QOTD -- Panic

 

"... [Trump] is going to Oklahoma this week, and then Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Iowa, and Texas in October. Campaigning in deep red states like these means that Trump (or more likely, Susie Wiles) understands these states could realistically go blue in the Senate and in some fairly red House districts. Whether his presence there helps or hurts the GOP is another question, however. It could motivate Democrats as much as, or more than, Republicans. When J.D. Vance went to Iowa to campaign for Ashley Hinson, she politely announced that she was busy and couldn't campaign together with him. If Vance is too toxic to be seen with, what does that say about Trump? Also, unlike Vance, who knows how to stay on message and call all the Democrats socialists three or four times a minute, Trump tends to make his speeches about himself, not about the candidate he is trying to help. This could remind Democrats why they hate him so much. It is far from certain that these desperate visits will actually be a net plus to the candidate nominally being supported. 

"What is also happening—albeit quietly—is that Republican candidates are either asking Trump for permission to criticize his administration (but not him personally) or just doing it without asking. Trump is being forced to swallow this, no matter how much it hurts him (although see our posting tomorrow). Topics where candidates are going against Trump include Iran, data centers, ICE and AI. Before this is over, Trump may have to swallow even more stuff he despises." -- Christopher Bates ("V") at Electoral-vote.org, on Republican panic heading into the final month of the mid-term election campaign.  We agree with Bates that the electoral cake has been baked, with public anger at the Malignant Fascist's policies and persona unabated.  We need to make sure that that anger carries through November 3 and into the last 2 years of the MF's reign of error.