News

Twice within two months, America has narrowly avoided the tragedy of seeing a major political figure assassinated during an election season — and the toxic forces that such an outrage could unleash in a country wracked by visceral partisan divides.

That such incidents happen at all speak to the undercurrent of violence that is a constant shadow over American politics, one that is exacerbated by the easy availability of firearms. Both nominees now address outdoor crowds from behind bulletproof screens. There will now be fresh fears that a tempestuous period running up to Election Day could take the country further down a dark road.

After decades without an assassination attempt against a high-level executive branch official, a haunting reality has been revived this year: that those who offer themselves for the highest office are potentially putting their lives on the line.

The FBI is investigating what it said is an apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump at his Florida golf club Sunday, the second time in two months there’s been an apparent attempt on the former president’s life.

Trump is safe and was not harmed in the incident, his campaign said. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said during a Sunday news conference that his office was informed at 1:30 p.m. ET of shots fired by the Secret Service, when agents fired at a man who had a rifle in the bushes along the perimeter of the Trump International Golf Club.

Trump had been playing golf at the time, moving between holes five and six, a source briefed on the matter told CNN.

This post on Gun Rights is 1 of 3 issues that US onAir curators are focusing on in the Human Rights  category.

Gun politics is defined in the United States by two primary opposing ideologies concerning the private ownership of firearms. Those who advocate for gun control support increasingly restrictive regulation of gun ownership; those who advocate for gun rights oppose increased restriction, or support the liberalization of gun ownership.

These groups typically disagree on the interpretation of the text, history and tradition of the laws and judicial opinions concerning gun ownership in the United States and the meaning of the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. American gun politics involves these groups’ further disagreement concerning the role of firearms in public safety, the studied effects of ownership of firearms on public health and safety, and the role of guns in national and state crime.

For more information and discussion on the the government agencies, legislative committees, and leading Senate and House chair persons addressing the Gun Rights issue, go to this Gun Rights slideshow in the US onAir hub.

More Data on How Harris Helped Herself, ABC News
58% believe Harris won the debate, but her 51-46% lead over Trump remains steady. 81% say Swift had no impact, and 56% of Trump supporters strongly back him vs. 62% for Harris.

Trump Will Visit Springfield, Ohio, NBC News
Trump plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, where he and Vance have spread debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets despite local officials and Gov. DeWine rejecting the allegations.

Institutions Retreat From Activism, Axios
Many major institutions, including universities and corporations, are pulling back from activism and adopting neutrality policies to avoid backlash amid divisive social and political debates.

The Anxious States of America, USA Today
Amid growing political divisions and fear, a poll reveals that while anxiety is widespread, 81% of Americans still express hope for the nation’s future, driven by faith in the “American spirit.”

The Case for Mobile Voting, Bradley Tusk’s Substack
Bradley Tusk argues that mobile voting can fix America’s broken political system by increasing voter turnout, reducing the influence of extremists, and making elections more representative.