A day after Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday urged national unity in a rare national address, where he inadvertently referred to resolving differences at the “battle box” instead of the “ballot box.”
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The 81-year-old leader, known for making similar gaffes, made these remarks in an Oval Office address from the White House. On Saturday, presumptive GOP nominee Trump was holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when shots rang out, hitting his right ear and leaving his face streaked with blood.
A day after the shocking incident, Biden called for an end to political violence and stressed the importance of upholding democratic principles. He urged Americans to settle disagreements through peaceful electoral processes rather than violence. His remarks came after one person in the crowd was killed and two others wounded before Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect who attempted to assassinate Trump.
JUST IN: President Biden misspeaks and calls on Americans to resolve their differences at the “battle box,” calls for an end to political violence.“I’ll continue to speak out strongly for our democracy. Stand up for our constitution in the rule of law…”
“No violence on our… pic.twitter.com/NpnEjWE4kO
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 15, 2024
Both Trump and Biden on Sunday sought calm and unity. Trump is due to accept his party’s formal nomination at the Republican National Convention with a speech on Thursday. “There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions. We can’t allow this violence to be normalised,” Biden said. “The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down.”
Trump and Biden are locked in a close election rematch, according to most opinion polls including Reuters/Ipsos. The shooting on Saturday whipsawed discussion around the presidential campaign, which had been focused on if Biden, 81, should drop out following a halting June 27 debate performance. The FBI said there were no known threats to the Republican convention – which kicks off on Monday – or anyone attending, while the Secret Service said they do not anticipate any changes to the security plan.
The convention will feature televised speeches by rising Republican stars and Trump’s choice for a yet-to-be-announced vice presidential running mate, while highlighting the party’s stance on such topics as abortion, immigration and the economy. The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect and said the shooting was being investigated as an attempted assassination. FBI officials said on Sunday that the shooter acted alone.
(With agency inputs)
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