There is nothing as immortalizing as martyrdom and nothing as cleansing as surviving its attempt. The failure of an evil and no doubt disturbed 20-year-old to assassinate the former president last Saturday has led to the apotheosis of Donald Trump. Even those who have detested him and called him for last decade – a fact that was never acceptable and no doubt contributed to a climate of demonization and incitement – have seen changes in the man whom the New York Times now describes as carrying a new humility at the Republican National Convention.

I am old enough to remember the attempted assignation of Ronald Reagan as if it were yesterday. I was in high school at the Hebrew Academy of Miami Beach. They took us to an immediate school assembly, understanding our trauma at seeing our head of state shot by an assailant.

America is now in a similar predicament, having to search its soul for the sources of its violence and civil hatred. I was in Italy for meetings at the Vatican, courtesy of my friend Gary Krupp, and thus the Sabbath was over and I saw the attempted assassination in near-real time. I shuddered for my country when I saw the greatest, mightiest nation on Earth brought down to the levels of a pathetic banana republic.

I believe that has had a life-changing experience. I believe that he may now pursue what has always really been in his heart, namely, to be popular and accepted among the largest number of people for greatest number of reasons. And perhaps, now that .