Promo Tomorrow info and Meme Today

Posted on by Sarah A. Hoyt

*Before the post. Yeah, the killer was “registered Republican” — I was briefly registered democrat, to vote against Obama in primaries. And I only registered Republican (as opposed for independent) to vote in primaries. Primary registration means nothing. Who you donate to does. I… made a tweet about it, because it supports the “we deserve better psy-ops” joke, but really, I think it was a misseducated kid who thought democratic socialism was wonderful and Trump was Hitler. The only thing suspicious is “no social media.” That I don’t buy.

Now a few things: For everyone who says false flag.

And this: should be read. And this.

And oh, yeah, you’ll see pictures of clean cut assassin to bolster the “GOP supporter” thing, but…. Well, this is what he looked like (most photos have curiously been vanishing from online, so this was the best.)

Oh, this also has a photo of the assassin, as well as a good recap of the whole thing. Look at the photo and tell me that’s a “Republican gun enthusiast”!

– SAH*
This is an extraordinary meme post. We’re all unsettled and scared, mostly at the bullet we all collectively dodged yesterday. BUT we’re Americans, so we’re already making jokes.

Let the memes be lit. AND BE NOT AFRAID.

UPDATE: GRUMBLE I should add this. Two more days.

*Because these are my two weeks of fundraising, I’m obligated to add the following:
This blog is reader funded. I don’t have a grant or a patron. You’re my patrons and only you can compensate for the toil of keeping the blog going day after day, year after year. For the full explanation of why a funding drive, and what I intend to use it for, if you’re interested, go here.

There are several ways of supporting me.
GiveSendGo, for which I make no promises meaning I’m not giving you anything for your contribution; Chapterhouse, for which I will give you my fiction that is in process and yes there will be typos, backtracking, characters who change names suddenly and other mishaps; and Patreon, for which I give you cat pspsps posts. For the more exotic ways to donate: email me for paypal address. The book promo email will do for that: bookpimping at outlook dot com. And there is the snail mail address at: Sarah A. Hoyt, 304 S Jones Blvd #6771, Las Vegas, NV  89107.
I know times are tough — for all of us — and I don’t hold it against anyone who can’t contribute. But all contributions are greatly appreciated. – SAH*

231 thoughts on “Promo Tomorrow info and Meme Today”

  2. Am I allowed to believe that this is just somebody that the last eight years plus whatever else has been going on in the last twenty years of sheer vitriol and hatred finally caused someone to pop? That he mostly made his own luck, and it wasn’t a conspiracy? That there were mistakes made because the Trump Secret Service detail has to be the current punishment detail for the Secret Service, and it isn’t the “A” team guarding him? And it was only by sheer luck that we’re not watching an early Romanian Christmas on CNN?

    That most of the people on the other side of the political divide have been so buried by the mainstream narrative that they truly believe it, because it’s what everybody else says is going on and none of them sound crazy? Because only crazy people go against what everybody else thinks?

    Because if it’s anything else…oh boy…

    Liked by 2 people

        1. When he was POTUS, I gather he was very popular with the protection detail. I gather that the current head is fully DIE compliant, so I can see punishment detail.

          “Sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.” And vice versa.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Trump is probably a good guy to guard. He’s not like Obama (rumors of some massive home issues) or Biden (assuming the turnip knows he’s there…) or Clinton (there were stories of him sneaking out of the White House to bang women off-site).

            And if he’s like Bush or Regan, he’s got no problem with talking with the “help” on a regular basis.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. I’ve heard that Trump “treats” the local police involved in his campaign stops extremely well.

              IE He knows their value and treats them as they deserve.

              Liked by 2 people

              1. Trump always had time to talk with staff and regular guests (i.e. not the high rollers) when he actually ran the Trump Taj and was there on a regular basis. I understand this is the case with all his businesses,.

                Liked by 1 person

                1. One thing that I noted early on is that even with all of the attacks against Trump after he declared, and particularly after he became the nominee in 2016, they never hauled out one of his former employees to badmouth him.

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                  1. This was the thing that surprised me as well. Trump’s got…three, four ex-wives at this point? And a few of the “adult” magazines were offering six-figure bonuses and covering any NDA penalties for anyone coming forward with proof of Trump’s infidelities or just him being “weird.”

                    And the only thing to come out was a false story about him peeing the bed.

                    Now, if you did that with Clinton…the only problem would be organizing all of that information. Maybe providing witness protection if the rumors of Clinton working with the Dixie Mafia were true.

                    Liked by 1 person

                    1. IIRC both of his exes, Ivana Trump and Marla Maples, had only good things to say about his campaigns and his presidency. Interestingly enough, the same was true of the only other presidential ex-wife, Jane Wyman, who never had anything but praise for Reagan and (according to people who knew her well) voted for him both times.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    2. Also IIRC, the main reason Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan got divorced was because of his increasing political involvement — not because of any adultery, abuse or addiction on his part. She was probably very, very grateful NOT to have been First Lady of California or of the U.S.

                      Liked by 2 people

                    3. Yes, the split with Wyman was very amicable. Ironically, familial issues with Reagan’s presidency were limited to political differences with his current wife’s kids.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    4. My day job is big data sets.

                      Organizing and analyzing the Bubba Infidelity database? <shudder>

                      Plus, that would require exposure to the Epstein List, and that means I’d be exposed to the “didn’t kill myself” risk.

                      Liked by 1 person

          2. I saw an tweet by Susan Crabtree of Real Clear Politics (https://x.com/susancrabtree/status/1812606597753168329)

            According to her sources, Trump’s regular protection detail was diverted to work a Jill Biden event, largely because TPTB at the USSS consider Trump to be a “former president”, and not needing/worthy of really good service. The main person left was the head of the detail, with temporary DHS security people filling in. That probably explains a) the poor teamwork, b) the “protection agent” who both cowered from the gunfire and could not properly holster her pistol.

            Related but completely uncomfirmed, so please take the following with a large quantity of salt:
            A snippet from 4chan came from a person who claims to be the sniper who did in the would-be assassin. They saw the guy setting up, but were told to stand down. Still hadn’t gotten approval when the guy started firing, but did it anyway. He also claims that he was fired & briefly arrested (was on local PD, tasked to cover what the USSS couldn’t/wouldn’t do) for “disobeying orders”.

            If true, it’s huge, and the person claiming it better be getting the hell out of Dodge before a Jack Ruby comes along.

            Liked by 1 person

      2. i know someone who was recently out of the marines. His last couple of years his CO was a woke hire. She ended up putting 60% of her command on punishment detail…which consisted if them living in a training area off base dressed out for extended field manuvers with full weapons load and gear. He said he learned more in those two months than in his previous two years.

        They knew who they could and couldnt trust now. The olders taught them all kinds of tricks in everything imaginable things not in the manuals.

        So maybe guarding Trump is consider punishment by the higher ups but the agents may not. I will note the one female agent in front did keep trying as best she was able. The rest found out what it was like to do their job and found out who they are too.

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    2. Could it be a lone kid who thought he was saving the world by removing Cheeto Hitler? Sure.

      But what’s the profile of the sorts of persons recruited to do dirty things for intelligence agencies? Loner. Few to no friends. Past target of bullying. Which, going by the scant reports so far, this kid hits every checkbox. It will be very interesting to see how many and which antidepressants he was on.

      Assuming, of course, that the FBI ever releases any info.

      Liked by 3 people

          1. It’s going to be…interesting in a lot of places. Especially when the next set of poll numbers come out and if there’s any major shift.
            And especially if this causes the E!Democrats to roll the dice and unseat Biden.

            Liked by 1 person

            2. Some of the talk I hearing is that Trump being shot and surviving means no replacement for Biden has a chance and the Democrats know it.

              Basically the talk is that the Democrats “will take a defeat in this election” so they’d have a better chance in four years with a new candidate.

              Of course, “predicting what the Democrats will do” is a fool’s game.

              And I doubt that they can find a “winner” for 2028.

              Liked by 3 people

              1. I read a long analysis somewhere pre-popping-noises noting that if Joe bailed and Kammy was the ”it” girl, she would bear the entire blame for a defeat, and possibly be peeing in the pool for future female Dem nominees, while if she’s the running mate she could have a possible future. Given current polling, there’s no way she should want anything other than losing-running-mate on her resume.

