The story of the last time a former president was shot and lived to tell the tale🧵
In October 1912 President Teddy Roosevelt was running for an unprecedented third term in office. He'd left the presidency four years before. On the 12th he was campaigning in Milwaukee.
Roosevelt had left the Republicans to found the Progressive Party, also known as the 'Bull Moose' Party.
On the night of the 12th October he was dining at the Gilpatrick Hotel, owned by a supporter. After eating he left to give a speech at the Milwaukee auditorium.
En route he was approached by a man called John Schrank, a German-American tavern owner, originally from Bavaria.
Shcrank opened fire on the former president with a Colt revolver. He was quickly wrestled to the ground but not before a bullet penetrated Roosevelt's body.
Fortunately, the bullet hit something else first- TR's glasses case and the folded up copy of his speech, some 50 pages long entitled "Progressive Cause Greater Than Any Individual"- both of which in his coat pocket.
NEW: Donald J. Trump is officially selected as the Republican candidate for president at the RNC in Milwaukee.
He becomes the first person since FDR in 1940 to win his party’s nomination three times on the trot (though unlike Trump he won each time).
The GOP has travelled a long way since those early Never Trump days. It’s indisputably his party now, in personnel, in ideas, in culture and the way it does politics.
That’s despite his refusal to accept the outcome of a presidential election, which led to an insurrection, and the fact he’s been convicted of a crime. It is a political journey without parallel, both personally and for his party.
The selection of Vance again shows the grip on the Republican party Trump now enjoys. In 2016 Trump was forced to choose a more establishment VP (Pence) to try and unite the party behind his candidacy. In Vance he chooses someone in his image, a prodigal son of America First.
The assassination attempt on President Trump is the 1st attempted attack on a presidential candidate for 52 years.
Political violence has a long pedigree in America's history. It haunted its politics in the 1960s. The landscape is darkening again and has been for some time.
Goes without saying that the attempt on Trump's life is heinous and deplorable. There is a lot of blame to go round for the now toxic nature of American politics which long predates Trump personally. However, while the descent of American politics towards renewed political violence did not begin with him it can't be denied he has his own significant part to play. His politics has always been predicated on the idea of existential threat. Of American enemies within and without. He mocked the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, downplayed the kidnap plot on Gretchen Whitmer. And then there is the big lie and January 6th which continues to fray the bonds of American democracy.
In other words, Trump has been part of this change in US politics, of the turn to extreme aggression in US politics, which will probably outlast him. It doesn't justify anything in any way, but it does help to explain part of the context of a democracy which increasingly feels a couple of wrong moves from complete disaster. You can't understand that without Trump and the unique way he does politics.
In the meantime, with only four months to go until the US election, this will reframe everything, especially with the RNC about to get underway.
Trump's position within the Republican Party will be solidified even further. That picture will become a symbol of political martyrdom.
Understand that Angela Rayner told DLUHC staff today that “she won’t be doing a Rees mogg with passive aggressive notes, those days are over.”
Also said dept will revert to its former title of “Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Govt.”
If you're in Whitehall and have stories/intel about what the new administration is doing in your dept, let me know. DMs open and anonymity guaranteed.
Official in Dept for Biz: "We've had clear steers on departmental priorities especially in regard to EU. Genuine sense of political cover to seek agreement on issues like recognition of professional qualifications. Reynolds v clear and personable in address to the department."
It seems very weird to allow rumours to build up and not clarify them before PMQs where the PM can be asked about them directly on the floor of the Commons. Not least when in news management terms you have a rare good day and decent story to tell on inflation…
Two scenarios at this point. He calls it today which given immigration figs tomorrow is, well, a big call. Or it’s been allowed to build for no reason, political journalist class annoyed and the rest of the week is dominated by “Sunak isn’t good at politics” narrative.