July 13, 2024: What Did America and the World Actually Witness?

What did America and the world witness on July 13, 2024, in the deeply red community of Butler Pennsylvania, home to 13,000, mostly strong "MAGA" supporters? It was more than an assassination attempt by the almost obligatory "lone wolf"  assassin we've come to expect in these situations.

Trump, who was in the midst of giving one of his usual rousing speeches to a eager crowd when several shots rang out (the exact number still being debated), wounding two attendees, killing a third, and piercing the upper portion of Trump's right ear and grazing his scalp.

At the near instant when the shooter, 20 year old Thomas Matthew Crooks, squeeze the trigger of his semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle, Trump had been looking to his right and leaning forward just slightly, when at the instant, too fractionally too late for Crooks to adjust his aim,  Trump turned his head  slightly forward, taking the hit in his ear.

Had Trump remained in the same position as he was when Crooks sighted him in through is rifle's scope,  the 5.56mm NATO style bullet would have slammed into the former president's head, hitting him just behind his right eye or temple area. The impact would have travelled  threw his brain and resulted in blowing off the back of Trump's head. All eerily reminiscent to the shot which killed President John Kennedy that tragic day  on November 22, 1963 in Dallas and catapulted Lee Harvey Oswald into history, forever linking him to the late president.

But, unlike Kennedy, the shooter missed, and Trump lived. The attempt, without a doubt, galvanized an already loyal legion of "MAGA" followers as no other event could,  it also moved thousands, if not millions, of undecided voters into Trump's camp, having all but guaranteed Trump's victory in November.

I think it's important as a reference point for non-gun aficionados to understand something about the weapon used to shot Trump since it will be talked about weeks and months ahead.  The rifle used by the would be assassin, Thomas Crooks, was an AR-15, made, in this case, by Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services ("DPMS"), the parent company of Palmetto State Armory (Trump visited there in 2023 on a campaign stop).   

The "AR" doesn't mean "assault rifle", but is the abbreviation of the name of the original manufacturer, ArmaLite, and is considered to be a modern sporting rifle. What sets it apart from other semi-automatic rifles is its unique military styling, which is nothing more than sales gimmick to make it look "cool".

The rifle is a semi-automatic, meaning you have to squeeze the trigger for each shot (a proficient shooter can shoot roughly 60 rounds in about a minute).  AR-15's can be easily refitted to shoot most types of ammo, however, the most common is the NATO style 5.56mm (.223 caliber) bullet.

Most AR-15's are sold with a 30 round magazine, however, drum magazines holding up to 100 rounds can be purchased and may be fitted with a variety of scopes for close up(1x magnification), intermediate (4x magnification), and long range shooting (5x magnification). They are slightly high in price, ranging from $800 to a $1000 dollars. 

They have a high muzzle velocity, creating a large air cavity or "cavitation" on impact, which results in massive internal injuries as the bullet tumbles through the body before existing, typically leaving a large gaping exit wound, which is probably the top reason mass murders tend to favor this type of rifle.

A great deal of finger pointing has been going on since the shooting, with various law enforcement agencies coming under extreme criticism for their failure to properly prepare in establishing a secure security perimeter and establishing a clear line of communications between the various law enforcement agencies along with specific designated coverage areas.

The Secret Service, whose duty is to protect government officials, claim to have checked out the roof used by the shooters about 30 minutes before the event began. They also claim that local police were responsible for securing the outer portion of the security bubble (which they've denied). They had previously advised the Secret Service that they didn't have enough officers to securing the outer ring, however, they did have available officers in the area working. 

Just prior to the assassination attempt, a local police officer spotted someone on the roof and attempted to investigate by climbing a ladder attached to the building. When he looked over onto the roof, Crooks allegedly  turned his rifle on him. The officer ducked and jumped down to avoid being shot in the face. Following the shooting, local law enforcement were around and inside of the same building looking for the shooter.

The Secret Service failed to employ surveillance drones, which are commonly used to provide a bird's eye view of the event and surrounding area. Another failure was taking advantage of securing the nearby high ground. Roughly 200 yards from the speaker's platform was the town water tower, the tallest structure in Butler, yet no one apparently thought of posting spotters there. As one commentator put it, "a 10 year old playing 'Call of Duty' would have known to post lookouts there".  

Additional criticisms have been made in how the Secret Service responded following the shooting. Their coverage of the former president seemed haphazard and cumbersome, especially when compared to the attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life by John Hinckley in 1981. Several of agents appeared confused and not sure of what to do. Had Crooks not been taken out, it's likely Trump could have been hit again.