                Post-popping-noises, they are all toast and they know it, so Joe’s not going to get any more phone calls from Senate D higher-ups. But watch the fundraising reporting – major donors will be keeping their checkbooks closed.

                Liked by 1 person

                1. Major D donors are already locking down the pocket books. Which pisses off the down ballot contenders.

                  Want a super majority republican legislators, both houses, with a republican president? Here is your blue print.

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              2. That’s the big question as well-if/when Biden loses this year, who’s possible for 2028?
                Hillary! is going to be far too old and has too much baggage.
                The same with Harris.
                Newsom MIGHT win urban areas, but very few of those.
                The only person that has any “enthusiasm” is Michelle Obama, and I can’t see her going in without being drafted.
                And of course, this assumes that the Democrats don’t explode after this election cycle.

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                1. Someone could always come out of nowhere. Obama effectively didn’t exist until the 2004 convention. But I’ll note that the bunch that ran against Biden in the 2020 Primary were particularly bad idiots, from top to bottom – aside from maybe Gabbard.

                  And the Dems don’t like her.

                  Liked by 2 people

                  1. Gabbard was the only one that had two brain cells to rub together. That she nuked Harris in one of the debates made her personna non grata in Democrat Circles (if she wasn’t before) Given the state of things right now anyone that even thought they might want to toss Biden will just walk away whistling quietly. In 2028 The Dems right now have nobody. DEI Kamala didn’t even make it through the primaries for 2020, Whitmer has realized she hasn’t got any support. Newsom is going to look even more like a pile of dog excrement on a hot sidewalk as California slides further into the chasm of hard socialism and politics for the “offended”. All the other Dem Governors are nebbishes/nobodies. The Reps with any power make Biden look like a spring chicken, and Semnators usually make crap Presidents (e.g. Obama). Maybe they’d go for AOC or one of her crew, but I’d expect that to look like McGovern or Mondale no matter who the Republicans put up.

                    Trump’s VP is critical. They need to be solid in coping with the press and at least passing familiar with the Washington world to know who actually is running things at the administrative level and where the bodies are hid. It will be interesting to see who he selects. Trump should also take a page from the Democrats with respect to Project 2025. Have the R platform disavow/ view it with sadness (or maybe don’t even mention it). Come November 6th (presuming a miracle happens and Trump wins and is alive, or perhaps December 17th (once electors have voted) Take all the good parts of 2025 and run with it. Some things they should be working on quietly now. For example getting ducks in a row for replacing all appointed dept heads at every level. Also have 3 Executive Orders ready to go for 01/20/2025 12:05

                    1. Pardon ALL persons being held for Jan 6, 2021 intrusion into Congress
                    2. reinstate the E.O. Trump had ready to go for Jan 20, 2021 that was canceled easeing removal of bureaucrats for clear non performance/disobedience
                    3. All E.O. from Obama and Biden Administrations shall be held in abeyance until reviewed. An appointed group of (clearly CONSERVATIVE/strongly originalist ) Scholars shall review them for constitutional validity. Any not passing review shall be removed or if considered critical for national security amended such that they are constitutionally compliant under an originalist interpretation. Those E.O. which pass constitutional muster shall then be reviewed on a cost-benefit basis with neither DEI nor Global warming to be considered as a benefit. Any which pass this review shall be reinstated, those which do not pass may be reinstated/amended at the decision of the President (usually reserved for any that explicitly involve national security). Should time permit after the review of the specified E.O. all other active E.O. shall be examined with the same criteria and any that fail muster shall be amended to be consistent with these requirements or summarily abandoned.

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                    1. Those E.O. which pass constitutional muster shall then be reviewed on a cost-benefit basis with neither DEI nor Global warming to be considered as a benefit. Any which pass this review shall be reinstated,

                      and forwarded to the Congress to be incorporated into specific statutes, and end dated at the signing ceremony.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    2. I would prefer Congress take them up on their own. There is a reason the Founding fathers separated the the powers. E.O. should be rules clarification/ interpretation if Congress took the time to actually write decent laws. Unfortunately they have gotten a combination of lazy and cowardly wanting to shift the blame for execution and interpretation unpleasant or unpopular laws onto the executive.

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                    3. “I would prefer Congress take them up on their own.”

                      Still their decision. But that would cut out the BS that NeverTrumpers spout that he didn’t actually do anything because he didn’t get Congress to pass laws. He asked.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    4. It appears the Never Trumpers have another thing in common with the Demoncrats. They paid no attention in U.S. History/Civics or consider that information to be irrelevant if the did. The President has no direct control over the Congress by design. He may Cajole, Request, Persuade etc. That was part of my dislike for your suggestion, it intertwines the Executive with the Legislative in ways that seem a bit incestuous.

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                    6. As for my suggestion, the President has always been allowed to ask. All I want is a formal public record that he did, without MSM distortion filters.

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              3. The flight attendant tells me that we need a fool.

                Hmm.

                Predicting the Democrats, you say?

                Well, the Jester’s Handbook says that when you have no idea, you are supposed to tell some sort of witty joke with no clear meaning. I suspect I’m not clever enough for that.

                The first mistake might be to assume that the cult of genius, and of master plans, actually has a genius master plan.

                Reading intent into messaging changes, or alleged messaging changes, may be invalid. Things can change for a reason, without that reason being the one obviously available to the public.

                There’s sixteen weeks to go. If some people are losing their minds, and if their mental state is a key driving factor of current circumstances, the whole situation could easily entirely change at least three times before then.

                I basically see that I have a lot of nonsensical methods available to me. One that comes to mind as slightly more credible is pulling random stuff out of Bandit Six.

                In Centurian, the ‘bad’ politician who ‘goes crazy’ somehow has some people around them sane enough to minimize the danger by dosing them on psych meds until they are actually formally out of office. If the Democrat pols are out of their minds, there is a possible hypothesis that their cronies could get shocked back to reality, and do something.

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        1. The Nashville Shooter (who did leave a manifesto that has never been officially released) hit all the numbers and the Bonus number for issues-depression, definite bullying, possible sexual abuse, modern therapy, medications, trans, and “current year” culture, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy was the same thing.

          Liked by 1 person

        3. I have a SPECIAL LOATHING for “therapists” – the self-defined being the absolute worst, most demonically, pure —-ing EVIL sort. No matter how much religion they try to clad themselves in or hide behind. Demons gonna Demon, even as they recite the Bible.

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      3. Assuming, of course, that the FBI ever releases any accurate info.

        FTFY. Because you know who’s in charge of that is being as dishonest as possible.

        Liked by 3 people

      4. I would not be surprised to find out he was a lone nut job enabled by incompetence and that the deep state crew tries to cover it all up because they’re all absolutely convinced that there must be a conspiracy going on that they have to protect.

        Could probably make a vantablack dark comedy about it

        Liked by 3 people

        1. If the last thing I read, that a local PD confronted him, then retreated when the rifle was aimed at him, then the wacko immediately tried to shoot Trump, then the wacko’s aim was even better than previously imagined. And he reportedly got off eight shots, the first of which actually grazed Trump.

          I do like your dark comedy idea, though. Would almost have to be a movie to work, rather than a novel, though. Hmm.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Folks, every E4 US Army Infantryman with an “expert” rifle badge has the skills to pull off that sort of shooting. And lots of related practice. Heck, a decent E-2 with a mere “marksman” is certainly capable of a good try.

            The qualification course I fired was from 75m to 300m, including some mixed distance pairs.

            Nerve? Well, you don’t know until the moment.

            But camouflage, sneak, scout a threat position (report SALUTE), high-crawl, shoot from prone unsupported position, etc.

            That’s all covered in initial entry training at Fort Benning, and generally polished by 2 years of service. It’s hard work to be proficient, but Joe Average can do the job “good enough”.

            Hunters learn a very similar skillet.

            It is not terribly hard to teach either version.

            Looks like this loon-kid was a talented amateur.

            I suspect he was fairly jittery, then was spooked by the discovering cop, missed his chance at whacking the cop and switched to Trump, getting off the one good “beginners luck” decent shot, then spazzing out the rest of the shots to no useful purpose.

