US President Joe Biden has spoken about the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, saying that America needed to ‘cool down’ the political temperature.
Delivering his third national address from the Oval Office, Biden said Trump was doing well and that he and his family were in his prayers.
“We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed. Corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter, a hero sheltering his family from those bullets.”
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Speaking about the ongoing investigations, Biden said: “We do not know the motive of the shooter yet. We don’t know his opinions or affiliations. We don’t know whether he had help or support or if he communicated with anyone else. I want to speak to what we do know.”
“A former president was shot,” he said.
“We cannot, we must not go down this road in America.
“We’ve travelled it before, throughout our history. Violence has never been the answer.
“Whether it’s with members of Congress, of both parties being targeted in the shot, or a violent mob attacking the Capitol on January 6th, or a brutal attack on the spouse of former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, or information and intimidation on election officials or the kidnapping plot against the sitting Governor, or an attempted assassination on Donald Trump.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence or for any violence ever. Period.”
“We can’t allow this violence to be normalised.
“You know, the political record in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do that.
“The stakes in this election are enormously high.
“I’ve said many times that the choice in this election we make in this election is going to shape the future of America and the world for decades to come.
“I believe that with all my soul. I know that millions of my fellow Americans believe it as well.
“Some have a different view as to the direction our country should take.
Disagreement is inevitable in an American democracy.
“It’s part of human nature.
“But politics must never be a literal battlefield. And God forbid, a killing field.”
President Biden’s tone then changed as he spoke about what was to come in the coming days and weeks and months until the November election.
“The Republican convention will start tomorrow.
“I have no doubt they’ll criticise my record and offer their own vision for this country.”
“I’ll be travelling this week, making the case for our record and the vision. My vision of the country, our vision.
“I’ll continue to speak out strongly for our democracy. Stand up for our Constitution and the rule of law to call for action at the ballot box.
“No violence in our streets. That’s how democracy should work.
“We debate and disagree. We compare and contrast the character of the candidates, the records, the issues, the agenda, the vision for America.
“But in America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box. Not with bullets.”