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US PRESIDENT JOE Biden warned yesterday of the risks of political violence in the US after Saturday’s attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, saying: “It’s time to cool it down.”
In a prime-time national address from the Oval Office, Biden said political passions can run high but “we must never descend into violence”.
The president acknowledged the passions of an election year, and that he and Republicans offer different policy visions, but implored Americans to “recommit” to resolving their differences peacefully.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalised,” Biden said.
We must stand for an America not of extremism and fury.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 15, 2024
But of decency and grace. pic.twitter.com/p5VV7C4Bio
Biden spoke for six minutes in his third address to the nation since Saturday evening’s attack by a shooter that killed one rallygoer and seriously injured two more.
His warning came hours after FBI deputy director Paul Abbate said agents have seen increasingly violent rhetoric online since the attack at the Trump rally.
The president noted that the Republican National Convention (RNC) was opening in Milwaukee today, while he himself would be returning to the re-election campaign trail after pausing his schedule to manage the immediate response to the shooting.
“We can do this,” Biden pleaded, saying the nation was founded on a democracy that gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force.
“American democracy — where arguments are made in good faith. American democracy — where the rule of law is respected. Where decency, dignity, fair play aren’t just quaint notions, they’re living, breathing realities.”
Biden also warned that political tensions were being flamed by a balkanised media environment and exploited by American enemies.
“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours,” Biden said.
Earlier on Sunday he had been briefed in the White House Situation Room and condemned the attempted assassination of his predecessor as “contrary to everything we stand for as a nation”. He said he was ordering an independent security review of how such an attack could have happened.
He called for the country to “unite as one nation”, promised a “thorough and swift” review and asked the public not to “make assumptions” about the gunman’s motives or affiliations.
The president said he has also directed the US Secret Service to review all security measures for the RNC. Hours later, Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the Secret Service’s co-ordinator for the convention, said the weekend attack against Trump did not prompt any changes to the agency’s security plan for the event and officials “are fully prepared”.
In his remarks, Biden called the attack on Trump “not who we are as a nation”.
“It’s not American. And we cannot allow this to happen,” he said. “Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is more important than that right now.”
The president said he and first lady Jill Biden were praying for the family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was shot and killed during the Trump rally on Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“He was protecting his family from the bullets,” Mr Biden said. “God love him.”
The president also said he had had a “short but good conversation” with Trump in the hours after the shootings and said he was “sincerely grateful” that the former president is “doing well and recovering”.
Trump, who has called for national resilience since the shooting, posted on his social media account after Biden’s remarks: “UNITE AMERICA!”
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Sleepy ol Joe will have plenty of time to cool down in his new Nursing Home after Trump is reinstated in January.
@Alan B: let’s see on Bidens watch both Ukraine and Israel happened, escalation tensions with Russia and Iran…cosy of living crisis, even greater mass immigration, housing crisis and so on…all their is left for Biden is starting ww3 before trump gets reelected all the things they fear mongered and said trump would do, Biden and the Democratic party has done…I’d rather trump have another go see if he fixes the absolute disaster that Biden and the Democrats have caused…
@Alan B: Really? I get Biden has an Irish connection but he seems to have done little to de-escalate the few major conflicts going on and the Russian invasion of Ukraine seems to be really affecting us and Europe. I think I’d rather Trump have a go. This were 100% not this bad the last time he was in.
@Jessie Pinkman: the world has always had escalations, war, inflation and economic ups and downs. You cannot say the ‘last 4 years’ are in any way unique to Ireland or the world. They aren’t. We just got a bit carried away with peace and seem to think that’s the default when it’s actually the exception to the rule. Which is war. High military spending and economic booms and busts. We had it good for a while. I get tired of people like you who think that Ireland has ‘gone to s**t’. It hasn’t. It’s always going to face issues – it’s how we deal with them as a collective nation of people. That’s how it works. The next election will hopefully yield politicians who want to create a better future for us, and our children. The rhetoric helps nobody.
2 weeks ago Biden called Trump evil and an existential threat to democracy.
Last week he said it was time to “put Donald Trump in the bullsye”.
Maybe stop sniffing kids and start practising what you’re preaching Sleepy Joe!
@Paul: Everyone knows that it was a throwaway term like a sporting analogy and nothing to do with an actual attack. Unlike Trump who has repeatedly stoked and backed violence. He even laughed at the heinous attack on Pelosi. These attempts at rewriting history and getting people to believe black is white are futile. We know what we’ve seen and heard. The propaganda simply won’t work.
PS Trump is an existential threat to democracy with all of his friends in the deeply bigoted and simple minded militias.
@Paul: Trump is evil.
Trump is an existential threat to democracy.
And it is time to stand against his evil. To call it what it is. It is time to stop the pretense that there is anything normal about Trump, about MAGA, about the present-day US Republican Party.