            Then, his role was serving as a messy example why counter-sniping is hard to do as more than post ohshit retribution.

            Cleanup on isle 2.

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              1. It would shock most folks speechless to hear the kind of routine asshattery that goes on near protected dignitaries.

                “That ‘sniper’ you popped yesterday? A local Quaker preacher dedicated peacenik birdwatching with a telescope on a stick to get better pictures. Ghillie suit to avoid scaring the birdies. … Sleep well tonight. Because you aint gonna sleep in Club Fed.”

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            1. A lot of the USSS procedures are right from the “Don’t roll the protectee back into anyone’s line of fire” playbook from that Sarajevo 1914 sequence of events.

              Liked by 1 person

          3. “the wacko’s aim was even better than previously imagined”

            He and his dad were members of a local shooting club.

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      5. I’d bet that there were a number of earlier attempts that didn’t get nearly as far.

        I’d also put a small wager on there not being any active grooming of potential assassins. Chumming the water in hopes of something showing up, yes. Hamstringing the protective detail by stocking it with under-resourced b-listers (and wanting it to be considered a “punishment detail”) yes. But active recruitment of specific individuals? I’m skeptical, if only because doing so looks to me like a stretch even for those struck by the wand of the Good Idea Fairy.

        (Further though) I’m also skeptical because it’s perversely comforting to be able to blame this on malicious but relatively sane secret enemies rather than on spontaneous action by a lone kid convinced that he’s saving the world from Cheeto Hitler. That perverse comfort is a bias to be guarded against.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Whether this was a broadwave indoctrination or an MK Ultra situation is a coin toss. All we know for sure is that the FBI and ATF were not involved, because there was a bare minimum of competence involved, unlike the Witmer kidnap “plot”.

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        2. It’s like when some normie jilted wife tries to hire a hitman. They never get a real hitman, they get some whackadoodle with delusions of John Wick-dom.

          As to the perverse comfort of blaming the Illuminati, well, that’s why we have a whole JFK industry.

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          1. They either get a whackadoodle OR they get the local undercover cops. That latter model plays out more often than you would expect.

            As for this whackadoodle he screams loner never corrected by parents. He does have way to little back story available (Hell I can get more on my own daughters just googling and seeing various bits and bobs from high school and college releases for various activities). In the old days that might scream plant. Something is seriously funky about the whole thing. That this whackadoodle had access to a long gun and some familiarity with it is odd for someone living in a blue state suburb of a pretty blue city (Pittsburgh).

            Weirder is that the roof was neither secured nor constantly surveilled by one of the snipers. It’s just too good a spot to ignore. As has been noted this could either be malice or incompetence, and given Biden’s government Incompetence is highly unsurprising.

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            1. Reportedly the gun was purchased by and registered to his dad. Which is a little unusual for “suburban psychotherapist” but not completely out of bounds.

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              1. Yeah this is definitely in the “Dog that didn’t Bark” realm of info. Looking at Pittsburgh firearms rules (man I LOVE the internet) I see this, https://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/redtail/images/4414_General_Firearm_Conduct.pdf That explicitly prohibits Colt AR-15 (this is likely unconstitutional under recent decisions, but until you fight it or remove the regulation it is still there). Bethel Park is an independent borough of Pittsburgh so perhaps the state laws prevail and PA does not forbid “assault weapons” unlike the Pittsburgh regulations. Of course moving it through Pittsburgh would potentially present issues.

                An AR-15 type gun is an odd choice. Hunting of Deer or other large game would be possible but a classic .30 semi-auto hunting rifle would be a better choice to guarantee properly downing the animal. Birding would be a shotgun as would trap or skeet. It would serve for home defence but would have a tendency to over penetrate in a suburban neighborhood. A pistol or a shotgun would likely be superior. Plinking or varmint hunting is unlikely to be a valid use in a suburban area. So we’re down to target shooting at a gun club. I know they are common guns (probably cheaper than anything else I mentioned) so there is that. Seems odd for the dad, wonder if it was bought for a certain spoiled young man as some kind of incentive perhaps before he was 18?

                If you can show that then the father might be an accessory before the fact to murder, and liable for two peoples injuries as well as the death of the retired firefighter. Curioser and Curioser.

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                1. Well, first, they don’t live in Pittsburgh, they live in Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh, so city ordinances wouldn’t apply.

                  I’m seeing reports that the dad was a libertarian, which seems odd for a social worker/psychotherapist, but then again my therapist is a moderate-to-conservative who lives in Tacoma, so profession isn’t 100% definitive. Also reportedly the shooter was a gun club member, but that’s all the gun club would admit publicly at this point.

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                  1. Libertarian or Liberaltarian?

                    The Libertarian Party has gone Left and has Stage 4 TDS these days. Check out Reason magazine website for plenty of examples.

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                  2. Thank you. I had noted that Bethel park was an independent borough and so likely the Pittsburgh regulations didn’t apply. Gun club makes the AR class weapon make slightly more sense. As for Libertarian the party itself is a VERY broad catchall and is very different in different places. I consider myself a minarchist libertarian but the Libertarian party has been in general about as useful as teats on a bull in my estimation. Members have run the gamut from full on anarchists to fiscal conservative constitutionalists to Objectivists. Candidates have espoused such things as Kelo v. New London as good law (Johnson/Weld was the ticket in 2016) which to me (being the taking of private property for the use of a commercial entity) seem anathema to the libertarian spirit. The picture is unclear.

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            2. At least one outlet reportedly interviewed a former classmate of the shooter who said the guy had no friends and was constantly bullied. If he was socially awkward or “on the spectrum” he might very well NOT have had much if any social media presence. My autistic daughter (28 years old, and very peaceful in temperament) has no social media presence whatever and no interest in any. She will watch You Tube videos but that’s it.

              Consider also that, if this guy is 20 years old, he was 11 when Trump began running for POTUS and 12 when he got elected — so everything he heard about Trump from his teachers and probably a lot of his classmates was the usual “he’s the second coming of Hitler!” propaganda. It’s also quite possible (but by no means certain) that his parents had the same or similar point of view. That said, it’s also quite possible that they did everything they could to help him and thought they were doing all the right things. There is probably little if anything more heartbreaking to a parent than seeing their child whom they tried to raise “right” go wrong.

              Liked by 1 person

              1. You Ms. Krewer are quite correct. This is likely heart breaking for the parents no matter what their views or actions are.

                My predictions are far more like those of criminologist making inferences in a precis of a killer rather than the Visualization of the Cosmic all by Mentor from my favored literature. We have seen these kinds of things far too often. Almost invariably the young person (usually male, though there have been rare females) has mental illness issues. These are often ignored or exacerbated by their home environment as well as school. Usually, a bullied person turns on the bullies or those they perceive as NOT properly controlling the bullies not some political figure. This looks far more like John Hinckley or Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme trying to prove their devotion to someone else via performing an epic action. Presuming that is so there should be some target of the attention like Jodie Foster or Charles Manson. In my scenario it would likely be his mother or some poor young lady. There would also likely be some material (journals, letters, note) making the intention clear. And yet we have absolutely nothing.

                As for the issue of the social media presence I understand. My daughters are extreme introverts and were told by me (a computer programmer) that the internet was forever and they have very limited presence on Facebook and similar. But that is not what the main part of what I find. I find their participation in band and choir, I find their presence in honor rolls and deans lists. I find their participation in a local now defunct karate dojo in a variety of activities.

                Here we are 48 hours later and I have seen nothing other than the name of this young man and some meager tidbits. With in 48 hours of the death of Trayvon Martin or George Floyd we had full blown hagiographies. One would expect that an attempted assassin would be investigated st least to some degree greater than say someone that had committed say DUI . And a middle class kid is going to leave some trail. Whats weird is how little trail there is, not even the usual “He seemed like a nice boy I wouldn’t have expected that” interviews that invariably show up around your garden variety murder suspect.

                That there is nothing being found by me is not totally unsurprising. That there is nothing in the press brings us back around to the dog that didn’t bark. The parents may be just unfortunate victims too. The real supporting villain in this case is the press. They are INTENTIONALLY sticking their fingers in their ears and going LA LA LA to avoid the possibility of finding things out that would make this a worse problem for their preferred candidate than it already is. I have not seen such “enlightened” disinterest since Sgt, Schultz on Hogan’s Heros.

