Former President Donald Trump, in a rally held in North Carolina, defended his continued use of personal attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris, despite numerous pleas from Republican allies to focus on policy differences. He cited the criticisms directed towards him by former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention as justification for his approach.
During his speech, Trump pointedly addressed the crowd, stating, “Did you see Barack Hussein Obama last night? He was taking shots at your president. And so was Michelle.” He then proceeded to mock the advice given by his own party’s strategists, stating, “You know, they always say, ‘Sir, please stick to policy, don’t get personal,’”. He sarcastically asked, “Do I still have to stick to policy?”
Trump’s justification for his attacks stemmed from a speech delivered by Michelle Obama at the DNC where she explicitly criticized Trump’s approach, labeling it as “unpresidential.” She further accused him of “doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies” as a substitute for genuine ideas and solutions.
Obama’s speech was followed by a scathing critique of Trump’s presidency delivered by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Obama described Trump as “a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.” He also mocked Trump’s preoccupation with crowd sizes and his use of childish nicknames, making a hand gesture that seemed to imply a mockery of Trump’s masculinity.
Trump, in response, seems to be openly ignoring the pleas from top Republican advisors who have urged him to shift his focus away from personal attacks and toward highlighting policy differences with Harris. They believe that such an approach would be more effective in painting Harris as an extreme liberal and thus appealing to a broader range of voters.
Among those who have publicly advised Trump to change his tactics is former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who stated that Trump has “a short time frame to do it, so don’t sit back. Get out there and start making the case.” Former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is also vying for the Republican presidential nomination, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the campaign “is not going to win talking about crowd sizes. It’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. It’s not going to win talking about whether she’s dumb. It’s not. You can’t win on those things. The American people are smart. Treat them like they’re smart.”
Despite this advice, Trump appears to be doubling down on his strategy. At his rally, he mocked his advisors, saying, “Sir, you must stick to policy. You’ll win it on the border. You’ll win it with inflation. You’ll win it with your great military that you built.” Then, looking out at his supporters, he asked, “Should I get personal, or should I not get personal?” The answer from the crowd was clear: Trump should continue with his personal attacks.
This decision raises questions about Trump’s campaign strategy and his willingness to listen to his advisors. It remains to be seen whether this approach will ultimately prove to be effective or will ultimately backfire.