There's an additional serious issue regarding a failure of communication and decision making leveled against the Secret Service. There were several similar posts on Gab, which were allegedly sent by the Secret Service sniper using Messenger. According to the text, he had the shooter lined up in his sights for two to three minutes and could clearly see the weapon. However, his repeated requests for authorization to fire were repeatedly denied.

Finally, after Crooks opened fire, the Secret Service sniper took his shot and killed Crooks, but, again, without authorization from his superior.  As a result, the text goes on to say, since he acted without approval he may face disciplinary measures.  What's not in question is that 20 minutes elapsed between the time Secret Service snipers spotted Crooks and when Crooks open fire.

Whether that story is true or not (I suspect the latter), what is beyond dispute is that the crowd repeatedly alerted law enforcement ---local and Secret Service---that there was someone on the roof who appeared to have a rifle and even point to his exact location on the roof.

Some in the crowd were actually able to record the shooter on the roof with their Smartphones just before the first shots rang out!  Yet, for some reason, no one in the Secret Service seemed inclined to act. A few event attendees reported that Secret Service officers seemed almost uninterested.  Most all of them failed to act  until after the shooting began.  Maybe it's just me, but I would prefer my security detail be a bit more proactive!

So, where does that leave us? Frankly, it leaves a key federal law enforcement agency with egg on their face and facing investigation by the Department of Justice. I suspect that members of Congress will also want a piece of that action, so expect a few Congressional hearings.

The head of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle since September 2022, may also find herself unemployed (I suspect she'll quickly be given another high paying job in Washington). Besides, with an estimated net worth of $10 million dollars, I don't think any tears need be shed. A Congressional Oversight Committee has already summoned her to a investigatory hearing.

Ms. Cheatle joined the Secret Service in 1995 and was involved in the evacuation of Vice President Dick Cheney during the 9/11 attack. She was later assigned to Biden's protective detail during the Obama administration. From 2019 to 2022 Cheatle was the senior security director for PepsiCo's global security.

In 2021, she was given Presidential Rank Award by President Biden. In 2022, she was appointed Director of the Secret Service (as a side note, PepsiCo gave Democrats around 548K in 2020. Just saying). In a interview with CBS News in May 2023, Cheatle pointed out that there was 48% "departure rate" of Secret Service agents and administrative personnel.

Accordingly, the agency was henceforth going to redirect its focus to diversity with the aim of hiring more individuals of color and women (with a goal of having 30% women in the agency by 2030).  Even their website emphasizes diversity first and foremost. The performance of her agents on July 13th, made it obvious that the agency's primary goal should have been on recruiting the best qualified individuals rather than trying to meet quotas.

It also needs to reevaluate its mission and rededicate itself to start providing high performance training (including mandatory remedial training. To get an idea on how to implement that, she might want to talk to the Marines). The same can be said of the FBI, which has undergone as series of snafu's over the past decade or so. Law enforcement, judicial, and other non-policy making agencies need to focus on the job at hand and get out of the business of partisan politics.

Ms. Cheatle has stepped forward and acknowledged that her agency has failed.  As the boss, it's her job to accept responsibly for her agencies and its personnel. Nevertheless, all of the agencies continue to figure point. Ms. Cheatle is continuing to grasp at straws and now claiming for instance that the rise of the roof prevented them from taking any action previously, and yet their own sniper provide otherwise.  

Perhaps the least culpable is Butler's police department. They alerted the two federal agencies  that they didn't have the manpower needed that the job required. They provided who they could. However, they too failed in taking charge of the situation once the possible suspect was located. They could have immediately alert the security detail surrounding Trump in order to cover him and get the former president to a safe location.

As they acknowledged, one officer actually claimed up to roof but ducked down and left the scene. Why? It makes no sense. They could have swarmed the building using internal access ladders or immediately put an officer (or their own sharpshooter--who was present on the scene--on an adjacent roof and eliminated the threat.  

The FBI's "Response Team" was dispatched immediately to the Butler to assist with the investigation. They are also conducting their own inquiry of events as well along with the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general. The FBI has been in deep dodo with Trump and the Republicans since early on in Trump's administration. No doubt they're hoping to get back into Trump's good graces.

Lastly, perhaps the biggest beneficiary of all this is Trump himself. Trump has been saying for months that Biden and the Democrats were "out to get him". In a fundraising email sent out to supporters in May, Trump alleged that Biden had secretly approved of the FBI's use of "deadly force" against him.

He also claimed that two FBI agents tried to "kill him" in a raid on his Florida residence, Mar-a-Largo. in August 2022. Given the fanaticism of some of Trump's supporters, the event of July 13th was all the proof they need. If anything, the shooting attempt has only elevated "The Donald's" persona further into a near mythical status among the faithful.

