TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
US President Joe Biden has condemned the assassination attempt against Donald Trump and called on America to “unite as one nation”, the Associated Press reports.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence or any violence for that matter. An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for… as a nation — everything,” Biden declared.
The president said he had ordered an independent security review, which he expected to be “thorough and swift.” Biden is set to deliver further remarks from the Oval Office later on Sunday evening (local time).
Trump delivered a similar message to the country to “stand united” following the shooting at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, The Guardian reports.
The former US president released a series of statements on his Truth Social social media platform in which he said he had been “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear”, later declaring: “In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.”
The 78-year-old was recovering at his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, CBS News reports.
The US Secret Service is unsurprisingly facing serious questions over the incident, in particular how the security perimeter was set up at the rally and how suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to obtain access to a rooftop around 150 metres from Trump’s podium, CNN reports.
The BBC reports that Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle has already been summoned to testify before a US House of Representatives committee on Monday, July 22.
The UK broadcaster also reports the FBI named Crooks as the suspected shooter and officials said the 20-year-old kitchen worker was shot dead at the scene by a Secret Service sniper.
On Sunday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said firefighter Corey Comperatore had been killed during the attempted assassination of Trump, CNN reports. Two others are said to have been badly hurt.
Leaders around the world condemned the shooting. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there was “no place for violence in the democratic process” while also drawing a link to the protests outside of Australian politicians’ electorate offices over the Gaza war, The Guardian reports.
“These things can escalate, which is why they need to be called out unequivocally and opposed,” the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack.” France’s president Emmanuel Macron called it a “tragedy for our democracies”, while Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “Never should violence prevail … I wish America emerges stronger from this.”
The Associated Press reports Trump is still planning on attending the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which begins on Monday.
CFMEU ‘ON NOTICE’
Federal Workplace Minister Tony Burke has said he’s putting the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) “on notice” and won’t rule out deregistering its construction division, the ABC reports.
The Sydney Morning Herald quotes Burke as saying on Insiders that he was exploring all options within his power after the Nine newspapers published allegations of misconduct at the union.
Victorian CFMEU boss John Setka quit on Friday, describing the reports as “false accusations” and “malicious attacks”.
Burke was also asked on Insiders about his seat of Watson being targeted by grassroots Muslim groups over the government’s stance on the Gaza war.
“I’ve always viewed my seat as a marginal, I never take my seat for granted,” he said. “Regardless of who runs, what needs to be known is there is a genuine sentiment in the community of deep frustration that they want our position with respect to Gaza to be stronger. That is a real sentiment that is there in the community.”
Regarding “The Muslim Vote” movement, The Australian reports Greens senators and MPs are concerned the group could cost them Senate votes and the target seat of Wills.
The paper quotes sources as saying some within the Greens had asked political strategist Glenn Druery to tell The Muslim Vote to focus solely on the lower house.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
The Princess of Wales received a standing ovation as she made her way into the royal box at Centre Court to watch the men’s final at Wimbledon on Sunday, the BBC reports.
In what was only her second public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis, Kate waved and smiled at the crowd as she and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, found their seats.
The 42-year-old has been undergoing chemotherapy. She announced her diagnosis in March and made her first public appearance since then at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London last month, the Press Association reports.
The Princess of Wales later presented the winner’s trophy to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz after his straight-sets victory over Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz’s back-to-back Wimbledon titles mean he has now won four majors at the age of just 21.
Other players met with the royal on Sunday, including former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Asked about the princess’ attendance at Wimbledon, the Evening Standard quoted Raducanu as saying: “I think it just shows her resilience and how much of a role model she is and it’s amazing to see her here looking so healthy and happy.”
Say What?
We were like, ‘hey man, there’s a guy on the roof with a rifle’, and the police were like ‘huh, what?’, you know, they didn’t, like, know what’s going on.
Trump shooting eyewitness Greg Smith
In a remarkable interview, Smith told the BBC he had pointed out the location of the suspected shooter to the authorities minutes before the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
CRIKEY RECAP
If one moment encapsulates how cultish Labor’s solidarity rules have become, it was Anthony Albanese’s response when asked on Tuesday whether he would consider relaxing the rules when it came to issues like Palestine.
“We have in the Labor Party a collective responsibility,” the prime minister said, citing the party’s trade union roots. “And I must say, our 103 members of our caucus are on exactly the same page on these issues. Exactly the same page.”
That, of course, is complete nonsense. By all means argue for the importance of collectivism. But when “solidarity” means denying the existence of internal dissent, of alternate views, we have in the Labor Party a collective problem.
Big parties can invest in institutional structures to resist the strains of ego and ideology that split smaller parties. Factions, whether formal or informal, are one mechanism. In the case of Labor, factions are formalised and, when things are working relatively smoothly, allow for a distribution of political spoils and a resolution of internal policy conflict.
Labor’s requirement that MPs and senators abide by caucus decisions and vote in Parliament accordingly is another such mechanism.
While it’s been presented as an unwanted hangover from when Labor was a clutch of shearers meeting under a Queensland gum tree, the justification advanced by Labor advocates for the binding caucus vote is simple and modern: no MP or senator would be in Parliament unless they had appeared on a ballot paper with “Labor” next to their name. Accordingly, agreeing to be bound by decisions of the parliamentary party recognises that they are elected for their party, rather than any personal electoral appeal.
The Advertiser’s article launching the database says that it “does not include any information that would tend to identify the victim or survivor of an offence, as their privacy is guaranteed under state law”.
But given 83% of child sexual assault victims aged 14 and younger are assaulted by someone they know — according to a submission to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Management of Child Sex Offender Information — that could prove difficult.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Hamas-run health ministry says 141 killed in Israeli strikes (BBC)
Three dead in family violence shooting in Germany (Reuters)
Shannen Doherty, ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and ‘Charmed’ Star, Dies at 53 (Variety)
French sports minister takes symbolic dive into river Seine in Paris (euronews)
‘It’s a mistake’: Zelenskyy says he can ‘forget’ Biden’s Putin mix-up (Al-Jazeera)
Cape Cod mass stranding of more than 140 dolphins confirmed to be largest in US history (CNN)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Shock but no real surprise at events in the US — Phillip Coorey (AFR): The near-assassination of Donald Trump was as shocking as it was unsurprising.
Certainly to anyone in politics, be it here or abroad, who has fretted increasingly over the past few years at the breakdown of social discourse, fuelled by a lawless and valueless social media.
The end result has been a growing acceptance of violent protest and hateful speech, and in this case, a gun-toting maniac unable to discern fantasy from reality has nearly taken the life of a US presidential candidate.
Donald Trump’s epic show of strength won’t sway Joe Biden — Joe Hockey (The Australian): How Trump handles the next few days, as the shock of the moment passes, will influence American politics for years to come.
Over the next few days it will also become clear that President Joe Biden will not cut and run. Thoughts about him declining the nomination and handing over to Kamala Harris will evaporate rapidly.
For Biden to throw in the towel now would look cowardly and insipid. That is not his life story. Biden has had terrible personal tragedies, and he has dealt with those moments with great courage and fortitude. He is a fighter by instinct. Biden will not willingly walk away from the presidency. Not now.