@SerotoninWars: the denial with you is off the charts lol with Biden it oh everyone knows it was a throw away remark like the rest of his remarks eh…but what ever trump says even out of context its real and horror. Your really working over time to do damage control for Biden, the Democrats, msm and those that identify as leftists…maybe all that hatred you went along with againt went along way to inciting this assassination attempt…
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: you see it’s people like you that incite violence against people, it’s people like you that incite assassination attempts against politicians like trump…you love to to Stoke hate and fear…
@William Slevin: Try and a fail again. As ever you ignore the long, detailed and documented track record of hate and violence associated with Trump – inspired by his speeches and words. There’s only one candidate supported by the far right, racists, anti-Semite’s and armed to the teeth insurrectionist militias. There’s only one candidate who got his sheep to attack the heart of American democracy. An attack that cost the lives of police officers. Y’know the actual people on the frontline of the law and order departments, the law and order all those right wingers claim to love. Only one candidate who laughs at opponents being bludgeoned in their own homes. You can lie on a loop but it’s such transparent nonsense, no one without a myopic anti-democratic agenda is buying it. Keep lying but the truth shines through. You simply can’t obscure reality, try as you might.
@SerotoninWars: the bigotry is strong in you…way to lump anyone that isn’t in your leftist camp a racist, anti semite, white supremacist…the only one with a myopic view is yourself…and liar to boot..trump never incited violence he called for peaceful protest at the capital, the cops escorted the protesters into the building no coos were attacked on mass…laughing at the paelosi husband being attacked if true wasn’t right…your right the truth is out their and all your misinformation and disinformation won’t fool most of the people reading these comments…Nice try though…
@William Slevin: The fact you are deliberately misquoting me speaks volumes. Anyone who can read and isn’t intent on lies and spin can see I wrote, ‘There’s only one candidate supported by the far right, racists, anti-Semite’s and armed to the teeth insurrectionist militias’. This does not state that every single Trump supporter holds these views but there is clearly only candidate to vote for if you are the type to go marching with burning torches.
The rest is more tiresome lies. You can’t convince people that they didn’t see or hear things that have been replayed repeatedly and are a simple YouTube click away, Also using the same words I used in your reply just looks childish. ‘No you are! Playground stuff as ever from the Trumpists.
@Jessie Pinkman: The people Trump described as part of the ‘very fine people on both sides’ literally walked through Charlottesville chanting, ‘you will not replace us, Jews will not replace us’. I don’t think Trump is especially anti-Semitic as much as he is highly sympathetic to racists and far right bigots. But one thing is for sure – at every stage he has let the far right and bigots know they are welcome on his fold. He appreciates them. He respects them. He courts their support and vote. There’s a very simple reason why all of them support Trump and view him as their guy. People can spin and deflect as much as they want. But sometimes if it walks like a duck…
@William Slevin: @William Slevin: Calling evil evil is not inciting anything.
Now actually showing images of Democrats in the cross hairs of gun sights…
Or calling on people to fight like hell…
Or telling his followers to assault protesters…
Or showing a person hot-tied and gagged in the back of a truck…
Or asking the military to shoot protesters…
Trump has done all these things, and more.
There is an unhealthy cohort of individuals here that believe the MSM stories hook line and sinker, They are the same cohort that pushed the injectable as safe, they are the same cohort that pushes the green agenda, the same cohort that pushes illegal immigrants as diverse. They are the same cohort that call Putin Bad Zelenskyy good, They are a causing us great harm, They are the so called media, pushing this paid for agenda around the globe, It’s time to stop listening to them and go back to Normal. All the Best.
Biden has given the perfect Presidential response pointing out that violence has no place in this system while Trump previously said people needed to “get over” a school shooting..
The world will be safer and better with Trump locked up for the crimes he committed to the American society and to the rest of humanity.
@michael brady: it’s a real pity he wasn’t taken out
@Robert M: democracy in progress, right?
@Robert M: your a nut job…your actually endorsing an assassination attempt…if theirs an assassination attempt in this country you should be one of the first to be questioned like a few others on here…
@michael brady: Biden and the Democrats have been far worse for the US and the world than trump could ever hope to be…by the way your keep some good company on here people agreeing with you while also endorsing attempted murder by means of assassination…
@Oh Mammy: Democracy only suits some when it goes in their favour.
Biden- “It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”
@Oh Mammy: Can’t you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?” Trump allegedly asked about the demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd, according to the forthcoming memoir by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
@Jack Hayes: nice try, riot police use rubber bullets, so the shooting by riot police during a riot with rubber bullets, he also chose a non lethal area like the leg…you people who identify as left sure love your misinformation and disinformation to try and frame just about everything in the most dishonest way possible
Biden- “It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye
@William Slevin: did someone say disinformation? Queue comment from Brendan O’Brien…..
