Three Mistakes the Trump Campaign Can Fix

[brooklynite]

Bloomberg

He is, first, spending too much time talking about the wrong things. Journalist David Frum has pointed out how different Trump sounds now than he did in 2016. Then, he beat conventional Republican politicians who dwelt on issues that didn’t move most voters, like deficits and productivity. He addressed issues that voters cared about more than the governors and senators did, such as manufacturing and immigration.

These days Trump is more apt to be talking about issues that obsess him but have limited purchase among his core supporters and none outside it. There’s Obamagate, a convoluted theory about the previous administration’s alleged attempts to abuse power to undermine the current one. Not one voter in 100 could explain it. Since Frum wrote, Trump has repeatedly and baselessly suggested that TV commentator Joe Scarborough is a murderer. These messages — that Trump is a victim and his persecutors are monsters — have little to do with voters, and are unlikely to influence anyone who isn’t already deep in Trumpland.

Trump is, second, placing himself further from the center of public opinion than he did in 2016. Back then, he presented himself as a dealmaker and competent manager who would hire the best people, and wasn’t tied to Republican orthodoxy. He talked about reining in Wall Street and ensuring paid leave for new parents. He said he had no objection in principle to socialized medicine. Fewer voters saw him as conservative than had seen previous Republican presidential nominees that way. Over the course of his presidency, perceptions have changed: A lot more voters now consider Trump “very conservative.”

...snip...

A third mistake is Trump’s insistence on portraying his opponent, “Sleepy Joe,” as a senile buffoon. Voters know that neither of these candidates is Cicero and don’t seem to hold it against either. But what’s especially self-defeating about this campaign tactic — which the entire Republican Party has followed — is that it rearranges public expectations to Biden’s benefit. Every time top Republicans mock Biden as a surefire disaster on the campaign trail, they are lowering the bar for how well he has to do in the fall and, especially, in the debates.

[Silent3]

1. There are no mistakes the Trump campaign should fix.

None whatsoever. They should, in fact, keep adding more and more mistakes.

[lagomorph777]

3. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear they are cooking up more mistakes as we speak.

Stephen Miller's "brain" trust is very efficient at that.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. From what posters have

mentioned thus far today,have to say,keep up the good work Orange Anus,the world has past you bye some time ago.

[empedocles]

4. Despise the 'both siderism' of ''neither of these candidates is Cicero''

Disgusting to put anyone alongside the toxic trump.

[subterranean]

5. Yeah, he should go back to talking about the issues that matter

like water pressure in home appliances and toilets that need to be flushed 10-15 times.

And, of course, Hillary's emails.

[mokawanis]

6. My concern is that he will indeed fix some or all of those things

Currently it looks like he's going to just keep doing what he's been doing but I'm concerned he'll eventually realize he needs to significantly change strategy and tactics to improve his standing in the polls (which he frequently claims to not care about, but that's just another lie he tells repeatedly). His character being what it is he'll say or do anything if he thinks it will help him win an election.

What if he makes big changes and returns to the strategies he used in 2016? Is that even possible given all that's transpired since then?

[lastlib]

7. I don't think voters will buy what he'd be selling if he did.

He's flushed too many turds down that sewer pipe for it to smell pretty to all but his most olfactory-insensitive base.

[qazplm135]

10. he's incapable of doing that

he's not a wizard, he's a con man who got lucky. And now, his mental faculties are declining so much he can't pull off a con anymore. Also, kinda hard to con an entire country AFTER you've been exposed.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

8. tRump has repeatedly and baselessly suggested that TV commentator Joe Scarborough is a murderer.

The magats probably don't know who J.S. is, I'm pretty sure they don't watch MSNBC?

I vaguely remember it being discussed on DU way back, it didn't get much traction though.

tRump is not healthy, mentally or physically, I look for him to crash and burn.

[MyOwnPeace]

9. After his "best ever" commencement speech this weekend,

I have to believe the "crash & burn" is far more likely than we may have dared to expect....

[dhill926]

11. everybody has seen this asshole...

every fucking day for the last 3 1/2 years. He ain't gonna be able to fix shit...

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. Trump is his own biggest problem TBH

What's he going to do in the next few months that will fix 4 years of him, not to mention everything bad that has happened on his watch THIS year?

[crickets]

13. Debates?

Trump isn't capable. There will be no debates.