Election 2020: “Out out damn Trump”
One doesn’t so much listen to Trump as “read him.” Listening to the George III-like rants doesn’t yield as much as acknowledging one’s presence at Trump’s shows. So it was under the drone of POTUS helicopter blades that we read Trump on Wednesday, the “morning after” a flawed debate, more encounter than verbal exchange: said Trump, “ it was a great debate.”
Once again 90 free minutes free campaigning at the taxpayer’s expense. Surfacing the night before, Trump recited the 4 pillars of the campaign to re-reflect him: Hunter Biden is a national security risk, China hatched COVID-19, the economy is rising like a phoenix from Obama’s ashes and we’ll get good healthcare as soon as we rout the Democrats, recently kidnapped by the “radical left, out to destroy the country.”
It would seem that if a lot is at stake for Trump — his campaign is unable to gain on a 10 point deficit to Biden — Trump would pitch the incumbent narrative. Hold our breath: we have 2 more debates to go and a restive Presidential Debate Commission determined not to allow a repeat of Tuesday’s dog fight. Problem: Trump does not cast well as incumbent-in-Chief.
Reading Trump on Wednesday, we saw that he looked not “Presidential ,” but unsettled, nervous, uncomfortable with no where to go except to another swing state tarmac rally. His awkward “let me find a friend in the Press Pool” glances were palpable.
Trump has a lot to be nervous about. Besides the moribund polls he has not moved beyond his “4 pillars.” More debates means more repetitions of the “4 pillars.” Rumblings within the GOP can’t quell the relentless repetition of the “4 Pillars.”
Moreover, the trouble for vote hungry Republicans is the scary thought that there is not much to Trump beyond the “4 Pillars.” Perhaps not enough to carry them over the Trump disappointment fence. The likelihood of an “October surprise” seems remote. For every Senate Intelligence Committee innuendo there is the proverbial NYTimes expose of yet another Trump financial malfeasance.
And all the unsuppressed votes are nearly accounted for: by this time next week nearly one quarter of the American electorate will have voted.
So there are not many mouths left to feed Trump’s drivel.
The train has left the station and the debates behind.
September 30, 2020
