A former Taiwanese president, who narrowly survived an assassination attempt 20 years ago, recently commented on the attempted shooting of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The alleged gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired eight shots at a presidential campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, hitting Trump’s ear, causing fatalities and injuries among attendees.
Speculations from analysts, media, and foreign diplomats suggest that such attacks may garner sympathy and boost the electoral chances for the targeted individual, drawing parallels to similar incidents in other countries.
Chen Shui Bian, Taiwan’s president from 2000 to 2004, in an Instagram post drew comparisons between the recent failed assassination and his own ordeal in 2004, shedding light on the public perception shift following such tragic events.
He mentioned that polling data from his party indicated a small but noticeable impact on voter behavior after the 2004 incident, with a marginal shift between opposing candidates.
Reflecting on Trump’s situation, he noted that while the shooting incident might sway public opinion in favor of Trump at present, the election outcome remains uncertain with several months to go.
Recalling his own experience, Chen highlighted how a similar attack shortly before the election did not substantially alter the final result, which he won by a narrow margin amid controversy and accusations.
Taiwan itself had a similar incident during Chen’s election campaign, underscoring the potential chaos such acts of violence can bring to the political landscape.
While some of Chen’s adversaries accused him of staging the incident for political gain, subsequent investigations revealed a lone actor behind the attack, leading to tragic consequences.
Chen’s post-presidential life faced legal challenges and imprisonment due to corruption charges, but he was eventually granted medical parole after a period of incarceration.