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              2. Latest news was that the parents had called the police hours before the shooting because he was missing and they were worried.

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    4. Most assassinations in the USA are by lone lunatics.

      Since no one ever documented who fired the first shot at Lexington, it is entirely possible a third party crazy fired upon the two sides. Or a crazy in ranks.

      Lincoln may be the only genuine conspiracy to actually assassinate a key figure, and Booth was arguably unbalanced.

      As a Free country, we have more lunatics running loose. Thus, we wind up with somewhat more crazy cakes baked into our politics.

      “Conspiracies” are often the imagination run wild on our well-evolved but seldom-throttled pattern-seeking brains.

      Trump was shot by a nut.

      That the Donkuloids attract the vast majority of active-shooter cray-crays is another matter…

      Trump has done something like 45 big rallies. Not one has had any major drama. Folks got complacent and asses got bitten.

      Unless proven otherwise, Trump was shot by a nut that took advantage of complacent and disorganized security.

      Bullied loner busts caps. Badly. Makes complacent pros look like dweebs.

      Again.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You think JFK, RFK, and MLK died by lone nut job attacks with no surrounding conspiracy?

        You sweet summer child, you.

        Sirhan Sirhan was a lone actor, assassinating RFK while blackout drunk, and firing more bullets than his gun could hold. Yep, definitely acted alone.

        Liked by 1 person

        2. I can make no statements about RFK or MLK, but I hold to the orthodox opinion on the JFK assasination-

          Lee Harvey Oswald did it and did it alone. He could make the shot (he was a Marine marksman, in an era when that meant doing it all with iron sights), and the rifle he used had the range and ability to hit a target that far away. The weirdness of what happened with the bullets could be summed up as when ballistics run into chaos theory. And that he did it was because Oswald was nuts. Barking-at-the-moon mad in so many different ways. But he made his own luck and was in the right place at the right time.

          From there, stupidity and arrogance piles on. The President was exposed in public where there were long lines of sight for a sniper. While the removeable roof of the car wouldn’t have stopped a bullet, it would have obscured lines of sight and required Oswald to shoot blind. Buildings weren’t properly secured. And finally, Oswald was given a perp walk in front of a crowd of people that could have had a shooter who was ready to “get revenge” for JFK…and did.

          Any conspiracy that assumed malice instead of stupidity requires so many people that are still around, one way or another, to beggar the imagination. None of them left a note with a lawyer. Or blabbed to someone that could have reported it later. Or confessed on their death beds years ago. And anybody doing that kind of “clean-up” later would probably have caused people to go public, because that might be the only way they’d stay safe.

          (This comes from far too much reading, talking with people that talked with the investigators, and a few recreations of the events.)

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          1. Even if The Outfit or one of the other “families” was behind it, that doesn’t weigh against Oswald being the lone gunman (again, his Marine training and the rifle he used are exactly the training and weapon combo as noted in the prior post); indeed a well qualified lone “hitter” is exactly what would be employed, because it reduces the chances of talking that use of two or more such people would create. They also would use outside talent. Thus, the scenario is plausible.

            Liked by 1 person

          2. Yup, exactly. All of the conspiracy theories are either based on “anomalies” that have either been thoroughly debunked or fail to account for stupid people and mistakes, or require too many people to stay perfectly silent for far too long to be believable.

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            1. All of the conspiracy theories are either based on “anomalies” that have either been thoroughly debunked

              Except when the “debunking” is itself a lie. See “Wuhan lab leak” or “clotshot side effects”.

              The label “conspiracy theorist” is a remarkably large rug to sweep things under, no?

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          3. Mass government F(HONK!)up explains all the garbage. its like “SNAFU” is a thing.

            Wait! The same endless screwup government, that leaks like a collander, that we all gripe about endlessly suddenly becomes hyper movie-grade supervillain competent and executes the -prefect- conspiracy with absolutely no leaks? Yet those same folks give us “Bay of Pigs” level fail, in about the same era.

            And a whole bunch of other botched misadventures all over the place.

            But comic book perfection for just those two folks, and epic endless asshattery and endless firehose leaks and tell-all books for -decades- on either side.

            Seriously?

            Really?

            Occam would need a Death Star to cut that planetoid of bullcrap.

            Remember that recent post about conned folks not wanting to admit the con? And folks -loving- having the secret insider knowledge? And the results?

            Liked by 1 person

        3. Eyewitnesses are usually probably wrong. Ask anyone who does investigations for a living.

          Wrong on round count. No valid evidence to support. no synched sound track. No valid count.

          Someone always talks. No one ever did for either Kennedy.

          Joe average level of gunplay. Skill level “minimal”.

          Lone nutcases. Again and again and again. Because they are frikkin effective. Ask the pros who protect. Ask the multi-thousand year bodycount by disgruntled crazies.

          I had a close family member in that protective business. I have done personal protection. You are so far wrong you are off the solar system. But you of course know better, because read it on internet somewhere? Your mocking contempt just makes you look foolish. So back at you.

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        4. Once in the head, two in the back, a fourth through his jacket, and five bystanders, according to some accounts. I don’t see any problem with nine shots from an eight-shot revolver; Hollywood does it all the time! [cough, friendly fire, cough…]

          The Iver Johnson Cadet Sirhan used was chambered in .22 Long Rifle, but had been loaded with .22 Shorts. I couldn’t find the brand of ammo mentioned, but .22 Short ballistics vary quite a bit. Supposedly it was the head shot that was fatal, but given the .22 Short’s power, a large amount of luck (good or bad, depending on your point of view) was involved.

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          1. .22s go through quite a bit of flesh, especially “round nose” solids. Even .22 shorts, which launch around 600-700 fps. Some of those folks may have shared bullets. Happens. Highly likely with “packed room” as a backstop.

            Ditto 6.5 Caranco FMJ which is notorious for “keep going”.

            Also, in a crowd panic, lots of folks get dinged up on each other and on themselves. A deep gouge might have been inflicted by someone’s hand. Or the doorframe, or floor.

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      2. I’ve always had a suspicion that the shot heard round the world was a farmer shooting a wild pig/deer/practice something totally not associated to the two groups of armed men facing off with each other, and it just snowballed.

        Why? Because it fits my sense of humor, it was time and something needed to trigger it. And the person that did it knows they had, and kept quiet even way after the war was concluded. The embarrassment of going “yea I started it all when my gun went off accidently as I was getting ready to clean it”.

        So much of big history changing moments that revolve around a small event, that isn’t obvious just how big it was until years/decades/centuries later.

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      3. “Lincoln may be the only genuine conspiracy to actually assassinate a key figure, and Booth was arguably unbalanced.”

        Plus, the conspiracy fell apart pretty quickly –the guy tasked with assassinating Vice President Johnson got drunk and chickened out at the last minute, and the guy who went after Sec. of State Seward only managed to wound him — and didn’t take years of Congressional hearings or historical research to uncover.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. I saw his picture, alive and dead. Wish to hell I hadn’t. I’m haunted by it. Mine is likely a very unpopular view, but as my mother used to say “he’s before God and we’re before sin.” Was he crazy, yeah probably. Did he do an evil thing, yeah definitely. Was he a child? he was 20, but he was a child — a bullied, weird, lonely, out on the spectrum, awkward child . Were the people who directly or indirectly used him children? No. They know exactly what they’re doing and they’re still doing it and they’ll keep doing it. I’ve never actually hated before, I thought I did, but no. Nothing like this.

        Pray for him, pray for us, pray for our country, and pray for Donald Trump.

        I might take a sabbatical from posting since I really don’t trust myself not to explode and I’ll probably detach from the inter webs for a while until I get my control back. Keep the faith.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. The point here is the overwhelming probability is that nobody was “using” him, either directly or indirectly. Unless you credit “stochastic terrorism”, which last time I checked was a stupid Democrat theory that we’ve all been laughing at for the last ten years.

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          1. I’d argue at some point, if you keep poking a stick at something…something is going to bite back.

