Can President Trump Still Win This Election?
Written by Kevin Catapano on 10/09/2020
The question weighing on the minds of most Americans right now is, can President Donald Trump somehow pull this thing out? The circumstances are dire for his reelection campaign. The economy is in the gutter, even though that’s the fault of state and local Democrats refusing to lift lockdown restrictions on struggling businesses; the American public believes the virus is more deadly than it actually is, though that’s because of hysterical media coverage; a majority of Americans believe that Trump mishandled the pandemic response, even though he was no less knowledgeable than Democrats at the outset and no Democrat has articulated what exactly they would have done differently; and the nation is in the midst a so-called “racial reckoning,” even though that’s the fault of leftists lying about American history and institutions and stirring up race riots to serve their political purposes – namely, to create chaos which “only Democrats” can quell.
Regardless of whether or not Trump is responsible for the state of the union, it’s in dire straits, which doesn’t bode well for an incumbent. And the polls reflect this. Biden is leading Trump by double digits in multiple national polls, with Trump trailing in every major swing state including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Arizona. The first debate, a poor show by Trump, swung the polls further in favor of Biden. And Trump’s recent bout with COVID-19 hasn’t softened the public perception of his administration’s ineptitude on the pandemic front.
Here’s the takeaway for Trump: He isn’t any more responsible for the recession or the suffering caused by a pandemic than the Democrats. He is, however, completely at fault for the perception that he botched it big time. Trump is a deeply unpopular president. Americans don’t like his personality, nor are they drawn to his divisive style of politics. But the truth is that the Democrats have been just as divisive and every bit as unlikeable. But Americans aren’t seeing that because Trump won’t cede the spotlight to them. He simply cannot be quiet and point the finger.
If Americans were focusing on Biden instead of Trump, they’d see just how unsightly their alternative to the incumbent actually is. Biden is a D.C. swamp creature if there ever were such a thing. He studiously avoids questioning and repeatedly gaffes in ways that would end Republican careers. On his ticket is Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor running against the law and order platform who alleges systemic racism against America while being chosen for vice president, in part, because of her skin color – and who called her running mate a quasi-racist segregationist.
Together, this duo has refused to condemn antifa and the violent faction of Black Lives Matter, even as they infiltrate peaceful protests on a nightly basis to loot stores, burn federal property and assault police officers and bystanders with rocks, bottles and fireworks. While accusing Trump of undermining democracy, the Democrats threaten to end the Senate filibuster, pack the Supreme Court, admit new states, and impeach to obstruct the business of the Senate. Biden and Harris avoid questions about this like the virus. And, while alleging systemic racism, they’ve avoided answering as to why they think Americans should vote for candidates who believe Americans are racist.
Why is nobody concerned about this? Because Trump thinks we need more Trump like we need more cowbell. Whether it be talking over Biden for 90 minutes straight, shooting video of a triumphant and mask-less return from Walter Reed, or claiming that he was obligated, as America’s leader, to contract the virus, Trump can’t allow the cameras to be on anybody else. And he keeps feeding the media exactly what they want for their narrative coverage.
That’s a problem. In 2016, Americans were thinking about the Clinton email scandal when they went to the polls. This time, they’ll be thinking about Trump instead of the race-baiting fellow travelers to his left. There’s still a month for Trump to allow the focus to shift to his opponents. Though with Trump, fading into the background feels like a Sisyphean task. Nevertheless, if he can cede the spotlight for four weeks, he might remain in it for another four years. If not, that much is on him alone.
(Photo: Flickr/Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of Heroes Media Group
