For the last five years, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have done nothing but exchange harsh words and disagree on just about everything; but that changed on a dime on Saturday, July 13, when a bullet from a rooftop shooter hit Trump in the ear and came within inches from taking his life. After the assassination attempt, both Biden and Trump were finally on the same page for once – with each man calling loudly for “unity.”

In fact, in the days following the attempt to take Trump’s life, that plea for unity has come from just about every corner of society: spouses of candidates, political leaders on both sides of the aisle, Wall Street executives and lots of others from all walks of live as well.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner the day after the assassination attempt, Trump said he plans to take advantage of this historic moment to help bring the highly divided country together. That’s a big change in demeanor from the past decade by the presumptive presidential Republican nominee who said, after the attempt on his life, that he had quite a speech planned meant to cut Biden to the core.

The shooting happened just before the start of the Republican convention at which Trump is scheduled to speak when he accepts the nomination.

Trump told the conservative magazine, “The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger. Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches.”

He said that speech was going to be targeted at President Biden and his policies.

“Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now,” Trump said.

Trump also said his speech will instead call for unity of all Americans.

“It is a chance to bring the country together,” Trump stated in that interview. “I was given that chance. This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago.”

Trump also posted “UNITE AMERICA!” on his Truth Social account after Biden’s call for unity.

Biden phoned Trump hours after the shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania and that call was said to be “good, short and respectful.” That was no doubt the first moment of civility between the two men in a very, very long time.

The Biden campaign has also taken down anti-Trump ads for the time being.

In a speech Sunday night, Biden called for Americans to lower the heat of political discourse in this country, listen to one another rather than talk over each other, and take a step back and consider rationally what political opponents are saying – and ask themselves honestly why they believe the way they do.

“Here in America, we need to get out of our silos,” the president said in a nationally televised Sunday evening July 14 speech, “where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours.”

“Let’s remember,” the president added, “here in America, while unity is the most elusive of goals right now, nothing is more – more important for us now than standing together. We can do this.”

Biden also said that, from the start of this country, the founding fathers felt and expressed passion about the best path forward – which is why they created a democracy that “gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force.”

The president added that this has to be a nation that respects the rule of law and a country where everyone is treated with decency.

Biden said dignity and fair play must become the norm.

Even Trump’s wife, Melania, who often chooses to stay out of the limelight, weighed in with a lengthy and emotional call for unity across the country.

“Let us not forget” she posted on social media, “that differing opinions, policy, and political games are inferior to love. Our personal, structural, and life commitment – until death – is at serious risk. Political concepts are simple when compared to us, human beings.”

The former First Lady added that we are all humans, and “fundamentally, instinctively, we want to help one another. American politics are only one vehicle that can uplift our communities. Love, compassion, kindness and empathy are necessities.”

She called for all Americans to join together and fight for a better future rather than fight with each other.

“Dawn is here again,” she posted. “Let us reunite. Now,”

The unity message was the same from Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who told NBC this weekend, “We have political opposition and political opponents, but we’re all American. We have to treat one another with dignity and respect.”

On Monday, July 15, Wall Street moguls like Jamie Dimon and Larry Fink, expressed great distress at the political vitriol that has dominated discourse leading up to the assassination attempt this weekend – and they stated that they’re hoping that the country can move forward in a civil and unified manner.

This may just be an Indian summer of calm political discourse, but those on both sides should enjoy it while it lasts – however long or short that turns out to be.