The tone of future political speeches and venue security measures could drastically change as the road to the White House continues, political analysts said.
ABC Action News Political Analyst Susan A. MacManus Scripps and News Deputy Political Director Joe St. George spoke and weighed in after the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler County, Penn. on Saturday.
MacManus said with people already fearful about their safety, the level of political rhetoric in speeches could be tempered at future rallies.
“Americans are desperate for some civility in their politics,” MacManus said.
St. George said speech writers are likely to rewrite portions of the language after Trump appeared to be the target of an assassination attempt.
“Is there some element of prayer added to the program that maybe didn’t exist before? We shall see,” St. George said.
Because of such safety concerns, future security measures would certainly be elevated, MacManus said.
“You can bet that every dimension of the event from a security standpoint is already being combed over, and they (U.S. Secret Service) really have to deal with assuring the candidates that this isn’t going to be a repeat,” MacManus said. “But it’s so troubling that it happened in a small town, not in a big city.”
St. George said he expected security at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, which begins Monday, would be airtight.
“You need various degrees of credentials from the Secret Service. You just can’t show up and attend this convention,” St. George said. “So, there will be a much more secure facility here than what greeted the former president in Butler County, Pennsylvania.”
Future open-air events would put under a microscope, MacManus said. She added that it motivates people to vote when they see their candidate live.
“The venues are going to have to be so secure. It’s really going to change the calculations of where and when candidates go.,” said MacManus.
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