The Donald continues to garner acclaim wherever he goes, but he is unable to take back control of the narrative. He is trying to undermine Kamala Harris, and Elon Musk is assisting him, using his social media platform X as a megaphone. However, Trump’s usual methods may not work against such a convivial candidate.
Donald Trump goes to Atlanta to convene an even bigger crowd than the one that just packed the university arena to hear Kamala Harris. And he mutters that “crazy” Kamala only fills stadiums thanks to the rappers who sing at her rallies. Then he sees some empty seats in the audience and blames the university, saying that his fans were stopped outside, supposedly for security reasons, but clearly it’s a conspiracy against him.
The Republican candidate is nervous, and not just because Biden’s withdrawal from the race upset his plans. The polls, which up until the Milwaukee Republican National Convention had him winning by a comfortable margin, are now painting a more equivocal picture. His campaign strategists reassure him that it’s a temporary “honeymoon” with the media because of Harris’ nomination. For the egomaniacal Trump, who, from the time he entered the fray in 2015 has been able to build his political success by packing venues and dominating the news cycles, these are difficult days. His obsession with the size of the candidates’ respective audiences are an indicator of his alarm. The MAGA supporters still flock to his rallies, but now he has to contend with an opponent who seems able to attract massive crowds, something which has never happened before, not with Hillary Clinton, nor with Joe Biden. “Ten days or so, and you’ll be back, front and center with the media,” he was promised. But two weeks have passed and Harris is more in the spotlight than ever, thanks also to her choice of popular Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, with whom she immediately embarked on a circuit of rallies in all the swing states from Pennsylvania to Georgia. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, followed Harris and Walz, speaking in the same venues from Wisconsin to Michigan.
The Donald continues to garner acclaim wherever he goes, but is unable to take back control of the narrative. He tries to undermine Harris as crazy, radical, socialist. He attacks Walz, saying Walz left the National Guard to avoid serving in Iraq (says the man who dodged military service altogether). But Trump’s usual approach — scaring people by describing nightmarish scenarios if the Democrats win — may not work against such a convivial candidate. “Happy warrior” Walz, with a grin on his face, called Trump “weird.” For now, that label is more effective than the ones Trump uses to demolish his opponents. Harris’ multi-ethnic youth, Walz’s empathy — these are novelties that Trump will struggle to control. Will it last?
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