Countering Trump

DUBLINIRL

Imagine you are the campaign manager for a politician running against someone like Trump.

You partly focus on getting your message out and partly focus on countering 'Trump' and the views he puts out there.

What is your strategy to counter the 'Trump' arguments/comments?

Akrasia

Focus on his obvious frailties as a person.

His terrible hair, his unhealthy overweight body, his sickly orange skin, the smell that follows him around. His mental frailties, poor memory, barely passing a test for Alzheimer's and boasting about it.

His cowardice for dodging the draft, his poor business skills, so many failed businesses and bankruptcies, his disloyalty, so many of his former allies that he threw under the bus, he cheated on his wife, his taxes, paid for abortions, raped women, cheats at golf...

Show him up to be the small frail, incompetent bitter, whiney, stupid, old decrepit man that he is. And show how he actually hates America and democracy

Brussels Sprout

I would also emphasise how he's actually mostly been a big loser in politics.

• His only actual win was in 2016 and he still lost the popular vote then.
• His party's candidates got trounced in the 2018 mid-terms.
• He then became the first sitting president to lose an election in 28 years.
• All of his hand-picked Senate candidates bombed in the 2022 mid-terms.

ELM327

Run multiple candidates to steal votes from Biden.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122204960#Comment_122204960

That is Trump strategy used to attack Biden.

Biden is old - but so is Trump. He is 78 years old this year - the same age as Bill Clinton who was elected President over 32 years ago, and re-elected four years later. Hilary Clinton is also the same age. Biden is just 3 years older.

Biden shows some signs of age are effecting him, mainly in agility. He also shows he his-remembers things, but he has people to correct him.

However, Trump shows much greater signs of dementia - such as considering Hannibal Lector a real person, and fine example of an American. He has had other examples of rambling speeches that make no sense. [Trump is nuts].

I think attacking his many failings - the conviction, the business failures, his inability to pay even the bond in his libel case. All puncture his narcissism, which will drive him demented and onto the defense.

It might be a good strategy, and likely to succeed.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122205693#Comment_122205693

Yes, and just because Biden is also weak to some of those challenges, doesn't mean Biden shouldn't also use them against Trump.

Trump fans won't be turned on policy. They are emotionally connected to Trump and what they think he stands for. He needs to be shown for the embarrassment, the pathetic creature that he is.

While the most extremist trump fans will literally wear adult nappies to support him, the swing voters will be more easily turned off him if they associate him with all of the disgusting character and physical traits he has

techman1

TRump looks particularly old the last year or so , his face looks rough and haggard with tired eyes piering out, his hair is thinning and he doesn't look anything like the trump of 2016. He is old and tired now, biden is old too but he doesn't look menacing like trump does and he is not dieing his hair or putting on orange makeup or tanning lotion.

DUBLINIRL

So basically attack him on multiple things unrelated to his political view? Bring it back to the playground type of scenario?

ancapailldorcha

Just go with the facts and hopefully have a convincing change candidate. We all know what he is and while there is a mass MAGA following, it's not as large as it thinks it is.

DUBLINIRL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122215305#Comment_122215305

What if you're the campaign manager for the incumbent?

The Trump message resonates with a large percentage of people, very possibly enough to get him elected, so taking a passive approach to this might backfire.

Manach

Going Ad-hominen against Mr. Trump does rather leave the door open for similar counter-accusastions against the incumbent. Although given the perceived economic downturn in the US, that might be the only choice.

beggars_bush

You have to bait him

He could come out with anything in response or do anything in response

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058353979/countering-trump

Focus and his actions as President and how it hurt the regular voter and the actions you are doing to fix that.

Example: Global Inflation

The main driver of Global inflation from 2021-22 was Oil prices. There is plenty proof but common sense will tell you

https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/second-round-effects-of-oil-prices-on-inflation-in-the-advanced-foreign-economies-20231215.html

Trump in April 2020 when Oil was $19.90 a barrel went to OPEC and got Oil Production reduced by 10m barrels a day ( about 17%). This was asked for by the large US Oil companies. Trump did this by supplying arms to Saudi to fight in Yeman.

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN22C1V3/#:~:text=On%20April%2012%2C%20under%20pressure,about%2010%25%20of%20global%20output.

This quadrupled the price of oil to $62 by the time he left off and doubled again to $122 by May '22 as the Gloabl Economy expanded rapidly.

Those Oil Companies had record profits on the backs of the normal US Consumer.

