledged to increase dramatically the number of women in the ranks.
This is official policy. The Secret Service openly boasts that it “prioritizes recruiting women candidates” and has formulated an “affirmative action” plan to increase the number of women, LGBT, Native Americans, and other identity groups.
Cheatle herself told CBS News that her goal was to reach 30 percent female recruits by 2030: “I’m very conscious, as I sit in this chair now, of making sure that we need to attract diverse candidates and ensure that we are developing and giving opportunities to everybody in our workforce, and particularly women.” The agency is well on its way. In 2021, for the first time, the special agent training class graduated more women than men."
"These biological facts should be obvious." Wait, is biology a science? We have a Supreme Court Justice who cannot figure out what a woman is because she isn't a biologist. So, I am confused. Do we give credence to biology or to feelings? If it is feeling why does the SC justice need a degree in biology?
"The problem with DEI is that it dictates decisions based not on performance or on the old virtues, such as honor, but on demographics and ideology. " Uh, huh
"The agency itself has published its fitness standards in two parts: one for men, and a separate, less rigorous one for women" This is so wrong! If there is a woman who passes the standard for this position, like maybe being over 6 foot and a certain body mass - great! But, this is not about making the job applicant feel good.
This fundamental problem extends to so many other issues. Like, the American military should not be about pronouns and tax payer funded "sex changes". I hope that Trump and Vance together can reverse the literal insanity. Even the DSM once honestly stated that believing your brain lived in a "wrong body" was a mental issue. Oh, by the way, I heard that the dead shooter's father is a shrink. I have so much confidence in this profession now, generally! (There are good ones like Dr. Paul McHugh.) See also, https://tennesseestar.com/covenant-school-shooting-investigation/
I agree, Spartacus! However, Trump could be dead right now but for having a Secret Service agent of appropriate height. I don't think the 30% DEI goal was intended to frame a perfect iconic photo that will get him re-elected and make some progress towards saving our country. :)
All the agents were down below when shots were fired. So it wouldn't matter then. When he was down it wouldn't matter. And before they let him up they knew there was bo threat left.
Trump's response to getting shot cannot be scripted, and his reaction - especially making sure to reassure the crowd, which instantly changed the mood from one of fear to one of relief and inspiration - is the single most impressive act I've ever seen from a politician. I very much hope he wins in November. Good essay, thanks.
Yes he would have been a great combat leader in Vietnam had he not dodged the draft. What a stupid article. And I’m someone who was very disturbed and angry about this attempt on his life. Free press is turning into such a joke.
I am also disturbed about the attempt on his life, and I agree that this episode does not necessarily show Trump's fitness for the stresses of battle. There are many things that make a person a good warrior aside from not showing fear. Even if he had not dodged the draft, his behavior has not been that of a "team player," which is necessary in a combat situation.
The way he has spoken about some of his generals is worrisome; he does not seem to realize that there are cultural protocols within the military which help it to stay unified and. When I think of Trump, "self-discipline" is not the first word that comes to mind. There are things I like about Trump -- and I think another Biden term would be disastrous -- but I also think it's important to stay clear-eyed about peoples' strengths and weaknesses.
Are you saying all draft dodgers were cowards? You can if you want to. I am simply trying to understand the reasoning of "because he dodged the draft in Vietnam there is no way this article should be given credence." Which I think is the the point you are trying to make. By the way one of the things I like about the Free Press is that I do not agree with everything they publish. It's bad for my mental health to be in a bubble.
I always felt Biden showed cowardice by rarely holding press conferences, hiding away, and avoiding unscripted questions. He allowed the borders to be open in clear violation of the law, yet never had the courage to stand up and explain his plan or reasoning to the people of this country.
President Trump had no possible way to know that the threat was over when he acted as he did. Yes, the shooter was dead, but how could he have known that there was only one shooter and not more? You can choose to generally dislike the man but you cannot impose your knowledge of the situation after the fact on his actions in those moments following the gunfire. With that in mind, it is difficult to dispute that he acted bravely and with a good deal of leadership in that moment.
On what planet does raising your fist and shouting "fight" while sandwiched between multiple secret service qualify you to be a global leader or even the moniker of "brave". trump knows a photo op when he sees one - it is that simple.
You are entitled to your opinion. I was merely pointing out that he could not have known that there was no other shooter which makes your original comment regarding his portraying any sort of leadership skills invalid. Now your latest comment, in an attempt to make his actions seem quite ordinary under the circumstances, has him wedged between agents yelling fight which obviously in your opinion has him trying to take advantage of a photo op seconds after his attempted assassin. Well I guess we can at least agree that he had the presence of mind, after being almost killed, to do either. Have a nice day with your TDS.
