Dem
47
GOP
53
The Washington Hilton is not a happy place. On March 30, 1981, then-president Ronald Reagan was seriously wounded by a gunman, John Hinckley Jr., just outside the hotel. On Saturday, another armed man stormed the ballroom where the White House Correspondents Dinner was taking place and opened fire. No one was killed or seriously injured this time, thankfully.
It may take some days to get a better sense of the overall story. The shooter, Cole Tomas Allen, was taken into custody. Investigators have found his anti-Trump screeds on social media, and a $25 donation made to Kamala Harris so this gives the right something to talk about. On the other hand, Jen Rubin wrote a column over at The Contrarian saying the real problem is the easy availability of guns and attempted political assassinations by crazed lone wolves won't stop until crazy people can't just go buy military weapons at every gunshop in town. So, the incident gives the left something to talk about, too.
Social media is already full of conspiracy theories that Trump had the shooting staged by his own people to get sympathy and raise his approval numbers. The theories may have started because just before the dinner, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said "Shots will be Fired." Did she mean that literally or metaphorically? Was she in on the plot? Social media is going wild.
Then there was this photo of Stephen Miller and his wife.
Again social media exploded. Was this Miller using his pregnant wife as a human shield? Was he trying to escort her to safety? Others commented on the location of his right hand. Hopefully the whole situation will be somewhat more clear in a few days. (V)