https://todon.eu/@CrimethInc/112782702007709408
The Trump campaign aims to use today's shooting as a sort of Reichstag fire to incite his supporters to step up street violence while calling for more state repression targeting his enemies of choice.
The Biden campaign has already paused all outbound communications and withdrawn their television advertisements, ceding the entire field of narrative to Donald Trump, who will have no compunction about using his status as a victim to advance his efforts to victimize others.
One of the classic mechanics of totalitarianism is that protecting the safety of the leader becomes a justification for violence against large swathes of the population.
As centrists join the far right in paving the way for totalitarian rule under Trump, we have to organize to defend our communities. If you have been in denial about the challenges ahead of us, this should be a wake-up call to find each other and prepare for them.
The interesting part: Democrat officials made public statements about going silent for a while, and those statements reached headlines even in Europe. You can go silent and still have your statements in headlines.
Also, as far as money and efficiency are involved - if they save money now, they can advertise more later. Currently, advertising against Trump would have a low efficiency, since he currently receives positive attention. I think their current action plan is "let's wait for Trump to open his mouth".
Yeah, but those statements were statements of sympathy and the Dems patting themselves on the back for taking the high road. At best, they won't do anything, but more likely those statements all help Trump.
Sounds good in isolation, but the campaign was at the very beginning of an emergency push to claw itself out of a hole with a major PR offensive. They can absolutely NOT afford to take their foot off the gas right now.
Later, they'll just be bailing water from a ship that's already on the bottom of the ocean.
Continuing to try to convince people that Biden is capable of doing the job would be just as effective and just as crucial for the survival of the campaign's chances for success as it was yesterday.
Which is a ridiculously unwise plan. The right wing echo chamber music other for profit yellow press will treat any direct reaction to one of Trump's ridiculous lies and fascist policy statements as a mean bully attacking a poor shooting victim who never harmed anyone.
They were slowly beginning to either fool the country into believing that Biden is capable or picking a replacement but now neither is likely to happen and this will be the last free presidential election.