Recounting his friend’s experience “four feet away” from the former president’s brush with death, Mike Rowe shared his thoughts on who else “dodged a bullet yesterday.”
With a reported 50 rounds of ammunition purchased prior to attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump and explosive materials said to have been discovered in the suspect’s home and car, the tragic death of Corey Comperatore may well have been one of many had the threat not been neutralized when it was.
While the scope of such a horrific occurrence may be readily, if not reluctantly, within the grasp of imagination, the storyteller behind “Something to Stand for” touched on the experience shared by reporter Salena Zito as he contended, “Donald Trump was not the only one who dodged a bullet yesterday.”
“I think America did, as well.”
“Many of you know my friend, Salena Zito. She’s an excellent reporter who writes with great affection about rural America,” Rowe captioned an image of the journalist and those close to her sprawled for cover beneath a security officer in front of the stage where the president had been speaking.
“On Saturday, she was four feet from Donald Trump when the shooting started. That’s her on the ground, beneath a campaign staffer determined to protect her. Her account is here,” he noted linking to Zito’s own words in The Free Press, “and worth a read if you value an eyewitness report from an actual journalist.”
Many of you know my friend, Salena Zito. She’s an excellent reporter who writes with great affection about rural America. On Saturday, she was four feet from Donald Trump when the shooting started. That’s her on the ground, beneath a campaign staffer determined to protect her.… pic.twitter.com/veLvw8dTbK
— The Real Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) July 15, 2024
“I was four feet from the stage, in a causeway with about five other journalists. My daughter, a photographer, was next to me. Her husband was next to her,” recalled Zito. “Trump started speaking. Six minutes later, we heard the noise. Pop. Pop. Pop. Some people in the crowd might have thought they heard fireworks. But I knew exactly what it was. I own a gun.”
“I looked up at the president. He touched his ear. I was shocked to see blood on his face. A smear of red across his cheek,” she detailed before indicating, “My daughter hit the ground. My son-in-law lay on top of her. I threw my body next to theirs. Immediately, a security officer was on top of me.”
As part of her account, the reporter spoke to the stark difference in experiencing such a tragedy firsthand, “I’ve since seen videos of what happened. People were screaming. But all I remember hearing was an eerie silence. With that kind of crowd, you’d expect pandemonium, a stampede. But I never had a sense of chaos.”
Zito had the opportunity to speak to Trump Sunday and he told her that his planned remarks for the Republican National Convention were being scrapped following the impactful moment.
“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger. Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches,” the president told her. “Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”
“It is a chance to bring this country together. I was given that chance,” he added.
By contrast, Rowe hinted at how the country came within “a centimeter or two” of potentially being torn apart.
“Salena is still in shock but had the presence of mind to document what she saw on a day that will be discussed for many days to come. I’m proud of her, and glad she’s okay. I have some other thoughts, too, but think I’ll wait a bit to share them publicly,” he remarked. “In general, I think it’s fair to say that Donald Trump was not the only one who dodged a bullet yesterday. I think America did, as well. As with so many other moments in history, this one came down to a centimeter or two. Truly chilling to imagine the reaction, had that bullet found its intended target.”
Concluding his thoughts, Rowe touched on the heroic death of Comperatore, whose final act was to shield his loved ones from danger, “Condolences to the families of the victims. The fatality is a retired fire chief, who died protecting his daughters…Tragic.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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