I'm not saying that Trump's response wasn’t courageous. It was. He had just been shot at and barely survived, coming up from a pile-on. Anyone saying that's a walk in the park is a fool.
The sniper had a clear shot for 3 minutes he said. Per eyewitness that's the time Crooks was on the roof. Sniper can't take a shot without approval which did not come. That's because nobody had taken a shot at a presidential candidate in a long time. And, think about it. It's a Trump rally. Shooting the guy without a shot fired would have handed Dems raw meat.
When the shooter fired, it took ~0.6 second for the sniper to hear it. It took 0.15 second for the sniper bullet to hit Crooks head. Crooks was firing for 2 seconds. So in 1.25 seconds the sniper smoothly squeezed his trigger. That's decision, and finish squeeze.
Normally snipers take 2-6 seconds to pull a trigger. From these basic facts, we know that the sniper had Crooks targeted and had pulled his trigger part way.
As a combat infantry veteran, I couldn’t imagine seeing any of my guys—let alone leaders—walking around the objective with hands in pockets. I don’t doubt the bravery of the writer at all, but not quite sure that is the right symbol to show it. Trump’s reaction to it is admirable, but it’s one thing to survive a freak event that — thankfully — ended with a bullet through the ear and not the head, and it’s another thing to compare it to leadership in prolonged combat.
Save for those with their hands on a steering wheel, hand-mike, AGs feeding ammo, litter carriers, etc.? Nitpicking aside, I agree that the hands in the pockets is an odd way of demonstrating calm - I’m assuming this technique was used only after the direct action was over.
How did America get to the point where a decorated combat veteran can confuse an obviously blowhard bully with a courageous man ... and then be given a forum on a major commentary site so that he can wave this error in everyone's face?
Please spare us all the airhead Trump idolatry. There is a far more plausible reading of the situation: Trump is so stupid and so clogged with his own braggadocio that even after shots had rung out (and he ducked for cover), he went on to actually risk exposing himself to more gunfire ... to no purpose. Incredibly, he attempted to surge out from under the protection of the cordon of bodyguards (who were trying their best to control him) so that he could raise his fist and perform more braggadocious grandstanding before his incurable admirers - who, like all narcissists, he clearly can't live without. (He doesn't even seem to understand what a security detail is for.)
In short, it was Trump's ego that got winged by that bullet, and his response was certainly in character - just not the kind of character that Mr Ackerman has in mind.
The point Elliott Ackerman is making here isn't at all undermined by Trump dodging, or choosing to avoid service in Vietnam. GW Bush, Bill Clinton, and a huge percentage of currrent senators born in the 40s and early 50s also opted not to serve in a war that was unpopular and believed by many,.like the scholar and French resistance veteran Bernard Fall to be unwinnable.
What Ackerman highlights here are Trump's instincts under fire. He didn't cower. He didn't show fear. He showed defiance and a comcern for the crowd, who went on to chant, USA, USA, not Trump, Trump.
That Trump chose not to serve in Vietnam but rose to the occasion in a situation he couldn't avoid isn't lost on Ackerman, or me.
Trump is Old Hickory now, tough as Andy Jackson
Thank you for your service.
Trump's raised fist is the ugly mirror of its leftist heritage last expressed during the riots.. It's a penny dreadful cartoon image but he will win this election with it. Democrats have sowed the wind.
You've got to be joking.
Thank God for Alpha men like Trump. I guess the Beta boys will never understand.
weak sociopathic bully is ecactly what this man sees in him
It was also my first thought. I served as a enlisted infantryman with the British army in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan and my immediate thoughts after the shock passed was, "that's (Trump) is a leader of men." Panic as the author of this article will know is contagious and Trump's actions likely saved lives.
Yes it could have easily turned into a stampede due to panic and fear. Reminds me of a time when I was at the Taste of Chicago and there was a shooting. A tidal wave of fearful humanity ensued and thankfully me and my friends got out of the way. More people were trampled than were shot.
I also led my men in Desert Storm, brother. Trump faces combat every day on almost every front and deals with it appropriately.
For those who have allowed the media to suspend your disbelief... This is the real Trump:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/08/19/the-day-i-went-head-to-head-with-donald-trump/#624a2a035570
Ditto Yuri's comment. Thank you. And a a very nuanced and careful wish regarding how Trump should act going forward. I think you're spot on.
