Donald Trump has always been a showman, but his latest campaign is more circus than statesman. From photo opportunities serving fries at McDonald’s to sheer crudity about golfing legend Arnold Palmer’s anatomy, his antics have left many wondering: is this really a presidential campaign?
Kamala Harris, though, isn’t complaining. In fact, she’s quietly turning Trump’s chaos into her secret weapon.
As the former president delivers rambling speeches – or bizarre dad dancing stints – that seem to last longer than most people’s attention spans, Harris is sticking to a more traditional playbook. Her campaign appearances are tightly scripted, focusing on policies rather than performances.
With Trump dominating the news cycle with his wild remarks, she is seizing the moment, using his erratic behaviour to her advantage.
His flunkies proudly call him the “king of earned media”, meaning he grabs headlines without even trying. And they’re not wrong.
But not all attention is good attention. Democrats are betting that his nonstop antics will backfire, especially with undecided voters.
After all, while watching a 77-year-old man awkwardly dance to YMCA might be amusing, it’s not exactly what most people expect from a world leader.
Harris’s strategy? Let Trump be Trump, and then remind voters why that’s exactly the problem.
In this final stretch, she has made her rival’s behaviour the focus of her election campaign. She’s running ads featuring his most off-the-wall moments, like when he mused about using the military against “enemies from within” (yes, that’s his actual plan).
At her rallies, Harris doesn’t hold back. She has long questioned Trump’s fitness for office, raising concerns about his temperament, his stamina, and his mental stability. And she’s using his own words to make her case.
Trump recently told a crowd a strange story about Arnold Palmer’s showers – a moment that left many scratching their heads in disgust.
One of Harris’s funniest moments came at a rally in Atlanta. “Have you noticed that when Trump speaks, he tends to ramble?” she asked. “He calls it ‘The Weave,’ but I think we all know what it really is – nonsense.”
Trump’s speeches are like a rollercoaster without a clear direction. He starts talking about the economy, veers into conspiracy theories, and somehow ends up on golf.
Harris isn’t letting voters forget it. She’s started pausing her own speeches to show clips of Trump’s most confusing moments, letting his own words do the heavy lifting. His offbeat style has always been his trademark, and his supporters love him for it.
But for Harris, every off-colour joke and awkward dance move is a gift. It’s an opportunity to remind voters of the stakes in this election.
As long as the news shows Trump as old, confused, and rambling, give him all the spotlight he wants, is the Democrat’s belief. For Harris, Trump’s chaotic campaign is doing the work for her.
By the time voters head to the polls, she’s betting they’ll be ready for something a little less wild.