New Delhi: Unless a miracle happens for Democrats, Donald Trump is set to be the 47th President of the United States of America, a beaming Shalabh Kumar, a close aide of Trump, told NDTV. The Chicago businessman underlined that the failed assassination attempt means it is game, set, match for Trump in the November election.
"This particular event, the assassination attempt, has practically sealed the election campaign. It is almost over. It is very challenging at this point for Democrats to figure out what to do. Such a contrast has been laid out in the minds of the electorate. Two weeks prior to this, you had this debate between Trump and Biden where everybody recognises, including president Biden, that it was really a bad night for him. He just seemed to be lost. He didn't seem to be anywhere; could not answer any question. Sleepy Joe as he has been known," said Mr Kumar, Chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition.
"In contrast to that we have a man of steel, a fighter. Doesn't look like a 78-year-old. After getting shot in his right ear, if he had been looking straight it would have gone straight to his head. He gets up and has this fighting spirit, says fight, fight, fight. That's what Americans like to see in their presidents. As it stands right now, unless the Democrats come up with a different candidate, they still have a month to go, this election is over," said the prominent Indian-American businessman.
Pressed to answer if there is a rethink on the presidential candidate on the Democratic side, he said he is hoping for a last-minute change to make for an exciting contest. They still have a month to decide, he said.
"I am still betting on President Barack Obama convincing his wife Michelle Obama to step in at the last minute. Then there would be a real contest. I would probably say then between Trump and Michelle Obama there will be a contest. Between Trump and Joe Biden there is no contest. Between Trump and Kamala Harris there is no contest. Behind the scenes, everybody wishes on the Democrat part that Michelle Obama is persuaded to become the Democrat nominee. A good contest is always a good thing," said the man, who was involved in the Ronald Reagan re-election campaign in 1984.
"They have to come up with something different. I am hoping Obama convinces Michelle to step up. Then there will be a real contest. They have to find somebody else," said the businessman.
Asked how the fundraising is coming along post the assassination attempt, Mr Kumar said it has seen a dramatic increase.
"Money is going like crazy. Donor class is seeing that the DJT (Donald John Trump) is coming back as the 47th president. Am sure you are aware of what Elon Musk has done. $45 million a month till the election. Peter Thiel. Big time people are coming forward and funding the campaign. Money raising has increased dramatically after the assassination attempt," said the businessman who is not just a financial backer but is on the ground getting people out to vote as Trump limbers for a second showdown with Joe Biden.
Donald Trump won the formal nomination Monday as the Republican presidential candidate and picked a right-wing loyalist, JD Vance, for his running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of the weekend's failed assassination attempt.
"We have 6 million Hindu Americans in the country, out of that 3.3 million are registered voters. Hindu Americans, Indian Americans, they like to declare themselves independent. They go back and forth. 2008, 2012 they were majorly for the Democrat. And 2016 we changed that significantly, especially in the battleground states. Then in 2020, they shifted back to Democrats. Maybe they are fence-sitters. Hindu Americans, they decide practically at the last minute who they are going to vote for. Maybe on the day of the election itself. They are not committed to any particular party," he said.
The 78-year-old former president was injured but survived the assassination attempt, a brazen attack that shocked a nation already deeply polarized ahead of the November election.
"The country is divided. However, even before the debate, particularly after the debate, the country was pulling towards Trump," he said.
Trump was speaking when multiple bangs rang out. He clutched his ear, with blood visible on his ear and cheek, then ducked to the floor as Secret Service agents swarmed onto the podium, surrounding him and rushing him to a nearby vehicle.
Iconic images of a bloodied Trump waving his fist after the shooting are already galvanizing Republican hopes that voters will further rally behind him for a landslide victory in November.
"The campaign after the assassination attempt has become a different campaign. It's altogether different. The enthusiasm in the delegates and people on the ground, the MAGA crowd, the enthusiasm is through the roof. As everybody can sense that at this point in time, unless a miracle happens for Democrats, he is the 47th president of the US and we are all very happy about it," he stressed.