Trump is racing from rally to rally. But is it helping him?

[brooklynite]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: New York Times

There are 15 days left until Election Day. Tens of millions of Americans have already voted. Joseph R. Biden Jr. is leading in the polls, and President Trump’s last chance to turn things around might be the second — and last — presidential debate on Thursday.

And so far, Mr. Trump is not doing formal debate prep.

Rather than attending a pre-debate boot camp to help him avoid a repeat of last month’s poorly-reviewed performance against Mr. Biden, the president appears likely to spend most of the week on a kind of political joy ride, flitting from rally to rally and revving up his grateful, mostly maskless crowds. He kicks off the week with two such events in Arizona, stumping up north in Prescott and then down in Tucson.

Republicans hope that Mr. Trump’s travels will excite conservative voters who might otherwise be somewhat demoralized at this point in the race, and drive them to the polls in greater numbers.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/10/19/us/trump-vs-biden/trump-is-racing-from-rally-to-rally-but-is-it-helping-him

[Arkansas Granny]

1. He's preaching to the choir. His rallies are not expanding his base or winning him any votes.

[kwolf68]

2. That's because

Democrats are not part of "real America". They never speak to anyone other than the fringe right. Because they consider moderates, Democrats, Liberals to be enemies of the state. They have contempt for Democrats and contempt for Democracy because oftentimes Democracy selects Democratic ideas, which they consider treasonous. We are dealing with a bunch of vipers who have eclipsed political depravity I never could have imagined in such a great nation.

[tanyev]

13. Probably losing some votes with all the Covid he's spreading around.

[lagomorph777]

17. Also, he is infecting MAGAts at these superspreader rallies.

Many of them will be too sick to vote, or caring for relatives and unable to get out and vote. So probably not a wise plan.

[Arkansas Granny]

20. The MAGAts know the risks and choose to participate. I'll not waste any pity on them.

[lagomorph777]

21. Nope. Their choice.

[dchill]

3. EVERY Trump event is a Biden ad.

All he's doing now is inciting terrorism.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. He could care less.

You and I are paying the Freight for all his so called Rallies.

[beachbumbob]

6. trump making NEW Biden voters with every stop, it feeds his ego and nothing else

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Please, no more debates

We have nothing to gain from this. No new knowledge. Are they planning a virtual debate? Trump will just lie and throw vitriol, and some new cooked-up evidence against Biden. Total nonsense.

[lagomorph777]

18. I hope there is another debate. Trump dropped 2 points (permanently) after the last one.

He is even crazier now; will drop another couple points.

[snowybirdie]

8. I feel really sorry

for his Secret Service detail. He's running them ragged and exposing them to virus every day. These people have lives and families too.

[marble falls]

9. Its the steroids. Even better than Ritalin.

[paleotn]

30. Got to be....

I don't think he can go on like this for long. He's not going to last 15 days.

[Javaman]

10. no but it's killing his followers.

good bad thing. LOL

[LymphocyteLover]

26. that's my take too

of course, he's making the pandemic much worse... it's sick and evil

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. tRump listens to gutless echo chamber RepubliCONs who tell him he won the first debate.

They are conning the Con.

[cp]

12. Infecting, sickening, and killing his cult before they vote?

Good plan.

[LymphocyteLover]

27. They have just enough time to get it now and be too sick to vote

later rallies, they may not get sick until after they vote (unless they vote early but apparently the right loves to vote on election day)

[SWBTATTReg]

14. He's like a chicken w/ its head cut off, and he's racing from one fire to the next fire,

and not doing a damn thing. Just like he's PINO, totally incompetent. Is this what we want as a leader?

Just wait, he'll going to go fruitcake before long...

[patphil]

15. All he's doing is generating a series of super spreader events.

His base is all he has, and the rallies haven't got any reach beyond his base.
So it's apparent the rallies don't have much to do with Trump winning.
They're more like a drug for Trump now; an energy "fix" from those who worship him.

Of course each rally brings with it a price tag in sickness and death. Few masks, no social distancing, thousands of people shouting and cheering. It's the perfect environment for the spread of Covid-19.

Ask Trump if he cares.