One of the fundamental problems our society has right now is that those in power are trying to make us pretend that all human beings are interchangeable, instead of accepting that there are always a few on the fringe who are the exception to the rule. 'Women and men are the same.' 'No one has differing innate talents that might be applied to different tasks.' And, maybe we need all of the tasks, not just the ones that involve college (which has a terribly inflated value with so many who have years of education beyond college mastering less than an 8th grade graduate from the 19th century).
So, along with the other failures like keeping an eye on rooftops, listening to citizens who raised the alarm, and sending the A team to guard Jill in Pittsburg (she is running the country) - we Americans should demand taller Secret Service Agents:
"A Compromised Secret Service The agency has sacrificed its basic mission on the altar of DEI." https://www.city-journal.org/article/a-compromised-secret-service
"Scene one: after President Trump ducks, a group of agents leaps to him and protects him with their bodies. A female agent who rushes to the stage acts bravely, without a doubt, but the point of the “huddle” is to protect the president. The agent was much shorter than President Trump, leaving his head and neck exposed after he stood up."
" DEI. The Secret Service has highlighted “diversity” as a key priority and its director, Kimberly Cheatle, named to the position in 2022, has pledged to increase dramatically the number of women in the ranks.
This is official policy. The Secret Service openly boasts that it “prioritizes recruiting women candidates” and has formulated an “affirmative action” plan to increase the number of women, LGBT, Native Americans, and other identity groups.
Cheatle herself told CBS News that her goal was to reach 30 percent female recruits by 2030: “I’m very conscious, as I sit in this chair now, of making sure that we need to attract diverse candidates and ensure that we are developing and giving opportunities to everybody in our workforce, and particularly women.” The agency is well on its way. In 2021, for the first time, the special agent training class graduated more women than men."
"These biological facts should be obvious." Wait, is biology a science? We have a Supreme Court Justice who cannot figure out what a woman is because she isn't a biologist. So, I am confused. Do we give credence to biology or to feelings? If it is feeling why does the SC justice need a degree in biology?
"The problem with DEI is that it dictates decisions based not on performance or on the old virtues, such as honor, but on demographics and ideology. " Uh, huh
"The agency itself has published its fitness standards in two parts: one for men, and a separate, less rigorous one for women" This is so wrong! If there is a woman who passes the standard for this position, like maybe being over 6 foot and a certain body mass - great! But, this is not about making the job applicant feel good.
This fundamental problem extends to so many other issues. Like, the American military should not be about pronouns and tax payer funded "sex changes". I hope that Trump and Vance together can reverse the literal insanity. Even the DSM once honestly stated that believing your brain lived in a "wrong body" was a mental issue. Oh, by the way, I heard that the dead shooter's father is a shrink. I have so much confidence in this profession now, generally! (There are good ones like Dr. Paul McHugh.) See also, https://tennesseestar.com/covenant-school-shooting-investigation/
Without that short lady, that photo would be very different. It was perfect for this occasion.
She made it possible to see Trump's head and shoulders and chest. It created a framing that could not have been done better.
I agree, Spartacus! However, Trump could be dead right now but for having a Secret Service agent of appropriate height. I don't think the 30% DEI goal was intended to frame a perfect iconic photo that will get him re-elected and make some progress towards saving our country. :)
All the agents were down below when shots were fired. So it wouldn't matter then. When he was down it wouldn't matter. And before they let him up they knew there was bo threat left.
The father is a social worker, not a shrink.
Trump's response to getting shot cannot be scripted, and his reaction - especially making sure to reassure the crowd, which instantly changed the mood from one of fear to one of relief and inspiration - is the single most impressive act I've ever seen from a politician. I very much hope he wins in November. Good essay, thanks.
Yes he would have been a great combat leader in Vietnam had he not dodged the draft. What a stupid article. And I’m someone who was very disturbed and angry about this attempt on his life. Free press is turning into such a joke.
If he could only have been like fighting Joe Biden or battling Bill Clinton during Vietnam. Oh. wait........
I’m with you. I’m a combat Vet as well (Stan) and I’m calling BS. Guy punked out of serving. He’s a coward.
I swear I feel like I’m Will Ferrel in Zoolander.
What the f—k do these people see when they see that tub of lying excrement? 🤦🏾♂️
I am also disturbed about the attempt on his life, and I agree that this episode does not necessarily show Trump's fitness for the stresses of battle. There are many things that make a person a good warrior aside from not showing fear. Even if he had not dodged the draft, his behavior has not been that of a "team player," which is necessary in a combat situation.
