TRUMP’S UNUSUAL SILENCE
A former senior staffer in the Trump White House who is still in contact with the Trump campaign said the newfound emphasis on Harris made sense.
“If Joe Biden stays on top of the ticket, given what we’ve seen, she takes on even more importance. But if he does step aside, she’s the potential candidate. This is about defining her,” the staffer said, pointing to her low approval ratings in public opinion polls.
Despite her consistently low approval ratings, a Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this week showed Harris to be as formidable an opponent to Trump as Biden. In a hypothetical matchup, Trump led Harris by a single percentage point, 43 per cent to 42 per cent.
The clamor by Trump’s allies is in stark contrast with the unusual silence from the normally voluble former president. Since Biden’s poor debate performance, Trump has laid low, making few public appearances or public statements.
“This shows a maturation of the candidate himself. You can teach an old dog new tricks. He’s showing increased discipline and message control,” said a senior adviser to the Trump campaign familiar with internal discussions.
Even before the June 27 debate, the Trump campaign was beginning to turn its attention to Harris, releasing an attack ad online that mocked her for repeating lines in her speeches.
An online meme promoted by Republicans showed Harris repeating the same phrase “unburdened by what has been” again and again in remarks.