So the Inflation that all Americans experienced was the 'Trump Inflation' paid for by regular Americas so Trump could mind his friends…

Now sell that.. It was always the Trump Inflation…

bucketybuck

I would make sure to use small words and crayon drawings, because Trump voters are really, really stupid.

Thats not even joking. "Intelligent" campaign strategies are likely going to be too sophisticated for the types of people who currently worship Trump. They will go right over their heads.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122217523#Comment_122217523

Your incumbent will need some luck and a decent record of governing along with a good social media team.

Populism thrives in economic misery. Always has done. Prevention is better than cure which is sadly much easier to say than to achieve.

clearz

Just take the inverse of Biden and run them against Trump. I'm serious. It would be best to have someone young and charismatic, a good public speaker and an all-around good communicator preferably handsome too. They need to understand and dissect all the standard right-wing conspiracies and talking points. They must understand the post-truth philosophy and all its implications. They can't be seen as "woke" (right-wing definition[s]) so no black, female lesbians for the foreseeable future. IMHO it's borderline criminal to be inserting people into the campaign based on how many diversity ticks they have instead of the singular matter of fighting back fascism and their ability to accomplish this. I'm lookin at you, Kamala Harris.

silverharp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357098#Comment_122357098

The Dems think in DEI terms, they are stuck with Kamala, they cant use a slick white guy from central casting ie Newsom. The Dems will need a term or 2 out of office to think it out, they are kind of stuck with the "crazy woman " vote for now

thegame983

Stop with the identity politics.

ELM327

Looks like one plan failed anyway over the weekend.

The best Democrat counter trump is someone centrist, young (presidential young, say like Obama in 08),charismatic, and that voters relate to. Basically Obama 2.0 is what they need, and they don't have.

For the GOP they could counter with someone like De Sanctis but why bother, this is Trump's last go around regardless. If he loses to Biden twice he's not running again and be too old anyway. Don't split the party, keep the MAGA and less extreme GOP bases together for four more years, avoid splinter factions, and try keep the white house in 2028.

silverharp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122383354#Comment_122383354

they sort of need to, in the old days is was more class based, now the identity politics is falling apart , its obvious that plenty of minorities will vote Republican now

clearz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122383380#Comment_122383380

What do you mean by "Looks like one plan failed anyway over the weekend."

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122387175#Comment_122387175

I expect that it's a conspiracy theory.

AbusesToilets

My opponent is a rapist, a traitor, a crook and likes to sexually abuse underage girls.

Repeated ad nauseam

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122387329#Comment_122387329

trump supporters seem to kinna like this kinna stuff, im not sure it would discourage them…

…its a bit of a mess really, a terrible opponent, and a country in complete disarray, both parties have done an enormous amount of damage to the country…..

ancapailldorcha

It's 2024. Anyone still supporting Trump won't be discouraged at this point. The best the Democrats can do now is to just hammer home the threat he poses, how vile he is and Project 2025.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122387175#Comment_122387175

Sorry that part of the post was intended as a tongue in cheek comment vs the rational comments that followed.

The shooter was a white male registered republican and member of the NRA. Hardly a democrat.

Augme

It very easy to attack Trump. That's not the problem, the problem is trying to do it with so who comes across as having early on set dementia.

AMKC

The way I see it is this election is Bidens to lose. Hopefully he does not but he needs to say and do what people here have said about how bad Trumps last term in office was and all the bad things about him.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122388877#Comment_122388877

Biden does not have early onset dementia. He is in the middle of the age of dementia. He is OK for now, but even in one year, he will be unable to operate at full level.

He should resign as President and leave Kamala Harris have a go. She does not need to be that good - just not Trump.

Trump looks very shook by the closeness of that bullet.

clearz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122387953#Comment_122387953

Ah ok, I agree that someone like Obama would be needed to beat Trump now. Biden could have come out and stated that he wouldn't be running again last year and he would have been remembered as the guy who bet Trump and saved democracy. Instead, he'll be remembered as the guy who put his ego above all else and lost the presidency to Trump.

I can imagine a lot of Democrats wearing "Lets Go Brandon" shirts after November.

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122387329#Comment_122387329

That only goes so far, even assuming it is all entirely correct.

Sure, as a character, he is entirely unfit for the White House. However….none of those are policy positions. None of them affect my wallet. None of them affect my security. None of them affect foreign policy. And so on. People are going to vote on what they think will benefit them, not on ethereal luxuries like morals of other people. "Sure, he's an arsehole, but he's not going to give away hundreds of billions of dollars for a war which isn't our concern, we need them for our own problems like the border."

