Irish Examiner view: Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

A retired FBI agent, utilising ballistic mathematics and knowledge of the velocities created by the rifle — identified as one of the Armalite family of automatic weapons — concludes there is no other explanation for the sight of a projectile approaching Mr Trump at a speed of 3,200ft per second.

Moments later, the grazed and bleeding frontrunner for the White House was being helped to his feet, clenching his fist, and mouthing the word ‘fight’ in what is likely to be the defining moment of this presidential campaign.

When a Republican predecessor, Ronald Reagan, was near fatally wounded by a revolver-wielding John Hinckley in March 1981, his personal popularity ratings increased by 10% and stayed there.

In this febrile atmosphere, it is natural for world leaders to condemn what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, as an attack on democracy or — as the Taoiseach said yesterday — a “heinous act of political violence”.

Agreeing with those sentiments does not conflict with recognising the irony that it was the intended victim who stimulated a mob of his supporters to riot and attack the Capitol in January 2021 — after he was electorally defeated.

Nothing is known, at present, of the motives of the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, from Bethel Park. He does not have a criminal history, according to court records, and he is registered as a Republican. He was killed by secret service snipers after releasing a number of rounds, thought to be eight, one of which took the life of a spectator. Two others were critically injured.

Donald Trump joins the ranks of predecessors such as George H W Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama against whom there were unsuccessful assassination attempts, incidents, and plots during or following terms of office.

Authorities say there has been a crescendo of threats in recent years against elected and appointed officials of both Democrat and Republican parties. Such behaviour is far from being confined to the US. As Simon Harris said, the alarming rise in political violence is a worldwide phenomenon.

The weapon, an AR-15, which zeroed in on the former president is dubbed ‘America’s rifle’, and is a tool of choice for mass shooters — including the murderer of 26 people at Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012. It is marketed as a sporting gun.

Mr Trump has declared that he plans to attend the Republican convention, which starts today in Milwaukee. The four-day event, at which he is likely to announce his running mate, will be akin to a coronation. He might reflect that he is a lucky man, and also upon that famous quote from Shakespeare’s Henry IV: “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”

It's coming home

Some readers may have seen the diverting little meme circulating in Ireland ahead of last night’s tantalising encounter between Spain and England in the culmination of Euro 24 in Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

“They’ll be insufferable now they’ve got to the final,” it reads. “There will be flags everywhere; songs about it coming home; thinking they’ve already got it won.

“But that’s enough about Cork people. What about England?”

Whatever with soccer, more eyes in the Republic will be on Croke Park next Sunday when Cork take on Clare in an attempt to win the county’s first All-Ireland hurling title since 2005 and break the longest run without top silverware since the dry days of 1955-1965.

With the exhilarating last gasp drop goal by Ciarán Frawley securing victory over the Springboks in Durban — a fine way to celebrate Andy Farrell’s 50th Test as head coach — and the Olympics to open a week next Friday this captivating, and diverting, summer of sport continues.

We can’t begrudge our neighbours their headlines, but there’s a real buzz in Cork about next Sunday’s trip to Dublin. Clare have won the All-Ireland more recently, in 2013, so they may not begrudge the Rebel County its moment. Or perhaps they will!