Watch the Digital Desk segment with Benjamin Melusky, Ph.D. in the video player.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – At the Digital Desk, we are taking a look back at the last few days in politics.
ODU Political Scientist Benjamin Melusky, Ph.D. will discuss the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, the Republican National Convention, Vice President selection and more. Watch the live segment in the video player on this page.
The Republican National Convention began on Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was less than two days after the apparent assassination attempt on Saturday, July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania at a campaign rally for Former President Donald Trump.
Authorities said one bystander was killed and two others injured at the rally. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he was “shot with a bullet” that pierced his right ear.
Like many Americans, Melusky said he was shocked when he first heard the news on Saturday. It was difficult to know what happened and find out all of the details right away.
“I think that was the tricky part of the situation,” said Melusky. “One, it was on the weekend and two, we didn’t have a lot of information. And, I think for this day and age, for a lot of Americans, we kind of expect that almost instant gratification of information at our fingertips.”
As the area became a crime scene, and official information dribbled out slowly, many people looked to what they could find online or on social platforms.
“For a lot of people, it’s shock, it’s horror, and also just grasping for any nugget of information they can find anywhere,” said Melusky.
Along with the commentary online, came a mix of information, including conspiracy theories.
“In the wake of this, we saw so much information or misinformation fill this,” said Melusky. “We saw everything from misidentification of shooters, we saw altered images, false claims.”
Melusky says nowadays unanswered questions creates a grey space. Because a void exists, misinformation is likely to fill the gaps.
“The tricky part of this is, even though we have so much information these days, most Americans typically only get their information from one or two sources,” said Melusky. “So, there’s very little counter fact checking taking place. And, we typically trust the one or two sources we are getting information from.”
Image and video manipulation also can play a role, says Melusky. It is able to come into the empty void, since counter information is not available in the moment.
In the midst of misinformation, the intense polarization of the political parties in the United States was also apparent on social media. Both sides blaming the other for how the country reached this moment.
At this time, the motive of the suspected shooter is not known.
“It does lead individuals, again within this information void to try to read between the lines, or fill in the gap to what we believe to be a perceived motivation,” said Melusky.
Now, days later, members of the Republican Party take the stage at the Republican National Convention. Melusky says a convention is a time for a party to lay out their policies, bring their stars forward and remind voters of where they are ideologically.
“What the events of this past weekend have done to this, it maybe throws a mute on it,” said Melusky. “We saw leading up to the RNC, there are reports that Trump has rewritten his nomination acceptance speech.”
Trump showed up to the convention on the first night. He wore a bandage on his right ear and was met by a supportive crowd.
Earlier in the day, Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) was named as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.
“I think somebody like Vance makes sense from the President’s standpoint,” said Melusky.
In terms of why he would be a good fit for Trump, Melusky spoke to Vance’s background. Vance has a lawyer and business professional perspective, military service, his international stance is similar to Trump and more policy alignment.
Melusky said Vice President candidate selection does not have as much weight as it once did.
“It’s more so looking at the Vice Presidential candidates, will they make a good surrogate for the president, either in policy or the campaign trail,” said Melusky. “I think the selection of J.D. Vance does match that.”
Melusky shares more insight on the Republican National Convention, President Joe Biden’s campaign and political misinformation in the conversation.
Watch the full Digital Desk segment in the video player to hear more political analysis from Benjamin Melusky, Ph.D.