A good rule for any sort of conflict was stated by Scott Glenn as Bart Mancuso in the film version of Tom Clancy’s “Hunt for Red October,” that being “the key to playing chicken is knowing when to flinch.”
Donald Trump may or may not know when to flinch, but in something that may be even more important, he knows when not to flinch. On Friday, on his social media platform Truth Social, the former president announced that he will be returning to hold another rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. That’s right – he’s returning to the same town that was the scene of the attempt on President Trump’s life, although it is as yet unknown if he will speak at the same location:
Former President Trump said he plans to hold a campaign rally in the same Pennsylvania town where he was shot earlier this month in a failed assassination attempt.
Trump was shot near the ear in Butler while speaking to supporters. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
“I WILL BE GOING BACK TO BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR A BIG AND BEAUTIFUL RALLY, HONORING THE SOUL OF OUR BELOVED FIREFIGHTING HERO, COREY, AND THOSE BRAVE PATRIOTS INJURED TWO WEEKS AGO,” Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social. “WHAT A DAY IT WILL BE — FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS.”
Trump’s proclivity for capital letters notwithstanding, this is an interesting campaign move – and it’s a lot more than just him holding another of his trademark rallies.
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NEW: Video of Trump Assassination Attempt Emerges Showing Terrified Crowd Running As Shots Ring Out
Consider the optics of this.
While Trump’s detractors will dismiss it as grandstanding, their dismissal will almost certainly include a distinctly nervous tone. In fact, the gesture here is very interesting. Donald Trump, as he did on the day of the assassination attempt, is showing strength and determination. The first image to come out of this event was of Trump, bloodied but defiant, holding his fist in the air, with the American flag waving behind him. A possible, new image to come out of this event might be of Trump, still defiant, returning to the very scene of the event to hold another rally, indicating that he’s now one to back down from anything.
Never let it be said that Donald Trump knows how to fire up his supporters.
Politics is in large part about imagery. Political campaigns make great use of it, and a good campaigner is often a marketing guy. Marketing is a big part of what Donald Trump is, and what he is offering the market is the brand, Trump. He’s damn good at it, too. He hasn’t always been successful, but he never gives up, and that explains a lot about the man in light of recent events – and his plans to move ahead.
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