J.D. Vance heralds a tsunami of North American populism

Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump had a hell of a weekend. Over the course of 48 hours, he survived an assassination attempt, saw a federal judge dismiss another criminal case against him, and picked a Vice-Presidential running mate who once compared him to Hitler. Netflix couldn’t script a wilder political rollercoaster, one which will profoundly impact not only American politics, but Canadian politics as well.

First, Trump dodged a bullet by less than an inch at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attempt on his life, which killed one rally attendee and left two others in critical condition, sent shockwaves through Republican ranks. But it was Trump’s reaction in the moments after the shooting that defined the incident, as he turned his bloodied face to the sky, raised his fist under a giant American flag and exhorted the crowd to “Fight, fight, fight.” Trump’s response elevated him to mythic status among his base, with many observers declaring his election a foregone conclusion.

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