Josh Marshall: As I've noted, Pennsylvania State Police initially told reporters on the scene that Trump had been struck by shards of glass. Then Trump himself said he'd been hit with a bullet and that was the end of the matter. There's small detail from a local news report from last Sunday that suggests it as at least plausible that the initial report was correct, that Trump was struck by some flying debris.
Marshall's article cites the WPIX article I've been posting about the 4 officers near Trump being injured by flying debris and treated at the same Butler hospital at the same time Trump was. What I hadn't realized is that initial reports from PA State Police had indicated Trump was hit by shards of glass. Marshall had previously written on that report several days ago, but I had missed that it. Here is a link to that article:
talkingpointsmemo.com
Still Looking for More Information on This
Here's why I'm still looking for more information on this.
Shortly after the incident occurred, multiple credentialed reporters reported via social media that Trump had been hit by glass or plexiglass shards rather than by a bullet. This was reported by journalists from Axios, The Bulwark, Newsmax, TMZ and others. The clearest sourcing, by Newsmax, attributed this to the Pennsylvania State Police. Another report attributed it to a source who had spoken with the Secret Service. Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke cited it to a "source familiar" but later deleted her tweet without explanation.
It is important to note that initial reports are frequently wrong in cases like this, and not necessarily because reporters get it wrong themselves but because even law enforcement is working with patchwork and preliminary information. But the way this progressed is that this was all the reporting there was. Then former President Trump posted on Truth Social saying he'd been hit with a bullet. And that was it. That's when the story changed, but there hasn't been any official word on Trump's injuries from law enforcement or the medical team that treat him. It feels like an omission, not in a conspiratorial sense, just a departure from the level of transparency we've come to expect in situations like this, at least until Trump came along.
To be clear, I had assumed Trump's account was accurate and that there would later be some official word with additional details either from local or federal law enforcement or from some medical report. I assume, though I don't know, that an initial medical examination could have determined this. But to the best of my knowledge that has not yet been reported publicly. Maybe I've missed some sourcing for this other than Trump himself. So if you've seen that please send it to me. But from what I can tell everything goes back to Trump's post on Truth Social.
At a minimum it seems like there should be some explanation of what the incorrect reports were based on, especially if it involves deleting a breaking news tweet without explanation. But again, fog of war. Initial reports are often wrong. Nothing to be ashamed of, etc.
Face it
The GOP staged all this
Well, when you read sh--stuff like this, I can see why some folks would say, "Hmmmm":
Making A Messiah: Allies Cast Trump As Divine Commander Following Assassination Attempttalkingpointsmemo.com
Less than 24 hours after Donald Trump survived an assassin's bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, Jack Posobiec, the far-right conspiracy theorist and MAGA rabble-rouser, tweeted a Bible verse. "The bullets were fired at 6:11pm," Posobiec, who is Catholic, wrote. "Ephesians 6:11." The Bible verse, which reads, "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes," is key to the spiritual warfare that Christian nationalists have made the centerpiece of Trumpian politics. They pit Trumpism against democracy in a cosmic showdown between the godly and the demonic, believing they are on a divine mission to save a debased America from the evil left, with Trump as God's battle commander.
Posobiec's Sunday morning lesson in numerology and spiritual warfare took off like wildfire in MAGA circles. For the Trump faithful who believe God anointed him president and, after the attempt on his life, that God protected him from death, there are no coincidences--only miracles, signs, and wonders. Charlie Kirk, the founder of the far-right Turning Point USA and a fellow denizen of the conspiratorial fever swamps of X, chimed in on Posobiec's tweet. "Armor of God," he replied, just in case Posobiec's meaning was lost on anyone. "The next verse is this: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.'" For good measure, Posobiec replied to Kirk, quoting the next verse, Ephesians 6:13. "Therefore, put on the armor of God," he concluded, "that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground."
"Under Trump no wars and no soldiers were killed and the world was not on fire. Russia, China and Iran were behaving. Biden is a weak leader and he has causeed nothing but turmoil.
#30 | POSTED BY NEWORLEANS AT 2024-07-20 03:03 PM"
That claim is false:
"During Trump's presidency, which ran from January 20, 2017, to January 20, 2021, there were 45 combat deaths among U.S. service members reported in Afghanistan, as well as 18 "non-hostile" deaths, according to the Defense Casualty Analysis System."
apnews.com
"The gop shot their wad too soon."
Perhaps:
Charlie Sykes
@SykesCharlie
Remember: This was the week we were supposed to see Trumps convention bump ... post-shooting surge.
Political Polls
@Politics_Polls
2024 National GE:
Harris 42% (+4)
Trump 38%
Kennedy 8%
@Reuters/@Ipsos, 1,018 RV, 7/22-23
@#125 ... Where is the bullet? ...
Eight bullets were fired.
Pennsylvania state police commissioner reveals stunning details about Trump shooting
www.cnn.com
... Crooks fired eight times
Investigators believe that Crooks fired eight rounds before he was killed by counter-snipers, Paris said.
"I believe that the number is eight," Paris told the committee. "Eight casings have been recovered."
Officials had previously only confirmed that the shooter fired multiple times at the rally earlier this month. ...
Other interesting new details in that article.
What's really odd about all of this is that Empty G hasn't nominated Lewzer for a Purple Heart. Yet.
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