@Oh Mammy: Brendan will be unavailable for the next 45 minutes as he takes his daily Factor 50 Clinate Change proof bath before heading to work to pay for my dole.
@William Slevin: He was asking for the NATIONAL GUARD to shoot the protestors.
Not any police, riot or otherwise.
The same group that murdered so many other Americans while protesting.
Not that the US police don’t have a record of assault and murder of people anyway.
@Oh Mammy: Why are right winger so hypocritical?
US Republicans have long been showing images of Democrats in the crosshairs of actual gunsights.
And Trump recently posted video of Biden hogtied in the back of a truck.
https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-biden-truck-hogtied-video-rcna145727
And still manage to claim that they (Republicans) are the victims when called out for their vile and violent rhetoric and actions.
This is what happen when politicians get away with everything even when found guilty. I agree that violence and hate is not the way, but if they still did not get it. Stop screwing people and get away with it, and they should not fear that much. It’s easy to understand. Nowadays it’s scent of a woman all over without the good ending. So obviously there is always one who would try.
And why that roof was not covered by the secret services ? Is this the same secret service at the orders of the Biden administration also in charge of the inquiry ?
@Dominic Leleu: fool
@sean weir: @sean weir: fool to ask questions that beg answers, yes. That nags me from start. And insulting people as soon as they don’t have the same narrative than you just prove how short sighted you are.
@Dominic Leleu: trump did not bring this upon himself the Democratic party, msm and those that identify as leftists did…by stoking hatred and lies for 10 years increasingly worse…
@William Slevin: And I suppose Trump has never once invited violence in his life.
@Dominic Leleu: A very good point.
Those to whom we give power must be held to a higher standard that the rest of us, not a lower standard.
@Hayagriva: elaborate on what you me by invite? Do you mean he incited some to invite them to attack him like this latest assassination? Because that’s just nuts…
@William Slevin: no, it’s a typo. Trump has never incited violence, right?
I cant wait to see the back of Biden…hes a walking corpse now…what would he be like in 2029 at the end of his second term?
@Finian McG:At least he’s not a fascist.
There is that.
Mayor Quimby supports revolving-door prisons. Mayor Quimby even released Sideshow Bob – a man twice convicted of attempted murder. Can you trust a man like Mayor Quimby? Vote Sideshow Bob for Mayor.
Funny how Obama and Biden used Execuitve Orders more than all other US presidents combined, but Trump is the threat to democracy.
Silly virtual signalling wokeflakes haven’t got a clue
@Paul: wokeflakes… lol you’re SO original!! I’ll look forward to reading the footnotes of your coined-word of 2 ridiculous sentiments in the next edition of the Oxford Dictionary!!
Trump for what he deserved let’s be real. He stoked violence, hatred division and lies for years.
@Robert M: no that was the Democrats, msm and those that identify as leftists…they’ve been doing it for a decade its lead to two assassination attempts on trumps life but yea blame trump…
Give me strength.
The pure misogyny is overwhelming.Allowing complete psychiatric people to comment.
@Áine G: please elaborate on the misogyny and by whom…
@Áine G: Who lit the fuse on your tampon? Calm down there sweet cheeks.
@Stephen Gaffney: Are you for real Man?! I’m no feminist by any means but do you have a Mother, Sister, Daughter?? Dought you have a partner Male or Female with that misogynistic attitude.
@Donna Fallon: You’re not a feminist? Define feminism.
@Stephen Gaffney: Ah, the call of the far-right when their cherished beliefs – their racism, their misogyny, their vileness is challenged,
All you can do is try to muddy the waters by such nonsense as ‘define this or that’.
Grow up.
And try to get some sort of decency into your life.
You’ll be dead soon enough – as will we all – and the world will not be a better place for you having been in it.
But you can change that.
Some of the rhetoric has gotten way out of hand with senior democrats claiming “democracy will be ended” or America will become a “fascist state” if Trump is elected, it’s not difficult to imagine how an unstable individual may take those comments at face value and decide to take action.
It’s not much better in other western countries with the negative campaigning. We all need to get back to a form of politics where parties outline their own credentials rather than a race to the bottom of causing fear, shock and panic for their opponents.
4-9 best price The Don now.
Lol, everyone before loathed and despised Donald Dump, now they’re all feeling sorry for the orange monkey.
@Daniel Skelton: outstanding comment. You must be so proud of yourself.
@Daniel Skelton: We don’t.
Who killed the spectator the gunboy or the snipers?
@Davy Smith: Good question.
That country is FBARED!
Ole Biden starting to look a bit orange from the looks of it in the photo, two very unwell men
@Maire Hicks: the fact that they are the best either party can put forward is a very sad reflection on the USA.
@T S: Too true.
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