"From the acclaimed journalist standing only a few feet away from the stage when the gunshots began is this ... first-hand account of the near assassination of Donald Trump--and the inside story of Trump's heartland-fueled victory ... Known for her on-the-ground reporting on populism and rural America, Salena zooms out to tell the fascinating story of the battle for America's heartland and the issues that actually motivate voters. To understand how and why Trump won the 2024 election, you have to understand places like Butler. Big cities like Los Angeles, New York, and D.C. don't decide who wins election cycles, but people in places like Butler, Pennsylvania, sure do. President Trump gave the author extraordinary access for this book, including to his top aides, to his running mate JD Vance, to billionaire supporter Elon Musk, and even his security detail. There are moments that define America. The late afternoon hours of July 13, 2024, was one of them. This book is a narrative of that fateful day, the people of the heartland, and the untold story of how the president found his way back into the heart of the electorate"-- Dust jacket flap.
Introduction: They shoot presidents in Butler -- One inch away -- Middle of somewhere, Butler, Pennsylvania -- The hand of God -- Shattered: the first twenty-four hours in Pennsylvania -- A front row seat -- "Now the fun begins..." -- The return -- The son of Appalachia -- There is no there there... -- "As I was saying..." -- "There will never be another one like him..." -- The reckoning -- Afterword.
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