            We’ve had at least fifty-plus years of Republicans being called Worse Than Hitler (and they don’t even eat sugar!). We’ve had eight years of Trump being called every single terrible name in the book. A lot of us didn’t come out of the Crow Flu lockdowns in good mental shape. And almost every mainstream entertainment source is marching to the Orange Man Bad drummer.

            If the minister’s daughter is usually the biggest slut and party hound in town, how sane do you think the kid of two therapists is? (If you’ve read the RavenCon AAR by John Ringo, think…”It’s peanut butter and jelly time!!!“)

            I’m honestly surprised that he was even this successful…and it took this long for someone to get this close.

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        3. Understand completely. I keep thinking someone (individual, culture, bubble, whatever) persuaded a 20-year-old to throw his life away.

          Liked by 1 person

        1. With an emphasis on someone who can provide overhead drone coverage, one operator per drone, in a one mile radius.

          And also capable of setting up a geofence to keep other “commercial” drones outside that radius or more.

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        2. Looking at what we know about this man child here are my guesses, that and $5 may get you a cup of of coffee. So parents appear to both be therapists of some sort. If they are psych therapists or even physical therapists they likely have at least bachelors degrees (and MSW if they’ve been doing therapy for anytime). They live in a moderately nice suburb of Pittsburgh so likely Middle class to upper middle class. If they are MSW type therapists I’m betting they either liberal “christians” or more likely Nones (i.e. of no particular faith). Their child rearing style is probably far gentler than even Dr. Spock (not Mr.) might recommend. The man child is likely an only or maybe first given info we’ve seen (I lean to Only) and the fact he shares a name with Dad. He is a 20 year old working in a job that probably at most requires a certificate, so not even an associates degree (not time for it). So I suspect Mom is internally disappointed that her magnificent child is kind of Meh and dissapointing that he is not at Carnegie Mellon studying something earth shattering. She doesn’t say it explicitly but likely it drips from her interactions unintentionally. I suspect he is clever but unmotivated due to severe spoiling How smart is unclear. Even odds the home has a lovely sign that says We Believe in … on the Lawn .

          Man Child senses moms disappointment and needs to compensate. It also doesn’t help that the local girls view him as a useless dork from their interaction in High School who has a job that pays less and with less promotion capacity then a Mc’Donalds fry cook. Likely he also has mental health issues that are unresolved (The cobbler’s children are often the last to get shoes). So he is likely at least moderately depressed. The 2020/2021 high school years likely sucked and made him MORE of a hermit. Returning to classes for senior year probably accentuated that 500%.

          So our idiot decides he is going to make a name for himself and show everyone who he is by ending the grave danger to the world of this mad fascist called Trump.

          So questions I have

          1. Did he scout the site at an early point? I suspect initial scouting was done via internet/google maps like all the news folks, but maybe he at the site physically earlier in the year or knew of it. Latter seems dubious its a farm display site not really something your average teen would be drawn to. Phone records and internet searches may provide info although whether we see any of it is doubtful.
          2. Did he leave any notes? I suspect he knew this was a one way trip, essentially suicide by cop with added fame was likely what he was after.
          3. Was anything apparent to his parents? Did he just say “See you later Mom”? Its about a 1:20 to Bethel Park to Butler. If he scouted it would have been an all day operation.
          4. There is mention of a possible explosive device. Pennsylvania is a fireworks state but only Class C fireworks (<50 mg / device) are available. If you want a 100g in a device (say pipe bomb or Pressure cooker bomb like Boston Marathon) You’re going to need 2000+ devices to drain. That seems like it might show up unless you grab it over some period. Unless you work with hunting “black” powder for muzzle loaders or modern smokeless powder for reloading but that will leave records?
          5. How the hell did he get on the rooftop and not get noticed? Something really stinks there especially if there were drones up watching the area. Someone was either seriously asleep/slacking off or there was some inside knowledge where to set up…

          I imagine that a little under 110 years people were wondering “Who the F is this Princip dude?”

          Liked by 1 person

    6. Ever wonder if Trump’s detail is “punishment” as in “Oh Please br’er Fox! Don throw me in -dat dere- briar patch! Oh no!”

      …

      “First Sergeant says anyone who pisses off the XO again is going to spend the week helping do scutwork at the EM club.”

      “Uh, Corporal, you know the club manager gives free beer to his helpers. In that nice air-conditioned building.”

      “Yup.”

      (Grinning maniacally) “Corporal, well get right on that.”

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  4. I’m sure that plenty of Idiot Democrats are wishing that Trump was killed.

    Of course, after all the Hate-Mongering against Trump, I’m surprised that this was the First Attempt.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. I haven’t heard of any “motorcade incidents” during the campaign season, but there are some videos of something going on when Trump was in the White House. At that point, he had a good protection detail, and an absurd amount of good luck.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. I don’t believe that this was the first attempt. Rather, I believe that there were earlier attempts that didn’t get nearly as far before quietly being blocked.

      As a historical example, there were attempts to assassinate Lincoln prior to Booth’s. It’s a mistake to think of the successful or highly-visible near-successful attempts as the only ones that happened.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. The USSS makes contact with folks that make strange posts. I would bet money that at least one occasional poster here has had a USSS interview.

        They keep extensive files on known hothead crazies, and when a protectee is going to be in the area, they have been known to ask said crazy to be elsewhere and check in.

        The USSS cant suspend State law in vast areas. You need about a half mile radius to exclude all but the best riflemen from having a sporting chance. And there are some folks that engage at double that distance on any given weekend, for fun. Crazy folks can get licensed to fly airplanes. One managed to land in Red Square, Moscow, in the mid eighties.

        That crap gives ulcers to protective detail people.

        (Yes, some punk-ass kid in a light-single on dead-reconning map-n-compass navigation beat the most intense, multi-layer anti-aircraft belt in the history of humanity, in an era when much of their stuff actually worked more often than not. Just wow.)

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        1. IIRC, the official Soviet investigation revealed that along part of Mathias Rust’s flight path, the Soviet pilots had been screwing up their IFFs. So the local air defense commander arbitrarily classified everything as friendly.

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        2. More good news. Judge Cannon just dismissed the classified documents case against Trump, stating that Jack Smith was improperly appointed.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Trump seems to have the luck of drunken American infantry. The Irish weep with envy.

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          3. Democrats already demanding that the 11th Circuit not only reverse her decision but remove her from the case; they have been outraged since she got selected to handle the case rather than the district manipulating it like DC and NY did to put rabidly partisan Democrats as the judges presiding over the case.

            Even while they claim that rhetoric needs to calm down, they screech, rant and rave about anything that doesn’t go their way and interferes with the quest for power, in language that demonizes and invites violence against those they dislike.

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            1. I read her ruling. It’s strong. Circuits might reverse (the 11th Circuit, maybe not – it’s not the 9th) but it’s not just “because I said so” like other stuff I’ve read of late from frontline judges.

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  5. When our land is illumined with Liberty’s smile
    If a foe from within strike a blow at her glory
    Down, down with the traitor that dares to defile
    The flag of her stars and the page of her story!
    By the millions unchained, who our birthright have gained
    We will keep her bright blazon forever unstained!
    And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
    While the land of the free is the home of the brave

    Liked by 3 people

      2. I carry a copy of this quote around with me.

        “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
        “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”–J.R.R. Tolkien

        Liked by 3 people

        2. This particular hobbit is rather peeved that some idiot decided that this century of the last 30 was the one where someone found the ring and started waving it around like an idiot. There is a reason we don’t go on adventures Mr, Baggins…

          Liked by 1 person

  7. I hope Trump has heightened security at the convention. At this point, it seems like the left would rather have a second civil war than risk having Trump as president again.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. At this point, they know that they won’t survive a second Trump Administration. After everything they’ve put him through, he’s going to be determined to make sure they can never harm him or his again.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. One report on Twitter that a “mega-donor,” was in touch with the media afterwards “suggesting,” they follow the “false flag,” angle because Trump is so awful and besides, it’s a common Russian ploy…

    Also alleged the message was actually sent by his chief of staff…who just happens to be named, “Dmitri”. Talk about projecting like an IMAX.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I mean, who knows, that might really be the Russians. But Russia has been using strategic trolling to wind up all sides since before the internet existed. Which is why I completely discount all the “Putin wants Trump elected” screeching.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Russia and China want us at each others throats, not theirs. “Who da boss” is essentially unimportant as long as they are leading bedlam.