[maxsolomon]

16. His schtick is tired.

In 2016, I said the best we could hope is that everyone would get tired of his act. If he'd been able to pivot and focus on governance instead of yuks and slander, he'd be a 2-termer.

But he can't, because he is a fatally damaged human with little actual expertise in anything but bullying.

[BlueWavePsych]

19. Collapse coming soon?

[BKDem]

22. I hope it's killing him.

No, really.

I want him dead.

[DinahMoeHum]

24. We should get so lucky.

Maybe it will happen in the middle of a speech.

[LymphocyteLover]

29. LOL, it's the only reason to watch that insanity-- to see if he finally strokes out

[LymphocyteLover]

28. it can't be good for him and I wouldn't cry if it did

kill him. But I'm betting that all he is doing these days is resting, getting hopped up on drugs and doing these rallies.

[Withywindle]

39. I hope he lives long enough to die in prison

after losing in a historic landslide.

I want him to watch his house of cards finally crumble beyond any hope of repair. I want him to feel the humiliation. I want him to know he's a LOSER.

[Nitram]

23. Whether or not it helps him, it's all he knows how to do, and his base loves it.

[paleotn]

25. He's doing it for himself, not his campaign...

and he probably doesn't consciously realize that. He's not really cut out for politics in a democracy. Doesn't have a clue how it works. Probably doesn't care. This is just to feed his own weird need for affirmation. His people know he's cooked, even if he doesn't.

[IronLionZion]

31. Many of his supporters may not be feeling well by election day

[rainin]

32. I think these rallies serve 3 purposes: raising an army, making money, and basking in praise

He's likely not winning any voters. People who go to his rallies already worship him. He could be animating militia types to make sure they're 'standing by' for further orders. And rallies are very effective for motivating supporters. Normally, the candidate is calling for their most ardent supporters to continue working hard on behalf of the campaign. Trump may not care about the campaign anymore - if he ever did

The other obvious benefit to him is I think he launders money through campaign events. There are so many ways to move money from donors into his many companies with an event like this. He has taken the concept of OPM (Other People's Money) to a new level. He's enriching himself.

The last thought needs no explanation. He feeds on attention.

[Javaman]

33. it's what super spreaders do. nt

[Sierra89]

34. Trump coming to Tucson, AZ surpasses ignorance.

Pima County and Santa Cruz County always vote Blue. Check previous voting maps/years. Links were up in articles and social media to request tickets, specifically to not show up. He may have a pack of his usual Ya-hoos/dinks that follow him to rallies. There was even a call in to The Stephanie Miller Show this morning saying there have been ads for people to show up and get paid $250 for the day. (Allegedly, not something I fact-checked). We have been early voting here since Oct. 7th, and the numbers are bigger than in any previous year.

Tucson is full of familes who are Spanish/Basque/Mexican/Chinese/African-American/Irish/Indigenous descendants of the pioneer families. The Tohono O' odham have been here since time immemorial.Their ancestral burial land has been blown up to build the border wall. Their ancient watering spring is being emptied to use on the same construction. Our families all learned to live/work together a very long time ago. We shared cultures and depended on one another. If you did not know a family personally, you knew OF them. That's what people who are strangers here, (and do not try to get to know) will never understand. To this day we respect, have love, and are in it for each other. We welcome newcomers who do the same.Whatever attendance you do see at trump's Tucson rally, remember that it is not likely to be a direct reflection of the multi-cultural population here. Right now we are either at work/otherwise busy, or at home avoiding being out while an idiot and his followers are spreading a pandemic. Despite our Mayor providing masks and having attendee's temperatures checked at the door, early news previews show almost everyone maskless.

Tell me why trump thinks coming here to have a super spreader is such a good idea.

[BlueIdaho]

35. Mr. Chaos isn't going to do debate prep.

He’s going to attack VP Biden with Russian disinformation for 90 minutes. It will be a shit show start to finish.

[Progressive Jones]

38. Yes, I'm looking forward to it precisely for the chaotic shit show. It's meltdown time. Stay tuned.

[ananda]

36. I hate to burst his slimy little hate bubble, but..

.. there are very few undecided voters right now.

Poor baby...

[pfitz59]

37. My one Tucson friend detests Trump

She can't wait to see him gone.

[Omaha Steve]

40. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

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