Most of the politically motivated lawsuits against Trump have either been dropped or thrown out. The Supreme Court essentially gave him a "Get Out Of Jail" card when it recently ruled that a president could be charged with actions undertaken while in office.  Even many of those on the fence has slid on over to the red side of the grass.

Regardless, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, coupled with Biden's dismal public appearances and lingering questions about his mental and physical health and retaining Kamala Harris on the ticket, may have all but sealed the reelection of Donald J Trump.

As for the American public and the world, we saw on vivid display the vindication of an individual many call a "depot", an "enemy of democracy" or a "potential American Hitler".  They've witnessed a nation in turmoil over alleged massive voter fraud and supposedly an attempted coup (or was it a "false flag"?).  They witnessed the end result of manufactured division and hatred created in earnest by the ruling Stat Quo some 15 years ago play out for all to see. 

They also vividly saw a near total failure of our federal law enforcement agencies to protect a former president and current presidential candidate, which just reenforces the image of a nation in decline and unable to adequately protect its past and possibly future president (whether that was intentional or just incompetence due to a lack of proper preparation remains to be determined. But what's beyond question is that this certainly hasn't been our "finest hour". 

We must remember that as Americans we have more in common with each other than not. The ruling class wants us divided. Divided and we're more easily manipulated and controlled. We are less focused on their dismantling of the Republic. Divided, even if we are aware of the destruction of our nation, we're to weak to act. Only by coming together can we save this country and restore our democratic Republic and Constitution to its original meaning.

If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps beat the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you!

Amber Rose Delivers "DANGEROUS" Speech at Republican National Convention

 

How Assassin Evaded Secret Service Security 

The Attempt on Trump's Life: The Real Story?

AR-15: The Blast Effect

Veteran sniper says it makes no sense no doubt in my mindthe shooter had help from somewhere with an agency

Trump shooting investigation gives FBI chance to dig itselfout of a deep hole with Republicans

Kimberly Cheatle

Campaigning On The Public's Dollar

Did you know that the cost to fly Air Force One is just over $228,000...an hour? That covers fuel (they carry their own extra fuel), food, water, supplies, and crew. Plus, the engines are inspected while on the ground and after each mission the engines are overhauled while Air Force One itself gets a nose to tail and wingtip to wingtip inspection. Can you guess how much it costs to fly the President of the United States around? Well, the 2012/2013 Christmas flight to Hawaii and back to Washington cost US taxpayers $4,086,355.20. A trip to Ireland in July of 2013, which included a sightseeing tour for Mrs. Obama, their daughters, and usual entourage cost taxpayers just under $8 million dollars. When they all decided to take a break and fly to Africa the same year, our tab was over $15 million dollars, and we didn't even get a lousy T-shirt! But, of course, that trip included US fighter escorts because we all know just how popular the American President is globally. In August of 2013, the cost for the Obama's to fly to Martha Vineyard for their August vacation and back to Washington was a little over $1,164,000---and that doesn't include lodging, food, or even souvenirs.

In fact, flying the President of the United States around is an expensive operation...a very expensive operation since the President travels with a battery of special armored plated vehicles, a small army of Secret Service personnel and advance security agents to scope out and secure the areas where he will be traveling, speaking or staying. Overnight stays requires that the White House chef must go along to prepare his food (often, they also bring food from the White House kitchen in order to insure it hasn't been "tainted" in any way. This goes for beverages as well) as well as doctors and surgical equipment (complete with blood supply matching the President, his family, and key personnel), speech writers, military personnel, office staff and equipment such as teleprompters, microphones, speakers, podium with the Presidential Seal, and much more.

On long trips, the total number of people travelling with the President (in accompanying airplanes of course) may be as high as 500. On shorter trips or "sorties", the number may be only a hundred or so. So, any trip by the President or even the Vice President, will cost taxpayers one million dollars minimum every time the wheels leave the ground (for short "day trips", the President may opt to use "Marine One", which flown by Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 or HMX-1 at a cost of approximately $2760 an hour. When caring the President, they usually fly with 3 to 5 diversionary helicopters. . The squadron is comprised of VH-3D and VH-60N "Whitehawk" helicopters). In fact, travelling with the President can cost as much at $200 million per day when you factor in the backup C-747, multiple C-17 cargo planes which carries all the goodies such as armored vehicles, the President's limo and the President's helicopter, not to mention security assets which can include fighter support and naval assets when travelling overseas. The Vice President travels in his own special plane with back up security at just slightly less cost.