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  9. Also shots of stocky female Secret Service agent being in front of Trump, doing her job, and a truly pathetic image of a second female agent cowering behind the clump of agents covering Trump.

    Secret Sevice chief, female, quoted as saying she wants the Service to be 30% female by 2030. My beloved notes they need some female agents, particularly to cover female protesters, but can we at least go for brave and competent ones?

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Trump is a big guy. You need bigger guys to cover him. Big and wide to be bullet sponges. Strong enough to fireman carry or drag Trump -quickly out of a kill box.

        Trump is something like 6’2″ and probably 280 pounds with another 30 pounds of the finest lightweight armor, plus clothing.

        So you need great big barbell-pumping sprint-running cunning jockuloids to cover him. Like NFL offensive linemen. Like “tier one” military fit and wit.

        Three sigma men.

        Ladies? That same capability is 6 sigma. And most of those are doing other things.

        The ladies are great to guard similar sized ladies. Or blend into crowds undercover. Scout, investigate, snipe.

        Current Veep, for example, quite able to be protected by a squad of valkyries. But if the protectee has to duck walk to be protected, wrong answer you.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. While she was doing a pretty good job for her height– physically shielding him isn’t all of it.

          Going unnoticed, but also being part of the team so when she says something it gets heard, is also important.

          Big goombas who can bullet-sponge are vital– but they are also going to be primary targets for first wave neutralization.

          The more variety the bad guys have to keep an eye out for, the more likely they are to screw up massively.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. See my above. Undercover? sure. Primary -body- guard? Wrong tool for the job. Trump’s primaries should look like a world-champion Samoan Rugby Team. He is himself a big man.

            Note: if the attacker engages the guard instead of the protected, that is a success, and the intended result.

            And its all about intimidation up close. Most women cant do that job for beans on big men. Those that can usually -provoke- the try. Ask the folks in corrections. Or beat cops. I have a bunch of acquaintances in those jobs.

            You can use that, oh yes you can. Away from the protectee. The undercovers pop out and divert attention while the linemen get Mister Bigshot out of dodge.

            Women are -not- interchangeable with men. Never have been. Never will be, and a dang good thing that is. ’cause I aint gay.

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            1. If she was THE primary body guard, your argument would work. But she wasn’t. She was one of many.

              And engaging the bodyguard only works if it is absolutely instead of the target– not ‘first’. Which is, as I pointed out, why you want a variety, to make the f’ers work for it.

              Women are -not- interchangeable with men. Never have been. Never will be, and a dang good thing that is. ’cause I aint gay.

              :dryly: Thank you for the preaching, pastor, but can you try making a coherent argument and engaging with what is actually said, instead?

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              1. I did. You just didnt like it.

                Find a six foot 200 plus athletic woman and I would buy that as primary bodyguard for someone Trump’s size, assuming she really could carry his bulk any meaningful distance.

                Thus not really interchangeable. Thus a poor choice.

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                1. “Liking” it has nothing to do with your counter-arguments failing to engage what was actually said.

                  Going off of your not even being familiar with what basic fireman carry is capable of– even the Navy had the small women try it, with normal sized guys, exactly because it makes stuff possible— and you not having not encountered women doing that, it appears your conclusions are not well supported by reality.

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                  1. TO BE FAIR: Denver fire dept changed the fireman carry to being able to drag a 300lb person for qualification, because most of their female candidates couldn’t. So I’d see how 11-B might get that impression.

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                    1. Denver is not the place I’d trust to be aiming at quality of candidates, rather than getting someone’s side piece into a good paying job!

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            2. When your protectee is exposed well out of the detail’s cover scrum by standing up that’s an issue. The taller guys were trying to add concealment by reaching up and waving their hands around his head, but there was just insufficient height on that detail.

              I just watched the whole clip of the event with sound for the first time (we were in the ER when I saw the news hit so I had things muted) and noted the one female USSS close detail agent’s voice from the dog pile picked up on the podium mics, the one who almost immediately started into repeating “What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?” – not to my ear as in “I don’t know my job tasks”, but more “What is our next move?” but her repeated questions were not exactly adding value to the situation. I wonder if that was the more zoftig dark haired more rattled looking one at the back, the one who after they got him in the Suburban could not reholster her weapon, vs. the short blond ponytailed one trying as well as she could to do her job and cover the protectees front once they stood up.

              I actually get DJT insisting on getting back in his shoes that had come off before he got up, I bet thinking he’d move a lot better that way than in stocking feet. Him stopping to pump his fist seemed like just part and parcel of protecting a political candidate, but I think it was the right thing to do to reassure the shocked crowd who came to see him, even if it’s the classic protection detail heartburn.

              Lots of lessons learned from this one.

              Liked by 1 person

              1. Didnt hear that one. Stress can raise a voice quite a bit. If it sounded “alto” might be actually a tenor. Have heard a deep voiced folk suddenly go into “huffin helium” squeaks under sudden lethal threat. Was surreal.

                You dont know who is goign to go rattlebag when the event happens. Only one really good way to tell. Some chicks are supercool. Some dudes are useless.

                Liked by 1 person

                1. This vid, no commentary just one shot continuous with ambient sound apparently from podium mics:

                  Not any knock on females vs. males, just the one voice I heard that made me think “Area for improvement” on their next review.

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              2. And protectees due some flipping annoying things, Like showing that they cant be intimidated, defying, daring the attackers to try again.. or demanding someone find replaceable things.

                I give Trump kudos for his reaction. He may be a carnival barker, but he also has balls and thinks well under real “they are trying to kill you” pressure.

                Liked by 1 person

        2. Something to consider. If they needed to fireman’s carry him out, her position was such that she could have ducked a little and they could have just folded him over her and then surrounded HER and hauled him out that way. A bigger guy would have elevated him in a carry like that requiring even larger guys to surround and protect.

          And yes she could have. They had me do the same thing with someone much taller and just as heavy when I was at basic and later throughout when I was active duty and I’m only 5’6″ and modestly stocky/strong.

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          1. Did you pick up a 300+ pound man, possibly struggling? (Trump is likely 280 pounds in shorts, probably add 30 pounds of clothing and armor) How far and fast did you carry him? If someone with equal training effort and time, but 6’+ and 200lb+ of muscle did it, do they go further and faster?

            No disrespect, but when such ladies can and do play the NFL line, I might think they could do close physical protection on large men. Skeptical otherwise. Heck, Ill take college version as “probable”.

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            1. 340 not struggling mostly because I talked him down (Yes that was more than twice my weight at a time, and yes, I was in the best shape of my life.) and closer to the 280 fighting me on it though not intensely. Field ex carry was about 100 yards and yes, the lighter one. Those were the two I had actual weights on. They liked giving me the heavy guys to carry because I was female and smaller than most of the guys. And also MI so ‘soft’ and they wanted to push.

              Note: I also said for the other guards to fold him over her. She isn’t alone in this. She’s not trying to wrestle him into submission by herself. Then carry him two miles. She had to get him off stage and into a prepared position. Also note: Most people stop struggling once their feet are off the ground because they don’t want to fall off.

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              1. I am impressed. never personally observed a woman who could meaningfully carry a really big guy, without help.

                Was there anyone else like you? Even close?

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                1. I know at the set at basic training there were a couple other girls who also got assigned some of our bigger guys (I do not recall weights nor exact numbers). There were a few other women who did (One of them being 6’7″). There were more (both guys and girls) who refused to even try for fear of someone getting squashed flat. We also had a freakishly wide height/weight divergence at my basic. Smallest barely made minimum height/weight. Tallest was 6’9″. The field ex one I was the only girl in the group so don’t have near as much of a sample set.

                  I will also note: I was in my early 20s at the time. I could NOT do this now that I am in my mid 40s. I also did not have to pick them up from the ground. That would have been where I had the greatest trouble. (And to circle back to the lady Secret Service agent. That was what struck me about her position. She was positioned so she could carry but not have to pick him up.)

