Donald Trump has invoked a vision of an extraordinary new White House term that would alter America and shake the planet.
And Vice President Kamala Harris has only three weeks to avert disaster, as she fights to regain momentum in a contest that is neck and neck until Election Day.
The Republican nominee is escalating the most caustic anti-immigrant language in modern US history, saying that outsiders with “bad genes” have “invaded” the country after erroneously claiming that lawfully present Haitian migrants were eating pets in Ohio. At a rally in Arizona on Sunday, Trump falsely claimed that if Harris were elected, “the entire country will be turned into a migrant camp.” Two days earlier, in Colorado, he promised to “begin the largest deportation operation in the history of the United States,” as well as to “close the border.” We will stop the influx of illegal immigrants into our country. We’ll defend our area. “We shall not be conquered.
And he upped his threats against political opponents this weekend, telling Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that he may unleash the military against “the enemy from within.” The ex-president, who incited violence to stay in power after the 2020 election, also declared at a rally Saturday that a heckler exercising her right to free speech should “get the hell knocked out of” her.
Trump threatened to withhold federal disaster aid from Democratic-run California this weekend, while falsely accusing Harris and President Joe Biden of doing the same in hurricane-hit Republican districts. Trump also suggested CBS should lose its license because he disagrees with its editorial decisions on a Harris interview on “60 Minutes” that he refuses to participate in. Trump’s allies, however, expressed alarm about how a new government would deal with big business, threatening to cancel Deloitte’s federal contracts after an employee allegedly revealed Sen. JD Vance’s private texts disparaging of the former president.
And new revelations about the former president’s kowtowing to foreign tyrants like Vladimir Putin have emerged when the Kremlin admitted Trump handed Covid-19 samples to a Russian authoritarian who is a sworn enemy of the US during a pandemic he routinely downplayed.
History reveals that Trump does not always follow through on his promises. However, his previous behavior shows that his threats should be regarded seriously.
A Supreme Court decision allowing presidents significant protection shows that imperial executive power faces few constraints.
Trump’s growing fanaticism puts even more strain on Harris. And a phalanx of senior Democratic officials, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, are appealing with voters in battleground states, particularly the Black and Latino voters Harris requires, not to let Trump return.
On Sunday, during a rally in North Carolina, the vice president increased her assaults on Trump, condemning him for declining to share his medical records (soon after delivering her own medical report) and for refusing to meet with her in a second debate or be interviewed by “60 Minutes.”
“He is not being transparent with voters.” It makes you question why his employees want him to hide away. “One must wonder, are they afraid that people will notice that he is too weak and unstable?” she inquired.
Growing fears among Democrats
Democrats are growing concerned that the enthusiasm surrounding Harris’ entry into the race in July, her successful convention in August, and her debate performance the following month has not translated into a significant advantage over Trump.
The newest HEADLINESFOREVER national poll average, which includes neck-and-neck surveys from CBS, ABC, and NBC issued Sunday, shows no clear leader. Even if Harris leads national polls, there are concerns that, like Hillary Clinton before her, she may win the popular vote but lose in the Electoral College.
The closely contested race three weeks away demonstrates that, while Trump is an outlier among traditional presidential contenders, he is giving something that millions of Americans want. Republicans say that Harris-Biden policies produced a jump in inflation, which the White House attempted to suppress for months. Trump used the messy US pullout from Afghanistan to claim that the present White House is perceived as weak around the world. And, after failing to address the policy and political implications of immigration earlier in Biden’s term, Democrats gave Trump a tremendous advantage on a vital subject.
The close race also implies that, despite Trump’s blatant extremism, Democrats have failed to generate a candidate and message that can provide reassurance about the election outcome for the third time in a row. While liberals and moderates may be frightened by Trump’s proposed strongman leadership, he is winning on the economy, which voters repeatedly rank as the most important electoral issue. According to an ABC News/Ipsos poll, 59% believe things are getting worse, despite the fact that the employment market is strong, inflation is well below its peak, and interest rates are falling.
Harris’ tenure as vice president is a liability in light of the country’s current state of discontent. And her failure, in a recent appearance with ABC’s “The View,” to identify even one thing she would have done differently than Biden is a gaffe Trump will exploit all the way to Election Day. Harris has outlined ideas to assist people in buying and renting houses, lowering the cost of health care, and reviving a bipartisan border bill that Trump killed. However, in her interviews, it is frequently difficult to discern a compelling rationale for her effort. Trump’s promise to deport migrants, slap tariffs on US trade partners, and heal a globe spiraling out of control seemed forceful, if extreme.
Democrats seeking reassurance should keep in mind that Trump’s poll numbers typically peak around 48% or below. This suggests that his traditional ceiling in national elections remains intact, whereas Harris may still have opportunity to rise. In an NBC News poll, 10% of voters said they might reconsider their decision. And what the network labeled a “sliver” remained unclaimed. In states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, and Georgia, even late fluctuations in support can be decisive.
The future composition of the electorate will also be critical. Will Harris’ emphasis on abortion rights, for example, result in higher-than-expected turnout among women voters, thus confounding pollsters’ assumptions? Can she stop her opponent’s surge among Black men and Hispanic voters? Or will Trump find a fresh source of support among Americans who agree with him on many issues but rarely vote?