President Biden: The strength of Americans lies in votes, not bullets

2024-07-15 21:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

President Biden: The strength of Americans lies in votes, not bullets

President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden used the weight of the Oval Office of the White House to call on Americans on Sunday to unite and avoid political violence, following an assassination attempt on his political rival, Donald Trump. The former President made similar calls and as Voice of America correspondent Anita Powell reports, this is a sign that both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump are afraid of tensions before the November elections. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to participate in the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to be nominated as the party's official candidate for president.

The assassination attempt on former President Trump marked the moment that changed the 2024 US presidential race and perhaps the course of history.

Mr Trump stood up seconds after a gunman attempted to take his life at a rally on Saturday – but as President Joe Biden acknowledged from the Oval Office in an address to the nation, for America the attack was not just a wounds on the body. He called for unity and reminded Americans that their power comes through votes, not bullets.

"My American friends, I want to talk to you tonight about the need to lower the political temperature and remember that although we may disagree, we are not enemies. We are neighbors, we are friends, we are co-workers, we are citizens, and most importantly, we are Americans. We must stand together. The gun attack on Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania reminds us all that we need to take a step back, take stock of where we are and how to move forward from this moment," he said.

Former President Trump has also called for unity after the gun attack on him. He arrived on Sunday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to attend the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to be nominated as the party's presidential candidate.

Analysts say Mr Trump's defiant stance, after facing death, will have consequences.

"It will have a huge impact on this election and on our politics more broadly. History has shown that the likelihood is that we will see a greater rapprochement around him, where those who are his supporters will be even more so. But it will also have an impact on those who are against political violence, on those who know how dangerous our political rhetoric has become and who see this manifestation of violence unfold before our eyes," says Casey Burgat of George Washington University.

Mr. Trump's supporters say the tragedy may have taught the nation something important — that institutions matter more than the individuals who lead them.

"It was a really terrible day for American democracy, but in many ways it was also a very good day. Whether you support President Trump or not, I think what everyone should learn from that event is that American democracy is a lot bigger and a lot more durable than a lot of people think," says Alex Gray, a former Trump administration official.

Some analysts fear new tensions as the two main parties hold their national conventions.

"I have said elsewhere that we are very likely to see political violence across the spectrum in this election cycle. Obviously, this was the most serious event so far. But I don't think there's any reason to believe this will be the last case of violence we'll see," says Jacob Ware, of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Both President Biden and former President Trump are using their platforms to call on Americans to shun violence and unite.

But the question that arises for Americans, who must choose between the two who will lead the nation, is who should they unite around?/ Voa