The way he has spoken about some of his generals is worrisome; he does not seem to realize that there are cultural protocols within the military which help it to stay unified and. When I think of Trump, "self-discipline" is not the first word that comes to mind. There are things I like about Trump -- and I think another Biden term would be disastrous -- but I also think it's important to stay clear-eyed about peoples' strengths and weaknesses.
Are you saying all draft dodgers were cowards? You can if you want to. I am simply trying to understand the reasoning of "because he dodged the draft in Vietnam there is no way this article should be given credence." Which I think is the the point you are trying to make. By the way one of the things I like about the Free Press is that I do not agree with everything they publish. It's bad for my mental health to be in a bubble.
It also means that no one can grow and change in the intervening decades.
Soldiers would fight for President Trump! What an amazing sense of presence of the moment.
The details yet to be revealed.
But, our next president have been elected by this event.....
I always felt Biden showed cowardice by rarely holding press conferences, hiding away, and avoiding unscripted questions. He allowed the borders to be open in clear violation of the law, yet never had the courage to stand up and explain his plan or reasoning to the people of this country.
"He allowed the borders to be open in clear violation of the law"
Please get out of your bubble and read actual news. Biden tried to secure the border but Republicans voted it down. Here. Read. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-block-border-security-bill-campaign-border-chaos-rcna153607
Actual news? NBC? Talk about a bubble.
The shooter was killed. Trump was surrounded and protected by the bodies of secret service. ... I can't believe I subscribed to this rag
TDS is a horrible thing. You can get help.
President Trump had no possible way to know that the threat was over when he acted as he did. Yes, the shooter was dead, but how could he have known that there was only one shooter and not more? You can choose to generally dislike the man but you cannot impose your knowledge of the situation after the fact on his actions in those moments following the gunfire. With that in mind, it is difficult to dispute that he acted bravely and with a good deal of leadership in that moment.
On what planet does raising your fist and shouting "fight" while sandwiched between multiple secret service qualify you to be a global leader or even the moniker of "brave". trump knows a photo op when he sees one - it is that simple.
You are entitled to your opinion. I was merely pointing out that he could not have known that there was no other shooter which makes your original comment regarding his portraying any sort of leadership skills invalid. Now your latest comment, in an attempt to make his actions seem quite ordinary under the circumstances, has him wedged between agents yelling fight which obviously in your opinion has him trying to take advantage of a photo op seconds after his attempted assassin. Well I guess we can at least agree that he had the presence of mind, after being almost killed, to do either. Have a nice day with your TDS.
The Secret Service would not have let him up if it wasn't clear. Or, they shouldn't have. Someone would have told him.
Well you would like to think so but the incompetence that day was real.
I'm not saying that Trump's response wasn’t courageous. It was. He had just been shot at and barely survived, coming up from a pile-on. Anyone saying that's a walk in the park is a fool.
The sniper had a clear shot for 3 minutes he said. Per eyewitness that's the time Crooks was on the roof. Sniper can't take a shot without approval which did not come. That's because nobody had taken a shot at a presidential candidate in a long time. And, think about it. It's a Trump rally. Shooting the guy without a shot fired would have handed Dems raw meat.
When the shooter fired, it took ~0.6 second for the sniper to hear it. It took 0.15 second for the sniper bullet to hit Crooks head. Crooks was firing for 2 seconds. So in 1.25 seconds the sniper smoothly squeezed his trigger. That's decision, and finish squeeze.
Normally snipers take 2-6 seconds to pull a trigger. From these basic facts, we know that the sniper had Crooks targeted and had pulled his trigger part way.
Hindsight is always 20/20.
As a combat infantry veteran, I couldn’t imagine seeing any of my guys—let alone leaders—walking around the objective with hands in pockets. I don’t doubt the bravery of the writer at all, but not quite sure that is the right symbol to show it. Trump’s reaction to it is admirable, but it’s one thing to survive a freak event that — thankfully — ended with a bullet through the ear and not the head, and it’s another thing to compare it to leadership in prolonged combat.
Agreed. No one in a firefight should have their hands anywhere but on their primary weapon.
Save for those with their hands on a steering wheel, hand-mike, AGs feeding ammo, litter carriers, etc.? Nitpicking aside, I agree that the hands in the pockets is an odd way of demonstrating calm - I’m assuming this technique was used only after the direct action was over.