My point in bringing this to your attention is this. Have you noticed the number of times that President Obama or Vice President Joe Biden has been out on the campaign trail stumping for Hillary Clinton? Well, the answer is about seven times for Obama and around five times for Biden. That's not an inordinate number of times I suppose, but when you consider that this amounts to 14 trips (seven out and seven back) and ten for Biden (five out and five back) at $228,000 an hour each time Air Force One goes wheels up plus security and so forth, we're looking at $1 million+ 14 times (24 times if you add in Biden). Now, I have a couple of issues with this. First, the President of the United States (as well as the Vice President) is suppose to represent the People of America.

The President should be above petty partisan politics. Secondly, according to the US General Accounting Office (GAO), the President, Vice President and/or their family, when using Air Force One for private, personal, or political purposes, is to reimburse the White House budget for the complete cost at the current commercial rates. For instance, if the President is using Air Force One for a holiday, he is to reimburse the White House budget at the same rate as a commercial plane ticket (I assume first class, but it could be business class just as easily), along with the costs for any family or friends. The President and his guests are responsible for their food, lodging, etc (I imagine someone else, like lobbyist or deep pocket donor, picks up the tab). Of course, the President's food as well as his family's and presumably that of any personal guests are to be purchased by, inspected, and prepared by the White House chef regardless of where the meal takes place. Therefore, we have to presume that the food and lodgings the GAO is discussing would be that acquired away from Air Force One.

Anything of a personal nature, such as hairdresser, clothes, and so forth, are paid for separately or from the White House personal budget, of course much of the jewelry and clothes are often donated. The GAO summary goes on to state that all other costs pertaining to Air Force One is picked up by the Air Force (and, thus, by taxpayers) regardless of the nature of the flight. Secondly, since this is the President after all, all security and support details accompanying the President and/or his family are charged to the White House budget. As for the guests, I'm sure that incidentals are paid for individually. I doubt that you get a bill for sleeping accommodations or meals onboard Air Force One. So, basically you're responsible for your own hotel rooms and private meals (naturally, I seriously doubt anyone travelling with the President or his family is worried about the cost of a room or meal).

So, while the President, who is supposed to represent all of us, is MIA from the White House and doing what we elected and paying him to do, is out campaigning in a partisan election on our dollar, and I think that's wrong. Now, don't get me wrong and assume I'm picking just on Obama. I'm not. This has been a practice of presidents of both political parties for decades now, and regardless of whom, I still thinks it's wrong and a violation of the public's trust. We elect an individual to do a job---a very tough job. Ok, I get that, and I have no doubt they need a break to get away from the stress and smell of Washington politics, and even then, they're not entirely removed from it---they're on 24/7/365 but they knew that when they campaigned for the job so they can't claim they didn't what they were getting into. I do have an issue with excessive breaks (for instance, more than two 10 day vacations a year) and at that, when the vacation is going to costs taxpayers some outrageous amount.

When the President, however, takes off from doing what we're paying him to do in order to get involved in some partisan political race, he isn't doing his job and he's obviously not representing the People. He's representing a political party which means that at least 2/3 of the public aren't being represented while he's out working on behalf of some candidate (for example, Obama is a Democrat yet 43% of Americans are Independents and around 27% are Republicans, so while he's campaigning for another Democrat, there is a majority of citizens not being looked after). I have no doubt this happens at the State level with governors, Senate President's and House Speakers, with the latter two being part time jobs, so they may not be on the public's dollar while the governor is a full time job. Thus, he or she would have access to the State's aircraft or helicopter and while the costs to taxpayers would be substantially less, the same principal applies.

To me, this is a misuse of public funds and of the public's trust. Of course, I also happen to believe that once you're elected to office, you are no longer a Democrat or Republican or whatever. You're a public servant, and the public is who you represent. You don't represent any political party or belong to any special permanent committees exclusively based on gender, race, political party, or even a religion. Your membership in these special interest committees says these groups deserve more attention than others; they are somehow more important than other groups. In this country, every group is interconnected to others. What affects one group affects other groups. Maybe not to the same degree, but it affects all nevertheless. You can't try to solve a problem for one and not all. Each individual elected to office is there to represent every citizen in their district or State equally. Let's stop with this built-in partisanship paid for at the public's expense.



Under Obama, Air Force One costs per hour jumps 27% to $228,228
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/under-obama-air-force-one-cost-per-hour-jumps-27-to-228288/article/2544831


It's ridiculously expense to fly Air Force One
http://www.businessinsider.com/price-to-fly-on-air-force-one-2015-2


Presidential Travel: Policy and Costs
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS21835.pdf



When President's Travel...Updated 10/30/16
http://www.politicaldog101.com/2012/06/22/when-presidents-travel/