A delayed response to the tragedy at former President Donald Trump’s rally was met with an outright refusal from his rival to state the obvious.
“Well, Joe, he had his ear shot off…you don’t need more facts.”
Only days prior to Saturday’s assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the mental acuity of President Joe Biden remained a central focus after his debate disaster. Added concerns about when the incumbent was “sharpest” came to the fore as he interrupted yet another weekend getaway to say next to nothing to the American people after 8 p.m.
Claiming to have been “thoroughly briefed by all agencies in the federal government” before stating he’d attempted to contact Trump and that he condemned the violence, the resident-in-chief was asked directly, “Do you think this was an assassination attempt?”
His response was widely considered a refusal as he instead said, “I don’t know enough to — I — I have — I have a — I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts. So, I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make some comments — any more comments.”
Biden REFUSES to call someone shooting Trump an “assassination attempt” pic.twitter.com/UMePucHhEr
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 14, 2024
Prior to a White House spokesperson confirming that the presidents had spoken to one another, official statements released by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris weren’t any better as both referred to the incident as a “shooting” at the Pennsylvania rally with the latter adding “We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting.”
I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.
Jill and I are grateful to the Secret…
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 13, 2024
I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s event in Pennsylvania.
Doug and I are relieved that he is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting.
We are grateful to…
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 14, 2024
As it seemed the Democratic Party had fallen back on their instincts to demonize the Second Amendment, reactions to the president’s statement on the tragedy, that took the life of one spectator and injured at least two others, were filled with contempt and shame.
Having captioned a clip of Biden’s statement, “Joe not quite ready to go out on a limb and call it an assassination attempt. Needs a quick nap and more facts,” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy narrated over the end of the remarks with his own take, “Well, Joe, he had his ear shot off. So, I do think it’s an assassination attempt and you don’t need more facts. Good job gettin’ off stage though in one take.”
Likewise, BlazeTV host Dave Rubin reacted to the incumbent’s statement as posted by Washington Post White House reporter Matt Viser and said, “What an absolute embarrassment for the United States this man is.”
Joe not quite ready to go out on a limb and call it an assassination attempt. Needs a quick nap and more facts pic.twitter.com/x3YH2LReE7
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 14, 2024
What an absolute embarrassment for the United States this man is. https://t.co/zMWFm2s4En
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) July 14, 2024
Earlier in the week, Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy had challenged White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre over the president’s early bird dinner-word schedule and noted, “Well, he also said he’s sharpest before 8 p.m. So, say that the Pentagon at some point picks up an incoming nuke. It’s 11 p.m. Who do you call — the first lady?”
The contentious moment that had the spokesperson defending Biden’s “team” had been put to the test rather suddenly, as had other remarks highlighted by Fox News contributor Joe Concha.
Frequently demonstrating their own willingness to malign statements from figures on the right, especially Trump, as violent and inciting rhetoric, mum remained the word on Biden’s sentiment shared during a call with his National Finance Committee Monday, as reported by Politico.
Concha wrote on X, “President Biden, July 8, 2024: ‘We’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.’ Defend that. Go ahead. Try to defend the rhetoric after what we all just witnessed with Trump coming [within] a centimeter of being assassinated.”
President Biden, July 8, 2024: “We’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”
Defend that. Go ahead.
Try to defend that rhetoric after what we all just witnessed with Trump coming with a centimeter of being assassinated.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) July 13, 2024
While Biden refused to call the attempt on Trump’s life for what it was, social media users were hardly as coy in finding fault in the incumbent’s rhetoric for what happened, going as far as to demand his resignation.
Your lies, hoaxes, and divisive rhetoric are destroying this country.
— MAZE (@mazemoore) July 14, 2024
I’ve had enough of Biden screaming about Trump being a threat to democracy.
Again, doing what they accuse others of doing.— Otis B. Driftwood (@CraigDSullivanS) July 13, 2024
You incited this by saying that Trump and his supporters would end democracy.
You have blood on your hands.
Resign in disgrace.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 14, 2024
It wasn’t a shooting at Donald Trumps rally-it was an assassination attempt on the next President, and
a bystander was killed.GFY.
— Sara Rose (@saras76) July 14, 2024
This is the guy running our Country. Beyond belief.
— NevadanforLife (@nevadanfor) July 14, 2024
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