The correct answer is not to character assassinate ad nauseum. I think most people by now know his character and it seems patently obvious that they don't care. If they did, he wouldn't be doing so well in the polls. Instead, explain, in short, simple terms, why it is in the US's interest to keep supporting Ukraine, or why the Biden tax plan is better, or whatever. Explain why they, personally, will be better off with Biden in the White House… because very obviously character references aren't doing the job.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122390113#Comment_122390113

If you feel any of that is an incorrect assertion, please feel free to share. It's not a character assassination, it's an accurate assessment of who he is. The Biden campaign has been consistent in its messaging with respect to the economy. The sentiment among the US's allies couldn't be clearer as to their opinions of a 2nd Trump presidency. If Biden shares the stage with him for a debate, I would hope he hammers him repeatedly about his many, many criminal actions. Trump gets let off the hook constantly by the media, they don't push him to answer for what he's done. Biden needs to shut up and give Trump enough rope to hang himself.

Everytime Biden opens his mouth, he's risking disaster at this point, unfortunately.

Manic Moran

I don't mean 'character assassination' as in any of it is wrong, I mean it as a method of politicking. You're trying to kill the candidacy by attacking, even if justifiably, his character.

How many people, at least in the swing voter category (let's ignore Trump acolytes because they're not exactly in play), are unaware of the above characterisation of Trump, do you think? Yet the polling is pretty damned clear that it's not having as much of an effect as you might like. They are leaning to Trump for some reason regardless. Even if they are unaware of Trump's character (which I obviously doubt), that's not a reason for a voter to lean in Trump's direction.

Why are people polling for Trump, either in ignorance of, or lack of concern for, his character?

I submit that that is the tack which is going to have more of a benefit, not continuing to repeat 'ad nauseum' something which very obviously isn't having much of an effect.

pureza

In a discussion with a young U.S voter recently,they said they were voting for the lesser of 2 evils

I took that to mean Trump or it could have meant Biden ,I did not ask

With Harris (any relation to Simon ? 😁) now in the picture,do ya know,it's wide open,her productive rights question at one of Trumps supreme court nominee's hearings was iconic 'Sir do you know any point of U.S law that takes control of mens bodies ?"

csirl

Most posters are concentrating on attacking Trump. A negative campaign.

The way to beat him is to run a positive campaign that ignores him completely. Set out a positive image of the future if your candidate is elected. Make people feel that voting for your candidate will improve their lives and give them hope.

Voters themselves will notice the contrast with a negative campaign which paints a picture of America being a battleground going forward. You dont need to point this out.

thatsdaft

There is no point even trying to reach hardcore MAGA cult and Trump himself is busy alienating the normal wing of the Republican Party and going ever more extreme

Target them and the policies they care about

As for Trump, troll him, he can barely contain himself, get him to implode and go off on his old man shouting at clouds rants

Gunk up the the hardcore MAGAs with so much non important crap that their heads implode and they get distracted from the prize which is those few dozen thousand people in key swing states that will win this election

Flaneur OBrien

I'm fully behind the Democrats line of attack about pointing out how weird Donald Trump and JR Vance are.

They're pointedly not calling his supporters weird, just the two dudes. Which is smart for those that haven't been brainwashed.

By all means, there's no point trying to even reach out to the MAGA faithful, but there's a lot more that aren't out there and they are doing a fine job just pointing out how weird a Trump presidency was.

Fast food buffet for athletes in the White House WAS weird. I also thought today, wouldn't it have been stone cold?

The Christmas decorations they had in the white house. Every year. Very weird. Not traditional, not warming. And they constantly say there's a war on Christmas! Yeah, by weirdos like Trump and Melania 😂

JD Vance and his "give kids votes for their parents" announcements. That's such a weird idea.

There's just a litany of weird stuff from them and they're gonna give them so much ammo over the next three months. Trump and Vance can't help themselves.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122439947#Comment_122439947

You mentioned the word troll there - isn’t the way to beat a troll to ignore them? If you start to get into tit for tat arguements Shirley he’ll win in the long run - in addition, Harris or indeed most career politicians can’t play that game very well - they’ve campaigned on an issues basis all of their lives - mud slinging and the stuff Trump comes out with are all from the troll playbook- very clever stuff written by very clever people - you’d need to be on top of your game to nail them - my advice would be just go a different route- “it’s the economy stupid” and such like

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440661#Comment_122440661

Won't work. Ignoring them gives them bizarro ammo of, "see, they have nothing to say" and we live in the bizarro now.

