Let’s again start with the assassination attempt. While there is much we don’t know, we do know that Matthew Crooks was a registered Republican, that he was White, and that he acted alone. That puts him in the same category, I believe, as most American assassins and would-be assassins. He is not a crazy leftist, a socialist, a Communist, a transgender individual, etc. He was not part of a conspiracy, he does not represent a political cult or movement, he was just a kid whose mind went somewhat out of whack. Again, like most who do as he did.

So, to me, there is no need to express alarm at what happened, except for two elements of the crime. First, that he was able to obtain an AK-15 (but we have already talked about that). Second, that he shot from a roof that the Secret Service had already identified as a possible site for a shooter. I am sure we will hear more about that at some point, but – as an aside – this is not too different from the failure of Israeli security to be able to prevent the Hamas attack from Gaza. The failures of security happen – in ways that are unexpected, and more often than you wish.

So let’s worry about guns and security, and not try to blame the attack on either Joe Biden. But this is exactly what so many Republicans are doing. Republicans including one J.D. Vance, who said that Biden’s portrait of Trump as an “authoritarian Fascist who much be stopped at all costs…..led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

This from the man the Republican presidential candidate, who says he wants to unify the country after Saturday’s tragedy,⁸ has picked as his 39 year old vice presidential running mate.

Of course, there have others who have said similar things: Congressman Mike Collins (“Joe Biden sent the orders.”), Matt Gaetz (“……Now, they have tried to assassinate him.”), Mike Kelly (this is “an attack from the left”).

Vance has been criticized for his comment, but hasn’t taken it back. In fact, his thinking on the subject (if indeed this is his actual thinking) is probably one of the reasons Trump has selected him.

But Vance has said other things: “My God, what an idiot” (speaking about Trump), “I’m a Never Trump Guy”, “But I also don’t like Trump myself”, Trump could be “America’s Hitler” or “a cynical asshole like Nixon”, “Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.” And more.

But all that was before Vance decided he needed Trump’s support when he started his run for the Senate. In other words, we have someone whose thinking changes rapidly and completely when it needs to change to give him a political advantage, and who cannot be taken as a serious individual.

So what about his current policy positions? Apparently, Vance’s positions include being totally against aid to Ukraine (and Israel?), totally anti-abortion with no exceptions for incest or rape, disagreement with Mike Pence when Pence refused to following Trump’s requests to refuse to certify the 2020 election, and high protectionism and tariffs.

It seems to me that all of this is great fodder for the Democrats. In addition, what does Vance bring to the campaign (as opposed to being a yes-man for Trump)? He comes from Ohio, a safe Republican state, he is not a woman nor a minority, and all he can do is cement the MAGA base. I think this gives the Democrats a big opportunity…..if only they can come up with the right candidates.

We did see one yard sign on our trip which said “Any rational individual”, and I saw a picture of a pick-up with “Re-elect Nobody” painted on its back.

This is how most of America feels. Remember “A choice, not an echo”? We have twooooo echooooos. We need a choice.