The Right Resistance: The symbolic value of Donald Trump’s triumphant return to Butler

One could scarcely believe their eyes last Saturday night as Donald J. Trump slowly made his way to the plexiglass shielded speaker’s lectern at Butler, Pennsylvania, acknowledging the crowd’s cheers and seemingly savoring the moment a bit more than usual before opening his speech.

For it was at that very spot nearly three months ago where the former president and 3-time Republican party nominee was nearly killed as he addressed a large but typical gathering of Trump devotees and avoided being a casualty of the political war that’s plaguing our country by a margin so small as to be miraculous.

Trump has referred to the subject that was on screen at that instant many times, the illegal immigration statistics chart that was flashed to emphasize one of his campaign themes, causing him to turn his head at the precise time his would-be assassin pulled the trigger on the round that would have ended his life if he’d remained static in his posture.

We know the narrative from that afternoon. Trump routinely gestured to the huge display to his right, unwittingly rotated his head in such a way as to elude the shooter’s projectile so it only struck the outer edge of his right ear. Reviewing replays of his instantaneous reaction, Trump looked as though he’d been buzzed by a very large bug in his front yard and he simply ducked to avoid it.

I can’t say for sure, but to Trump, the whirring probably sounded like a bumble bee, one carrying a lethal sting rather than a mere inconvenience. If he looked shocked to see the blood that had begun spurting from his ear, he only had a second or two to understand what just happened as his Secret Service detail pounced and wrestled him to the stage just behind the podium.

The rest of the story is immaterial now. Trump was taken from the location after he retrieved his shoe – whereby he raised his fist to the sky and said the famous words “Fight! Fight! Fight!” to the dazed onlookers. Three more citizens were struck by the assassin’s bullets (one of which was killed), unintended victims who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

It feels like long ago now, the intervening time being filled by Trump’s receiving a new opponent (cackling Kamala Harris rather than senile Joe Biden), the two party conventions, another foiled assassination attempt, a presidential debate and lots and lots of establishment media deliberation over what it all means. Early voting has started in many/most states, yet Trump felt inspired to return to Butler to honor a fallen hero and try to put much of it into proper perspective.

In an article titled “Trump revels in return to Butler with Musk after assassination attempt”, Naomi Lim reported at the Washington Examiner over the weekend:

“Under a heavy security presence and from behind bullet-proof glass, former President Donald Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania, to honor the memory of a rallygoer who was killed three months ago by a bullet that barely missed him, but galvanized his base.

“’I return to Butler in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache to deliver a simple message to the people of Pennsylvania and the people of America: our movement to Make America Great Again stands stronger, prouder, more united, more determined, and nearer to victory than ever before,’ Trump told a crowd of thousands Saturday at Butler Family Farms. ‘Exactly 12 weeks ago this evening, on this very ground, a cold-blooded assassin aimed to silence me and to silence the greatest movement, MAGA, in the history of our country,’ he said. ‘But by the hand of providence and the grace of God, that villain did not succeed in his goal.’…

“’This field is now a monument to the valor of our first responders, to the resilience of our fellow citizens, and to the sacrifice of a loving and devoted father, Corey Comperatore,’ Trump said. ‘Forever after, all who have visited this hallowed place will remember what happened here and they will know of the character and courage that so many incredible American patriots have showed.’”

Yes, hallowed ground indeed. Trump’s tribute to Comperatore was appropriate and emotional. The moment of silence lingered for a few seconds and the large and boisterous crowd gathered to pay tribute to Trump, honor Comperatore and, perhaps, to prepare itself for the political task ahead. For it wasn’t lost on many attendees that the rally was exactly one month before election day.

Why would Trump want to return to the spot he was almost assassinated? Here’s guessing many in the establishment media attributed his bravery to a morbid sense of ego from Trump, a man who never overlooks an opportunity to squeeze every ounce of publicity value from every occasion. The presence of Comperatore’s fireman’s coat served as a visual, which helped to bring realism back to the setting.

Trump no doubt chose Butler for its tangible connection to the campaign, but after the honorariums subsided, he returned to the content of his stump speech and delivered an oratory that’s familiar to those who regularly tune in to his addresses. Because Trump ad libs so much of his presentations, it could be said no two Trump speeches are ever the same.

