California’s Republican National Convention delegates Sunday got a new jolt of enthusiasm as they marveled at how former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.
“I feel a shift from excited to super-excited,” said Annie Marszal, a Sacramento gas station owner as she and dozens of other state GOP delegates and others met at a Milwaukee museum. the day before the party’s national convention begins.
“He came out looking like a warrior,” said Annie Marszal, a Sacramento gas station owner.
Many cited Democratic and liberal rhetoric as a possible reason for the incident. A firefighter in the crowd and the gunman were killed in the Saturday shooting. Trump was grazed and was said to be doing fine.
“It makes everybody more determined than ever to win,” said Tom Montgomery, a San Rafael campaign treasurer.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who is reportedly on Trump’s short list as a vice presidential pick, visited with the crowd and set the tone.
“After yesterday he’s gone from being historically great to iconic,” Burgum said of Trump
As the shots rang out Saturday during a rally in Butler, Pa., Trump grabbed his ear, looked at his hand, saw blood and dropped to the ground before Secret Service agents surrounded him. They then ushered him off stage.
“Can we all just take a collective moment; a giant breath, and say, ‘Wow, we just witnessed, last night, something historic,’” Burgum said. “We were one millimeter away from chaos. One millimeter away from something historic and only by the grace of providence of God but are we here today with smiles on our faces.”
Democratic rhetoric
For all the excitement, there was an almost melancholy overtone when the topic turned to Democrats and liberals.
“Most of the hatred comes from the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party was the party of slavery,” said Richard Hugues, an Upland insurance broker. “The Republican Party was founded in the mid-19th century as an anti-slavery party.
Shawn Steel, a California Republican National Committee member, named names from a lengthy list of liberals he compiled who have supposedly threatened Trump.
The list, which he pulled out of his pocket at the reception, included some familiar names and their comments about the former president, including Madonna who in 2017 said she thought about “blowing up the White House,” and Snoop Dogg, who in 2017 released a music video showing a clown dressed as Trump being shot with a toy gun.
The rapper has since said he has “nothing but love and respect” for Trump after the former president pardoned Michael Harris, a co-founder of Death Row Records, in 2021.
The most cited comment by Republicans in the aftermath of the shooting involved Biden, who reportedly told donors in a private conversation last week that “We’re ’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.” Biden has forcefully condemned the attack on Trump.
“There’s so much evidence” that the rhetoric may have inspired the violence against Trump, said Steel.
It’s become a big talking point with a fired-up California Republican crowd in Milwaukee.
“It’s something that happened and we’ll move past it,” said Sayrs Morris, chairwoman of the Imperial County Republican Party. “I still think everyone’s here for a good time.”
Daniella Battaglia of the Raleigh News & Observer contributed
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