TM had Zimmerman pinned to the ground and was sitting on him, how do you propose to "rack" the slide with one hand?
All the sources I have checked on concealed carry endorse carry with a round in the chamber. Leaving the chamber empty puts you at a disadvantage vis-à-vis an armed opponent. You may find yourself in a situation when racking the slide is your only option (stovepipe jam, magazine malfunction, &c) but it is foolish to start out with an empty chamber and cede the advantage to an adversary.
DAO automatic pistols are as safe as modern revolvers. Granted the 19th century revolvers were carried with the hammer on an empty cylinder. That was necessary because the gun could fire if dropped and landed on it's hammer. With the advent of the hammer blocking transfer bar it is no longer necessary to take such precaution. A DAO automatic's hammer is flush with the slide and the firing pin is held retracted by an inertia block so dropping the gun will not cause a discharge.
Regards
GtG
“DAO automatic pistols are as safe as modern revolvers. Granted the 19th century revolvers were carried with the hammer on an empty cylinder. That was necessary because the gun could fire if dropped and landed on it’s hammer.”
Gee, then it must have been a car backfire I heard in this century when I dropped my semi-auto and it discharged. And that can happen even with a safety on.