President Comments On The Shooting

 By Charles Hawes, Capital News

Washington, DC - In a somber address to the nation last night, President Joe Biden called for unity and a reduction in political hostility following a shocking incident at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. The rally was marred by violence when a gunman opened fire, tragically killing one attendee and injuring several others, including Trump.

    My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics and to remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies," President Biden stated. We’re neighbors. We’re friends, coworkers, citizens. And, most importantly, we are fellow Americans. And we must stand together. The President confirmed that Trump, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, is recovering well. "I spoke with him last night. I’m grateful he’s doing well. And Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers," Biden said.

    The victim who lost his life, identified as Corey, was a husband, father, and volunteer firefighter who heroically shielded his family from the bullets. "We extend our deepest condolences to his family, the President added. "We should all hold his family and all those injured in our prayers. Law enforcement is actively investigating the incident, with many questions still unanswered about the shooter's motives and potential affiliations. "We do not know the motive of the shooter yet. We don’t know his opinions or affiliations," Biden acknowledged. Law enforcement professionals, as I speak, are investigating those questions. Emphasizing the critical need for non-violence, the President remarked, "A former president was shot. An American citizen killed while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing. We cannot we must not go down this road in America. We’ve traveled it before throughout our history. Violence has never been the answer.

    Biden reflected on the recent history of political violence, including the January 6th Capitol attack and other high-profile incidents. "There is no place in America for this kind of violence or for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized," he declared. The President also addressed the increasingly heated political rhetoric, urging all Americans to play a part in de-escalating tensions. "The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down. And we all have a responsibility to do that," he said. "Yes, we have deeply felt, strong disagreements. The stakes in this election are enormously high. With the Republican convention set to begin, Biden expressed his anticipation of criticism but reiterated his commitment to democracy and peaceful discourse. "I’ll be traveling this week, making the case for our record and the vision — my vision of the country — our vision. I’ll continue to speak out strongly for our democracy, stand up for our Constitution and the rule of law, to call for action at the ballot box, no violence on our streets.

    That’s how democracy should work. Concluding his address, President Biden called on Americans to honor the nation's legacy of democratic principles. "Let’s never lose sight of who we are. Let’s remember we are the United States of America. There is nothing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together," he said. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.