Is unity possible? LIers, political experts weigh in after Biden, Trump call for common ground in rally shooting aftermath
Kalvin Cruz, 25, of Amityville, weighed in Monday along with other Long Islanders and political analysts about whether unity is possible in the United States amid a turbulent political climate. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
This story was reported by Robert Brodsky, Jasmine Sellars and Nayden Villorente. It was written by Brodsky.
Political experts and Long Island voters appeared divided Monday about whether unity is possible amid a turbulent political climate, a day after President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump urged Americans to find common ground in the aftermath of an attempt on Trump's life at a Pennsylvania rally.
With 113 days to go until the presidential election, the campaign cycle continued to evolve rapidly as both presumptive candidates took steps to advance their candidacies two days after the shooting. Authorities said the attack left one rallygoer dead and two others recovering from serious injuries after the Secret Service fatally shot the gunman.
"People have been pleading with the political discourse propagators to 'listen to our better angels,' as Lincoln put it, for a while now, and it hasn't happened yet," Michael Dawidziak, a Bohemia political consultant who works predominantly with Republicans, said Monday. "Could an incident like this maybe finally wake them up and say, 'This has gone too far?' Yeah, hopefully."
But the veteran analyst warned change is unlikely to happen overnight, particularly in an election season.
"I do think things can change," said Dawidziak, adding that a growing number of Americans define themselves as politically independent. "And if our republic is to survive it will change. I'm just not sure it's happening this quickly."
On Monday, a federal judge dismissed Trump's classified documents criminal case in Florida. Biden got back to campaigning with a TV interview with a national network. Trump — who is expected to accept the Republican nomination for president this week — picked Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate as the GOP national convention kicked off in Milwaukee.
Martin Badyna, 62, a Dix Hills resident and Republican, said Monday that unity is possible if both sides can "agree to disagree."
"Unfortunately, you need something tragic to happen, like 9/11, to reunite people, give them a common goal, a common enemy," Badyna said. "Right now they're at each other's throats because Democrats don't like the Republicans, Republicans don’t like the Democrats. But the bottom line is we’re all Americans."
Delgar Ganbaatar, a school counselor from Garden City and an Independence Party member who declined to give her age, said Monday "it’s possible to come together if we want to."
She added: "I'd like to see both sides come to a common ground."
But Carlos Peralta, a retired construction worker from Mineola and a Democrat who declined to give his age, said there's no hope for unity.
"There’s no middle ground right now," he said. "They’re not talking to each other and they won’t work together."
Trump posted on social media after Saturday's shooting attack that a bullet had pierced his right ear. On Sunday, he said in part in another post: "In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans."
Biden, whose campaign has branded Trump as a threat to democracy, denounced political violence in an Oval Office address Sunday and urged Americans to resolve their issues at the ballot box.
"It's time to cool it down," Biden said in part.
Trump, who has called for retribution against his political opponents, posted Sunday after Biden's remarks: "UNITE AMERICA."
But Monday, a Trump post blamed Biden for his four criminal indictments, which he again called a "witch hunt" and "election interference."
Hank Sheinkopf, an independent political analyst, said Monday that efforts to change the political tone will not only be fruitless, but could pose problems for Democrats.
"In a presidential election year — when political parties are in battle for the world’s biggest prize, the call for political unity is meaningless. Politics is war. And war is not unity," said Sheinkopf, who has consulted for Democrats. "Calls to tone down nasty rhetoric will force the Democrats into a new quandary: How do you attack the man nearly murdered by an assassin without damaging and destroying your campaign? And today there is no clear answer."
But some Long Islanders, including Donna Barjas, a social worker from Wyandanch, said Monday they remained hopeful that political fractures dividing Americans aren't irreparable.
"I really hope we can come together," said Barjas, 33, a Democrat. "We shouldn't be so divided because this is something that can target all of us … regardless of what party we're in."
Kalvin Cruz, 25, of Amityville, who described himself as politically unaffiliated, said unity is possible if Americans consider one another’s values.
National unity will be "hard" but should be the goal, said Richard Altacho, 66, a Bay Shore resident who said he has no political party affiliation.
