"the rallies are largely a way to keep the unscripted and undisciplined president occupied"

[Demovictory9]

President Donald Trump yearns for the magic of his 2016 upstart campaign: the multi-rally days, crisscrossing the country in a Trump-branded plane, the screaming crowds.

So he’s designed a 2016 redux in 2020 to recapture that spirit, casting off the constraints of a pandemic, his own presidency and even the advice of some of his own advisers.


Trump views rallies in battleground states as the linchpin of his closing argument, a means to excite his supporters and ensure they vote on Nov. 3. But many Republicans close to the White House, former senior administration officials and political advisers say the rallies are largely a way to keep the unscripted and undisciplined president occupied, since they do little to persuade new Trump voters. Rallies, they note, do not woo senior citizens, independents or suburban women, many of whom have moved away from the Trump ticket this election cycle. Most of Trump’s rallies are no longer televised nationally as they once were.


And with coronavirus infection rates climbing, the Trump rallies often draw negative headlines in local news markets because the packed events defy public health guidelines, featuring few masks and almost no social distancing. After Trump’s recent rallies in Bemidji and Duluth, Minn. — both in counties the Trump campaign hopes to win — local health authorities connected roughly 24 new Covid-19 cases to the rallies and protests outside of them.


“I don’t think he has a lot of other options, if they are trying to figure out a way for him to spend his time,” said one former senior administration official. “The president easily gets stuck in things of the past and tries to repeat them. Rallies are the best thing they have for him. He wants to be on the road, and you can’t tell him to do something different.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/21/trumps-2020-cure-all-rallies-430552

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

1. God forbid he would stay at the WH & and do some damn work

for the country.

[Tommymac]

2. You mean ripping off the Country. nt

[NJCher]

4. He can't

Because this sick, distorted form of life is nothing but a black hole which can only suck up adulation. Or what he perceives as adulation.

[modrepub]

7. What Work?

No bills to sign because Moscow Mitch is only interested in packing the court with young ultra right nominees. You only can spend so much time watching FOX in one day.

I can't wait until they release what his typical day schedule consisted of and how many insecure phone and text lines he used on any given day.

[onetexan]

8. He's never done any work since he stepped foot into the WH

All he does is watch Faux News & rage tweet.

[sandensea]

3. Basically mobile day care

Like an insane dictator that has to be kept busy with women or shopping trips to Paris, since in the presidential palace he's only trouble.

Sad.

[Sherman A1]

5. Interesting theory

Could very well be true.

[Aussie105]

6. Most of Trump's rallies are no longer televised nationally as they once were.

There's a good reason for this.

TV executives in the boardroom. Head executive asks the question: Think Trump will say anything new, something of importance?
Something that makes sense? Something relevant to the upcoming election? Worth the air time?

They all look around the room: people look confused, shaking their heads slowly.

Boss executive: OK then, let's not bother.

Smiles all round.

Trump is caught in a time warp. Like the Apprentice days, the 2016 election, as long as he has a crowd to play to, everything will, in his mind, Come Out Good.
Notice though, that Melania and the others aren't interested enough to tag along.

[GusBob]

16. No tag alongs but

His spawn are out doing them now

Like they will be replacing daddy

Or some other schmuck will carry on the Trump effect

[Illumination]

9. The only screams he should be getting these days is Americans horrified by his do nothing

attitude on C-19 & dying...!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. tRump is a puppet of Judge-maker McConnell. . . . nt

[2naSalit]

11. They seem to be like...

Binary black holes.

[Drum]

12. ...

[tanyev]

13. Have they tried peek-a-boo? Shaking keys in front of his face?

[GopherGal]

17. And as someone observed,

...they've already tried "bundle him up in the car for a ride around the block. Then maybe he'll go to sleep."

Crayons and some PDB's to color in, perhaps? Or Sharpies and some storm-path maps?

[maryellen99]

14. I think he has no choice but to do them because his campaign has no more money for ads nt

[GusBob]

15. Spot on

They are cheaper

He is not winning new voters with old tricks