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  10. This is a pretty crazy situation, but not unexpected. I’m glad the first assassin failed. I’m not counting on him being the last. I didn’t predict this, but it is within the scope of speculation in recent months.

    Also, I got a good chuckle out of the Teddy Roosevelt “finish the speech” meme.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Not that President Trump’s protectors let him stick around to finish. Thing has changed since T. Roosevelt’s time.

      Always has been a matter of “when and hope not”, not an “if”, not given the rhetoric the democrats and other suspects, err Idiots?

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Chaotic environment? Panicked crowd? Shots already fired and casualties present in the crowd? Damn right I’d have pulled him off stage.

        There’s going to be some asses chewed going forward from this, and rightly so. Protection details are supposed to get the details right. This time, they didn’t. Luck or divine providence saved them their principal this time. You don’t get far in the protection business depending on something flimsy as luck.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. On top of that your protectee has a casualty. Remember Regan/ Hinckley? The initial thought was it was a flesh wound and they had time. In actuality there was some serious damage and moving him was pushing him towards bleeding out. Regan surviving was a close thing. You get the protectee into the armored vehicle ASAP and then someone in the guards with corpsman type skills starts triage. That’s the protocol and has been since 1980.

          Liked by 1 person

      2. Times have definitely changed since TR’s time. There’ll never be another like him or that incident. Honestly, this is probably as close to that as we’ll ever see. And luck, or divine intervention, was a major part of it.

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  11. I know it’s fun to imagine wheels within wheels, triple-false-flags, psyops, etc. etc.

    But:

    Lee Harvey Oswald was a lone nutjob.

    For now, Occam’s Razor says that this guy was a maladjusted weirdo who probably wanted to make a name for himself by taking out Orange Hitler.

    There are at least three different photos floating around right now all purporting to be this guy Crooks, and none of them are the same. One seems to be a deliberate hoaxer.

    Let’s apply the 48-hour rule before we start imagining anything other than a colossal f***up. Because sometimes colossal f***ups happen.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The hearings will be interesting, if only because line agents are saying one thing and the Pepsi-hire boss (ex-secret-service, but from her official bio, mostly management rather than any protective detail time while she was an agent – and note the USSS does things like counterfeit investigations too) is saying another.

      She was previously head of corporate security for all Pepsi locations, so bottling plants and office buildings, and probably the combination for the secret recipe vault.

      I understand the USSS protection detail alumni and grapevine is very tight, so the stuff Bongino is getting is likely good gouge.

      The question now is was anyone using non .gov emails at USSS? And are the phones getting “routinely” wiped as I type this, oh, sorry congressman?

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      1. There was a thread on X from a former LEO who had been part of the local detachment for several Presidential events. He said that the sniper’s rooftop would have been outside of the USSS protection perimeter and therefore the responsibility of the locals, while the USSS snipers were trained to look way beyond the middle distance for long-range threats (which is why the one sniper had to adjust his point of aim way down to engage the assassin).

        This raises a few questions, though:

        1. You would think that even if the USSS wasn’t directly responsible for the area, they would have at least said, “okay, can you put a deputy on that roof, and that one, and that one, please?”
        2. Even if they didn’t do so, why didn’t the local LEOs keep an eye on the local rooftops?
        3. There’s an 80-foot water tower 150 yards from the shooter and 200 from Trump. Was anybody up there with binoculars and a rifle? If not, why not?

        So far I think this is a colossal f***up where USSS didn’t coordinate with the locals and maybe the locals didn’t take it seriously enough to use their own initiative. For that matter, I’ve heard enough about how the FBI treats local LE to wonder if maybe the locals didn’t feel like they were allowed to use their own initiative.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Probably too many spots to cover.

          Before you ask “why wasn’t x covered” how many bodies were available to cover the places, and how many places needed covered?

          and if it is a mixed agency/department pick-up team, who ensures the sub-plans are properly integrated?

          Ask a pro sniper where he would use for a hit, and it us probably -not- a big bright flat roof 150 meters from the protectee. Crazies however, do crazy things.

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          1. Spot visible to the crowd! Video showing on Fox, as well as eye witness accounts, of people shouting “He’s got a gun” and pointing (eye witness, including one who was screaming at law enforcement) before the first shot rang out.

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            1. Security did go look.

              Just the law enforcement guys were a little busy with dealing with the event to say “yes, we listened to folks saying they thought they saw something, and had people checking all the places. And the cop that went up behind the shooter and startled him was one of those guys!”

              When you’re on security and someone wants you to stop looking where you’re looking, and look in a different direction, you have someone else go look there. Because misdirection is a vital skill.

              Liked by 1 person

          2. My question is where was the overhead coverage?

            USSS is reported to have quadcopter drones integrated now into their outdoor event protection details, and spotting someone doing odd things up a white painted rooftop should be pretty much on the easier side from above, especially if there were not briefed to be local LE up on roofs.

            Something like “Person on roof grid A7, <whatever DJTs callsign is these days> NORTH” even before they could see any weapon should have had the close detail surging up on stage to put themselves between the protectee and the threat axis at least. Then if it’s someone with a camera wanting a cool picture, or a local LE who didn’t get the word, the only thing would be the detail standing up on stage when normally they are not as visible.

            Clearly the two snipers visible (aside: No spotters in the USSS?) knew something was up in their sector as both on that north side in the videos were not scanning but were already on the building where the local LE was having the ladder interaction with the soon-to-be shooter.

            But the piece that’s missing to me are any signs of drones obviously up, or if they were up, sign that the operators detected and were able to get the word out onto the detail net.

            Even drones up just being seen would deter bad guys. If they were there, did they not see the bad guy on that white roof? Where were they looking instead?

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            1. Drones are cheap, so “OMG the expense!” isn’t a good excuse, but they do require a full-time operator. A guy with binoculars on top of the eighty-foot water tower 200 yards away would have been just as good.

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              1. More data to process. Can be a net negative if you lack the processors.

                The crazy only has to get lucky once. No one remembers the ones who you dissuaded.

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        2. If I were USSS and the question was “local LEO on rooftops?” I think I’d want sterile rooftops so that anyone detected on a roof could be assumed to be a bad guy, rather than having to cluster around on the radio trying to make sure my team was not engaging Deputy Bob.

          Put LEO around the buildings on teh ground and secure rooftop access points so in theory nobody could get up on a rooftop, then treat anyone who did as a threat.

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          1. And any number of Western PA goobers run around in camouflage, and would take the kids up on the unlocked roof for a good view. And of course rando crazies can follow along. And that cooler of iced pop held a takedown burner in a trashbag.

            Welcome to ulcerville Mister Special Agent.

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            1. And in today’s reporting we get a clew as to why there were no spotters on the visible sniper team – because those two guys were the ONE AND ONLY USSS sniper team on site, and they were only assigned 24 hours beforehand.

              If I only had two people, they both would be on rifle scopes too.

              And apparently the entire close protection detail save the lead agent were substitutes assigned from the local USSS office.

              Yeesh. This explains much.

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              1. Further discussion is asserting those two visible counter-snipers were in fact PA State Police, of which several teams were at the event. This conflicts with USSS statements that the shooter was neutralized by USSS as a shot taken by these visible counter-snipers appears to be visible in videos.

                We shall see what pans out.

                Liked by 1 person

  12. Use the anger to motivate you, the Constitution is worth defending, the Government is not. That everyone is talking about false flags and conspiracy’s is enough to know they have lost the trust of the people. They only have the power we give them, time to take that power back. It will not be easy, but they are insane, we can use that to our advantage. One man is not a movement, we are Trump and we want our country back. Time to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We can do this.

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    1. Indeed. But just because you’ve lost the trust in your (soon-to-be-ex) spouse doesn’t necessarily mean they’re cheating on you. That might just be in your brain.

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      1. Human nature being what it is, it will be an eternal fight between those that strive to be free and the coalition of the would-be tyrants, the mind slaves, and the goblins that are just looking for free sh*t.

        That whole “watering the tree of liberty” thing? It’s true. There will always be someone wanting to take what isn’t theirs. There will always be the small minded brigands, the petty bureaucratic thieves, the con men, and the agents of enemy powers that want to see the US brought low.