Beforehand, Trump must have figured he’d receive maximum promotional value for his return to Butler. Together with special guests Lee Greenwood, who introduced Trump and sang his “God Bless the U.S.A” signature anthem, Trump running mate J.D. Vance, Elon Musk, son Eric Trump and Eric’s wife Laura, among others, there was a full complement of star power to please the capacity-and-then-some gathering of Trump backers.

I don’t recall any reference to the rooftop on the building where the shooter positioned himself on that hot summer evening. This wasn’t intended to be a commemoration of the hateful event. The assassin’s name wasn’t mentioned, either.

Ever the showman, Trump certainly wanted to employ Butler as a place that would draw media hype. But he also might’ve wanted to honor the people of the region who didn’t get what they came for that evening in mid-July, a full-length Trump speech on the issues most important to this Pennsylvania location. At the time of the incident, it was said Trump wanted to return to the speaker’s podium and complete his speech. His ear was okay and could just be bandaged, right?

But understandably, Trump wasn’t allowed to finish his duty.

Whereas a lot of people would shy away from revisiting a place with such intense (bad) memories, instead, Trump sought to bring meaning to events that defy explanation. A similar ceremony to honor Comperatore wouldn’t have packed an equivalent emotional punch as holding it at Butler would do. It’s a similar feeling to visiting a historical site now. There have been hundreds of Trump rallies over the years, but there isn’t another site people instantly recognize.

In a way, going back to Butler symbolizes the campaign. It’s sometimes hard to recall how long a campaign really lasts. Trump does an outstanding job of sustaining the energy of the trail, but the message doesn’t peter out. The crowds aren’t all the same, but they’re similar. As Lincoln said upon his return to Gettysburg four months after the enormous, history altering battle in 1863, “The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it could never forget what they did here.”

Butler therefore provided Trump an appropriate jump off point to refocus the campaign for the final month before Election Day. With polls tied and people tiring of the tedium and repetitive nature of the trail, the small Pennsylvania town provided a new sense of purpose. Granted it is only famous because of a near tragic event, and will forever be stained with the death that occurred there, but Butler reminds people that there is a greater purpose at hand, even in the face of heartbreak.

And that the actions of America’s voters mean something. Folks don’t just get dressed up in red, white and blue outfits with “Trump” emblazoned on them for nothing. There’s plexiglass in front the speaker’s podium for a reason now.

Trump went to Butler for other reasons as well. First, to show the world that he’s not afraid to put himself in visible scenarios – at an outdoor venue. While it may be true that he’s still wary of the Secret Service’s ability to protect him, it’s important for Trump not to conduct himself – or make excessive security allowance – to change the way he does things.

A large part of the quality of a Trump rally is Trump’s interaction with the attendees. Trump connects with his audience by highlighting members of the crowd and pointing to them and sometimes referring to specific individuals. The plexiglass barrier does (somewhat) inhibit his freedom of movement, but he doesn’t let it stop him.

I haven’t seen a Kamala Harris outdoor rally, so I’m not sure if there are similar precautions taken to protect her, but there is no one quite like Trump in terms of involving his attendees in the program.

Another reason it was important for Trump to be in Butler was to demonstrate continuity. The movement is larger than just himself, even if the establishment media makes it all about Trump every moment of every day. Even if Trump were to disappear tomorrow, Americans know that the issues he embodies would still be around. With J.D. Vance performing admirably as Trump’s vice presidential candidate, voters know that Trump isn’t the end of the line. Butler, Pennsylvania, showed this MAGA movement is more than just one man.

Finally, Trump went back to Butler because he enjoys campaigning. Traveling from place to place gives Trump an energy that is hard to replicate. There’s more than an “it happened here” quality to the environment. It’s safe to say many, many Trump supporters still have bad remembrances of July 13th, but Trump’s willingness to retrace his steps in the face of adversity – and to defy his doubters -- shows he’s healed and ready to go forward.

Donald Trump achieved many things from his return visit to Butler. At the very least, the 2024 campaign can move on from the event and set the tone for good things to come.

• Joe Biden economy

• inflation

• Biden cognitive decline

• gas prices,

• Nancy Pelosi

• Biden senile

• Kamala Harris candidacy

• Donald Trump campaign

• Harris Trump debates

• J.D. Vance

• Kamala vice president

• Speaker Mike Johnson

• Donald Trump assassination

• Donald Trump

• 2024 presidential election

• Tim Walz