On the first day of the Republican convention, Trump and Vance were celebrated by their party. Since then, the US election campaign has changed due to Biden’s withdrawal.
Source: AFP
After almost ten years of campaigning against Donald Trump, the Democrats have come up with something quite simple in recent days to provoke him. They constantly call the Republican “weird” and make fun of him.
This has given them a head start in describing things, to which Trump reacts. In recent years, it has usually been the other way round: Trump places messages, the Democrats react.
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How Democrats label Trump and Vance as “weird”
In a post, Kamala Harris’ campaign team asks: “Trump is old and pretty weird?” On the campaign trail, she repeats the question, asking if the “stuff they say isn’t just weird.”
For a week now, high-ranking Democrats have been touring the media talking about strange Republican candidates.
He (Trump) can’t walk well and he goes over to the flag and hugs it. I love the flag, but it’s weird what he’s doing.
Josh Shapiro, Gouverneur Pennsylvania
The truth is that both the Republican nominee and the vice presidential nominee on the Republican side are saying a lot of strange things.
JB Pritzker, Governor Illinois
At the forefront is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. As a former teacher, he stresses that it is also about not giving them so much power.
They’re both just strange. That’s just how it is (…). We’re not afraid of strange people. We get a little scared, but we’re not afraid.
Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota
This performance by Walz inspires imitators
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Walz also justifies the description of the Republican candidates as “weird” by saying that he would only say what everyone else is thinking. The label obviously hits a nerve.
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Why it works so well
This simple language would describe the discomfort of voters, says Democratic strategist Tim Hogen at Politico.
This is how you could talk to your neighbor about the crazy political climate we live in.
Tim Hogan, Democratic strategist
There is enough material to describe Trump and JD Vance as strange. The fact that this label sticks so much is certainly also due to Trump’s running mate, who has been losing support since his nomination. More and more reports about questionable statements by Vance are coming to light and making him uneasy.The Republican and nominated vice-candidate for the US presidency is considered extremely critical of Ukraine. Vance was considered the driving force behind the blockade of US-Ukraine aid. 16.07.2024 | 2:50 min
It is a powerful message, especially because it has been so long since Republican leadership felt constrained by any expectation of normalcy.
Dave Karpf, George Washington University
In addition, says Karpf, the label “weird” frustrates opponents, which leads “to them reinforcing it with weird answers.”
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How the Republicans react
This describes a problem with Trump’s campaign team. It took a while, but now the Republicans are trying to turn the tables. Motto: No, you!
They are the weird ones. No one has ever called me weird. I am many things, but I am not weird.
Donald Trump, presidential candidate
Trump also said that his running mate JD was “not at all” strange. As much as Republicans try to portray Harris and her laughter as crazy, they don’t succeed to the same extent.
One of Trump’s team’s goals is to portray the vice president as “weak, failed and dangerously liberal.” But other things are currently dominating the news. The last outlier was Trump’s lie about Kamala Harris’s background – no advertising to moderate voters.
What do respondents think of Trump?
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How Trump’s election campaign was turned upside down
For months, the Republicans’ election campaign ran like clockwork. They were able to put forward their issues, dominate the headlines with old slogans, attacks and Trump. At the Republican convention in Milwaukee two weeks ago, they were confident of victory. But this confidence was aimed at another opponent, Joe Biden.
Although they have the same issues, Harris’ campaign is very different from Biden’s: she is more aggressive, younger, and talks more about what she is fighting for, not against. Her campaign seems more optimistic.
What do respondents think of Kamala Harris?
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In direct comparison to the wave of euphoria that Harris is currently riding, Trump seems to be rather battered. She is also currently ahead in the race for campaign funds.
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What this means for the election campaign
In terms of the November election, all of this means that the race is wide open again. Campaign teams will continue to test and advance their strategies.
Harris has recently been regularly calling for a TV debate, teasing:
As the saying goes, if you have something to say, say it to my face.
Kamala Harris, Vice President USA
There are less than 100 days until the election. It is unclear which strategy will work.
Anna Kleiser is a correspondent in the ZDF studio in Washington.
Source: with material from AP