        Mankind is neither perfect nor perfectable. Civilization itself is a long, incredibly bloody trek through history, wherein the agents of the former wrest power from murdering, slaving, raping, and torturing tyrants, and said agents are not always the best of men either.

        The benefits of proper civilization we enjoy today were hard won. Our ancestors would weep to see what sad foes we have allowed to wrest control from us.

        Yet it is not the time today to paint a bloody path to power, as it once might have been. We have rules that constrain us such that tyrants are to be shackled, and vigilantes shunned. Trump will not be the one to fix all our problems. At best, he’s a good start.

        It is on us to find those who will continue the work of civilization, in reducing the power of petty bureaucrats and arrogant agents of government. Nothing good comes from letting them keep on as they have, and much ill besides.

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  15. I look at “we must unite, violence is not who we are” phony rhetoric coming from the Dems and all I see is “Please don’t get angry and shoot us back!” I think I have more respect from the “Wish he didn’t miss folks.” At least they’re honest.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I see the “we must unite…” rhetoric from Dems as “Surrender Dorothy” with a side of their standard line “Our violence is speech; your speech is violence.”

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      1. Honestly, I’ve never understood the Wicked Witch there. Is she commanding Dorothy to surrender, as in “Surrender, Dorothy!”, or is she commanding the Emerald City to “Surrender Dorothy to me now”?

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      2. Conformity is Diversity is what they mean by “unity”; they only want unity in the Oceania sense of it, where everyone is united in having the same thoughts and denouncing the same enemies during the Two Minute Hate (except the left goes well beyond 2 minutes and is 24/7/365 with theirs).

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  16. As bad as this is, I really think a corner is being turned right now. The culture war has gone against the Left. The Supreme Court has dealt government power serious body blows. Biden has been exposed for the puppet he is. And the man they’ve pilloried and persecuted for almost a decade now literally dodged a bullet and is surging ahead when everybody thought he was finished. I’m not saying we’re out of the woods, but things look better than they did a year ago. Stay cool and stand firm.

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    1. Reminds me of Reagan, in the hospital for surgery following his shooting, but still able to make a wise crack to the surgical team that was about to operate on him – “I hope all of you are Republicans!”

      And I should also put up the lead surgeon’s response – “Today, Mr. President, we are all Republicans!”

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      1. They’ve been protecting the President since 1901 after the McKinley assassination but I can’t find when they started protecting candidates.

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        1. Trump is in an unusual position, being both a major-party candidate and an ex-President.

          Along with the Democrats simultaneously whipping up hate against him and trying to remove his guard detail.

          Liked by 1 person

  20. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do Thou, oh prince of the heavenly hosts thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls, amen.

    May God bless us and keep us safe in the coming trials.

    Liked by 2 people

  21. Trump is changing his RNC Convention speech. Supposedly theme is Unification, not his usual constipated pitbull attack stuff.

    Will be inte5resting to see how he goes about it. This is a rare opportunity to redirect much venom. And of all the folks to try it….

    Because if the Donkuloids do not dial it back after he does, they look even worse.

    Can he do it? He has been rather circumspect since Biden blew the debate. I think he senses the option everyone else is too pissed-off to try.

    Looking forward to this one. But need more popcorn.

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      1. I think that if he attacks the hate-peddlers and their ilk, calling them out as far smaller than they actually are, it’ll be an interesting speech.

        Especially if he plays up the whole “if we don’t stop them now, the next time this happens, people will die in mass quantities.”

        Liked by 1 person

  22. For interesting insight to first reports, find some of the recordings of radio broadcasts of the first news of the Normandy landings. The first news actually came from German sources, with no Allied confirmation, after midnight in New York. The first two or three hours of broadcasts were tentative. Then around 3:30 in the morning, east coast time, you get SHAEF Bulletin No. 1.

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  24. I keep hearing Chicago’s ‘Saturday In The Park’.

    Saturday in the park

    It was the thirteenth of July

    People laughing, people cheering

    A man making speeches…

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  25. Today’s quote from the Donald, after someone asked him about the “iconic,” photo of him standing with raised fist: “Yes, it was iconic. And I’m still alive. Usually you have to be dead to get an iconic photo.”

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Now is NOT the time to get complacent. Their lone dog (he certainly wasn’t any self-respecting wolf) didn’t accomplish the job; so they’re going to try again, only more seriously.

    FBI investigation? That will be nothing but smoke and mirrors, complete lies and fabrications, and spending, err, wasting, a lot of tax dollars.

    Humphf. You could drill Joe through and through and nobody would notice any difference.

    As for the Democrat shooting accuracy memes. They can shoot just fine. They just can’t beat God’s Intervention. God Bless America, and God Bless Donald Trump.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. An interesting thought has come to mind.

    The would be assassin is wearing a Demolition Ranch T-shirt. For those of you who do not know, Demolition Ranch is quite possibly the most popular second amendment channel on Youtube. While the channel doesn’t usually delve into politics, they still come across as very conservative.

    If a person wanted to go unnoticed in a conservative crowd, the D/R shirt would generally place them in a very specific demographic of Trump fans, i.e. redneck/working class. (The two are not synonymous.)

    But, while a liberal could easily identify a MAGA hat, they would be hard pressed to notice a D/R shirt. That’s camouflage against the sort of people that would notice a gun in the first place.

    You can’t buy those shirts in stores. They all come from the channel website, Bunker Branding, or from their one store in Texas. (I suppose they might sell them at public events.)

    My point is, did he in fact buy that shirt himself? In which case he’s either a fan of the second amendment (doubtful) or he was told to do so by someone who knew the right kind of camouflage to wear.

    Or did someone get it for him? It would be interesting to check the order records at Bunker Branding, too see if he ever ordered such a shirt, or how recently he may have done so.

    I realize this is very “conspiracy theory” of me, but I just wanted to share.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. And Matt Carriker has already had to post a “I don’t know this guy” video to the DR channel on Youtube. Because the MSM (you don’t hate them enough) is already equating this guy’s “Demolitia” shirt to “a shirt of a far-right-wing militia.” No, it’s the freaking DR fan club basically. 11.6 million subscribers.

      BTW, I think they might’ve closed the Bunker Branding store in Texas. Maybe. Bunker is still open and doing the merch for a ton of Youtubers now.

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  30. Obviously Reddit is the home of a lot of crazy super-leftists, as opposed to somewhat reasonable people.

    But there’s a post on the Kindergarten subreddit (of all places), where a woman claims to be afraid to send her kid to kindergarten this fall because of all the crazy aggressive MAGA people who are “foaming at the mouth”.

    I confused this with a post I saw on the millennials subreddit, where another poster of course blamed Trump for getting shot, refused to tone down her own language, and got positive feedback from the other allegedly terrified (yet panting for blood) parents.

    The same people who openly wish for other people’s deaths, and slobber kisses over mass-murdering terrorists and dictators, will then claim to be afraid of normies doing normie things. Not so much crybullies as would-be crybutchers.

    OTOH, I think a lot of leftists have gotten scared this weekend by the behavior of other leftists, and are trying to hurry back to the territory of normality. Hopefully this will help our country.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Naomi Wolf wrote a very interesting column on the idea that a) there are forces dedicated to causing death on a mass scale; b) when societies embrace those forces you see mass deaths and c) a lot of Americans seem to be embracing those forces. She doesn’t want to say, “demon,” but she admits it’s a definite possibility.

      Abortion is a symptom, of course, but she also spoke of meeting people who seem to be pleased or proud they have heart disease or cancer, as if it’s a social coup.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Funny how the left-wingers fanatically oppose the execution of terrorists, murderers and child molesters, but are all for unlimited abortion, and whacking innocent people whose medical bills get ‘too high’.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Apparently a Japanese firm has already produced a short anime of the assassination attempt. Complete with the Spirit of America stopping the bullet and an echo of the flag-raising image from Iwo Jima. Cool.

    Liked by 1 person

  33. So, all the talk yesterday of “lowering the temperature”

    And today, JD Vance is already being declared the anti-Christ….

    Gee, that lasted a ‘long’ time!

    Liked by 2 people

  40. Daily Caller just broke a story behind the paywall that Secret Service told the Senate they were aware of the shooter 50 minutes before the shot. REALLY???

    Liked by 1 person

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