"That's the only way we’re going to get things done here," he added.
Political experts and Long Island voters appeared divided Monday about whether unity is possible amid a turbulent political climate, a day after President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump urged Americans to find common ground in the aftermath of an attempt on Trump's life at a Pennsylvania rally.
With 113 days to go until the presidential election, the campaign cycle continued to evolve rapidly as both presumptive candidates took steps to advance their candidacies two days after the shooting. Authorities said the attack left one rallygoer dead and two others recovering from serious injuries after the Secret Service fatally shot the gunman.
"People have been pleading with the political discourse propagators to 'listen to our better angels,' as Lincoln put it, for a while now, and it hasn't happened yet," Michael Dawidziak, a Bohemia political consultant who works predominantly with Republicans, said Monday. "Could an incident like this maybe finally wake them up and say, 'This has gone too far?' Yeah, hopefully."
But the veteran analyst warned change is unlikely to happen overnight, particularly in an election season.
"I do think things can change," said Dawidziak, adding that a growing number of Americans define themselves as politically independent. "And if our republic is to survive it will change. I'm just not sure it's happening this quickly."
On Monday, a federal judge dismissed Trump's classified documents criminal case in Florida. Biden got back to campaigning with a TV interview with a national network. Trump — who is expected to accept the Republican nomination for president this week — picked Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate as the GOP national convention kicked off in Milwaukee.
Martin Badyna, 62, a Dix Hills resident and Republican, said Monday that unity is possible if both sides can "agree to disagree."
"Unfortunately, you need something tragic to happen, like 9/11, to reunite people, give them a common goal, a common enemy," Badyna said. "Right now they're at each other's throats because Democrats don't like the Republicans, Republicans don’t like the Democrats. But the bottom line is we’re all Americans."
Delgar Ganbaatar, a school counselor from Garden City and an Independence Party member who declined to give her age, said Monday "it’s possible to come together if we want to."
She added: "I'd like to see both sides come to a common ground."
But Carlos Peralta, a retired construction worker from Mineola and a Democrat who declined to give his age, said there's no hope for unity.
"There’s no middle ground right now," he said. "They’re not talking to each other and they won’t work together."
Trump posted on social media after Saturday's shooting attack that a bullet had pierced his right ear. On Sunday, he said in part in another post: "In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans."
Biden, whose campaign has branded Trump as a threat to democracy, denounced political violence in an Oval Office address Sunday and urged Americans to resolve their issues at the ballot box.
"It's time to cool it down," Biden said in part.
Trump, who has called for retribution against his political opponents, posted Sunday after Biden's remarks: "UNITE AMERICA."
But Monday, a Trump post blamed Biden for his four criminal indictments, which he again called a "witch hunt" and "election interference."
Hank Sheinkopf, an independent political analyst, said Monday that efforts to change the political tone will not only be fruitless, but could pose problems for Democrats.
"In a presidential election year — when political parties are in battle for the world’s biggest prize, the call for political unity is meaningless. Politics is war. And war is not unity," said Sheinkopf, who has consulted for Democrats. "Calls to tone down nasty rhetoric will force the Democrats into a new quandary: How do you attack the man nearly murdered by an assassin without damaging and destroying your campaign? And today there is no clear answer."
But some Long Islanders, including Donna Barjas, a social worker from Wyandanch, said Monday they remained hopeful that political fractures dividing Americans aren't irreparable.
"I really hope we can come together," said Barjas, 33, a Democrat. "We shouldn't be so divided because this is something that can target all of us … regardless of what party we're in."
Kalvin Cruz, 25, of Amityville, who described himself as politically unaffiliated, said unity is possible if Americans consider one another’s values.
National unity will be "hard" but should be the goal, said Richard Altacho, 66, a Bay Shore resident who said he has no political party affiliation.
"That's the only way we’re going to get things done here," he added.
Updated 17 minutes ago Southern State shut down ... RFK dropping out ... Brookhaven zero vision ... Gotti vs. Mayweather
Updated 17 minutes ago Southern State shut down ... RFK dropping out ... Brookhaven zero vision ... Gotti vs. Mayweather
