Once again, American history has been altered by a fraction of an inch.
Donald Trump's wound could have been catastrophic by such a margin.
Teddy Roosevelt survived an assassination attempt when the bullet lodged in a rolled up copy of his speech he had casually stuffed into his breast pocket.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt survived an assassination attempt when the gunman's aim was faulty, killing FDR's neighboring motorcade passenger, Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, and wounding five others.
Ronald Reagan's bullet wound to the lung from a would-be assassin nearly killed him; he survived by the heroic efforts of emergency room doctors.
So, American history will write yet another chapter of how fate, luck and the strength of the would-be victim played an enormous role in determining the future of our nation.
There will be considerable commentary and analyses of the murderous violence inflicted on the Trump rally. How did a sniper gain the upper hand against the Secret Service, securing a firing position that allowed him to create havoc and death? Appropriate and fitting homage will be paid to Corey Comperatore, the volunteer firefighter who was killed at the rally while protecting his family. And there will be remarks made by both sides of the political aisle regarding the need to consider the rhetoric uttered by candidates.
But the process of constitutional democracy cannot be allowed to be distracted or deterred. There is a presidential election in approximately 120 days, and we as Americans are entrusted with the dearly-bought right to determine who will lead our nation for the next four years. As we consider our choices, there is wisdom in revisiting the words of Confucius, who observed that nations can exist without sufficient food or a strong army. What he cautioned is that nations fail if its people do not have confidence in its ruler.
As a wounded Donald Trump was hustled by his Secret Service detail into a waiting SUV, he demonstrated his contempt for his assailant by pumping the air with his fist and repeating "fight!" In a world filled with despots, dictators and tyrants now armed with nuclear weapons, his defiance should serve as a call to action for all of us and a warning to nation states anywhere on the globe that would tear down our great nation.
Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.
Greg