It'll be much more effective to say,

"Ok ya little weirdo. You think that's a normal thing to say...? Anyways, as we were saying..." Etc.

The Dems seem to be going down "the give em' enough rope" route

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440687#Comment_122440687

you already look weak name calling - sorry 🤪

thatsdaft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440661#Comment_122440661

She doesn’t have to do it herself, Harris and whoever her VP is can focus on an “adult” campaign

But as her “theoretical advisor” as per OP I would recommend this

There is an army of young people who absolutely hate everything Trump stands for and view him and his cult for what they are, old backwards authoritarians who want to destroy democracy and bring in something resembling Handmaidens Tale crossed with modern oligarchic dystopia that is Russia

These are the people who already it seems started to destroy Trump and Vance on social media with memes and jokes that obliterate the demented and senile Trump and couch f**king Vance

This btw is the same approach likes of NAFO have used against Russian troll farms, make fun of them and expose their stupidity and poke holes in their inconsistencies in the process tying these trolls up in knots.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440697#Comment_122440697

That's fine, I don't really care 😂

It's just pointing it out and moving on.

You know people will be more comfortable talking around the water cooler about how weird something is, instead of talking about how stupid/criminal/wrong something is.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440715#Comment_122440715

I’ll tell ya what I did like- The Nappy Trump effigy - I thought that was brilliant- a picture paints a thousand words and that was classic

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440716#Comment_122440716

wouldn’t bother - it just brings Harris down to his level - and Trump knows that - let their supporters troll each other on social media but Harris should keep above all of that.

If Kelly is picked as VP he’ll have a field day talking grown up things like the military - he can blow Trumps policies out of the water with legitimate background experience - no less sending off soldiers to certain death where he dodged the draft himself - things can get difficult for Trump and he knows it

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440774#Comment_122440774

And his combat reporter sidekick, Boy Bumble. I look forward to the VP debate if Kelly is picked.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122440715#Comment_122440715

I was going to say "Isn't that just preaching to the converted" but maybe that's the way to go at this stage. There's probably only a very small handful of genuine 'swing voters' out there and it's hard to know how Harris could truly 'reach out' to them without drastically diluting her message. Biden succeeded in swaying just about enough of those 'undecideds' in the swing states but Harris might be better advised to go all in on 'rallying the base'…

applehunter

1. Trump's reliance on Israel money (no big claims about special interests anymore) He's just another politician.
2. Focus on Israel (NB)🎓️
3. Miriam Adelson🤔
4. Let JD Vance open his mouth (working already)
5. He doesn't deliver on his promises. Didn't achieve anything in his 1st term (Wall will be 10ft higher, what wall?????)

thatsdaft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122443152#Comment_122443152

As an “imaginary campaign manager” for Harris I have identified few groups, each need their separate approaches

• ex Biden voters, these need to be treated with respect and reassured that the Bidenomics ship stay on course
• Single cat ladies, thanks to Vance a whole new category was created, get Taylor Swift endorsement
• double haters, these hated both Biden and Trump mainly for their age, appeal to this new segment in this election and point out Trumps age and lack of energy and declining mental state, they might still hate Harris but great potential in getting them to vote for least hated candidate
• undecided, mythical unicorns who somehow haven’t decided maybe due to being too busy working, address their primary issues which are economy, border and abortion in that order
• Disgruntled centrist republicans who hate Trump, make it clear that trump moved far to the loony right and your policies more closely align with them
• MAGA cult, troll them and tie them up in knots for months and keep them off ball and distracted (see hoopla over Paris) and more importantly trigger Trump and Vance to say even more **** that play well for getting other categories above

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122443167#Comment_122443167

Don't see how Harris benefits significantly from taking a stronger line on Israel, as most Israel-critical Americans are already in the Dems' corner. The only erstwhile Trump voters she might attract that way are the likes of these guys

and if she went hard enough sway them she'd surely alienate a big chunk of centre-ground opinion

Sam Russell

I got an email from Trump offering me a limited edition cap for the 2024 election campaign.

It looks extremely gaudy and trashy, but I did not click on the link for obvious reasons so I do not know the price.

The slogan was new - 'Get America Back' - but from where?

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122492417#Comment_122492417

Is it a retort to, "We're not going back"?