It was the longest gun battle in the history of the Secret Service. At the end of the 40-second firefight, 27 shots had been exchanged with an assassin and a police officer lay dead while a second assassin and two police officers and one Secret Service agent lay wounded. The only notable comment from the target of the shooters was “A president must expect these sort of things.” After that, the event was swallowed up by what in the world of media is known as the “news cycle.”
The attempt on President Harry S. Truman is one of the least known of assassination attempts on a sitting president for the most part because it took place during the mid-term election campaigns when intense events were transpiring in foreign lands, which directly affected the security of the United States. Sound familiar? For those unacquainted with the story, it happened in November of 1950 while the White House was undergoing the “Truman Reconstruction,” when the aged White House (with exception of the newer West Wing) underwent much-needed updating during which time the president was living across the street in the Blair House, a home dating back to Revolutionary times used as a government guest house.
In the morning, among other daily duties, President Truman had awarded a recipient the Medal of Honor in the Oval Office and at 2 p.m. retired to Blair House for a nap. In the next few minutes, two Puerto Rican nationalists armed with pistols attacked the Washington, D.C., policemen and U.S. Treasury Secret Service agents guarding the house, the results you now know. Later in the day President Truman officiated at a dedication ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and in the days following the story of the assassination attempt on his life faded from the headlines and newsreels as events national and international overshadowed the story. Today, when Americans think of assassination attempts upon presidents and presidential candidates, Truman does not come as readily to mind as Lincoln, Garfield, McKindley, John and Bobby Kennedy, and Reagan.
It is noted by media pundits on both sides of the political spectrum that the most recent attempt on Mr. Trump is also a victim of the impatience of Americans when it comes to our addiction to instant coverage of all things eventful and mundane. With myriad digital cell phone images at their disposal, it was possible for the media to saturate the populace to the point we know all we need know, including the immediate political aftermath, and then they moved on to campaign issues and non-issues, foreign intrigues and the Olympics.
New revelations about the attempt upon Mr. Trump, which although caused only a minor scrape to the scalp must nonetheless have scared the bejeezus out of him (I know it would me), are not forthcoming, so it is up to the conspiracy theory lunatics to offer up their nonsense. I am of the opinion when future generations learn our history, this is one assassination attempt that will get little mention and that is not a good thing overall, as we need reminding that America is not above such dishonorable acts.
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Mifepristone is one of two drugs available to safely end a pregnancy. I would not normally know information such as that but in this instance, I am aware because I have three granddaughters and so the extreme chance that one of them may need to end a dangerous pregnancy is not outside the realm of possibility. That is why when listening to part of the Republican presidential nominee’s so-called press conference the other day I heard a question regarding the drug directed to Mr. Trump and in his answer, we saw how completely the man can control the media. Let us take a quick look at some of the dialogue of that sham of a Q&A session.
Mr. Trump was asked the following: “Would you direct your FDA (Federal Drug Administration) to revoke access to mifepristone?” The question requires a yes or no answer and then an explanation in support of that answer. This is the response from the man who wishes to be the leader of the free world: “Sure, you can do things that will supplement. Absolutely. And those things are open, and humane, but you must be able to have a vote, and all I want to do is give everybody a vote, and the votes are taking place right now as we speak.” When pressed for a real answer the response was again a non-answer: “There are many things on a humane basis that you can do — outside of that, but you have to have a vote and the people have got to decide.”
And that was it. The question went unanswered amid a litany of nonsensical reference to voting; there was no substantial yes or no with supportive explanation for either response. And that is how well Mr. Trump has cowed a once highly regarded free press. Any other candidate for high public office, especially the highest public office in the land, would have had their feet held to the fire until they offered up a real answer or just flatly refused to answer, but those gathered inside the gaudy palace of refuge Mr. Trump calls home just let it ride.
Let us hope that if any debate between the two prominent nominees for president, such easy pandering of one candidate over the other is absent from the arena; we deserve straight answers to important questions.
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I had the extreme pleasure of introducing a bit of KC life to Grandkid No. 5, Weston by name, last Thursday at National Night Out, where he met some of our city’s citizenry. A quick visit to the dance studio during rehearsal for the 65th Annual Nutcracker Ballet was interesting to him. He saw a wall of mirrors, practice barres, special flooring and, most informative, was that dancers practice in leotards and tights, not tutus. Always good to learn new things.
Take care. Peace.
