What message does Donald Trump actually use to campaign?
Why does Donald Trump want to be re-elected in November? The president struggles to explain to voters what he would focus on in a second term. Meanwhile, the second corona wave is rolling.
When President Ronald Reagan campaigned for a second term in 1984, his slogan was: “It’s Morning Again in America”. The associated television commercial, now legendary, showed a number of confident Americans – the Republican in the White House had managed to get the economy back on track after the turbulent 1970s.
Now one can argue about the influence of such slogans on the voting behavior of the voters. However, all presidents who have applied for a further four years since Reagan’s landslide victory presented the voters with a catchy message. George W. Bush promised a “safe world” three years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. And Barack Obama said in the 2012 election campaign: “Forward,” as if his Republican opponent preferred a different direction.
The question arises with which slogan the incumbent president is campaigning. Before the outbreak of the Corona crisis, when the economy in the largest economy was still buzzing, Donald Trump made fun of asking his supporters what sounded better: “Make America great again” or “Keep America great”. At that time, he still intended to put the “great” economic data at the center of his campaign.
Donald Trump in conversation with daughter Ivanka. Image: keystone
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But the events of the past few weeks thwarted the Republican. Trump is still talking about the economy and how he will do everything to get America back on track. He also says he wants to restore “law and order” in America, even if he supports some of the demonstrators’ demands that have been taking to the streets against police violence and racism for a month.
But he doesn’t seem to be interested in the problems his country is currently facing. America is currently registering a massive increase in Corona cases, and the number of Covid-19 infections is increasing, particularly in South and Southwest America, home of the Republican Party. Texas Governor Greg Abbott therefore closed bars immediately on Friday; he also limited the capacity of restaurants. Trump justifies this “flash in the pan” with the fact that many more people are currently being tested than in March or April.
It fits: The President has not yet submitted a program in which he explains what priorities he wants to focus on in the future. Allies of the President have also noticed this. That’s why Fox News Channel presenter Sean Hannity asked him during an exchange with voters in Green Bay (Wisconsin): “What are your top priorities for a second term?”
Experience is a “very important” word
The President’s answer was 162 words. Trump said talent is more important than experience, probably a swipe at his opponent, Democrat Joe Biden. The word “experience” is a “very important” word, the President added. He pointed out that he was not a professional politician and that he might have been in the capital “17 times” before his election victory in November 2016.
The New York native was therefore initially not familiar with the conditions in Washington. «Now I know everyone. And I have great people in my government. You make a few mistakes. For example, I say, a fool like Bolton who always wanted to drop bombs on everyone. You don’t have to drop bombs on everyone. You don’t have to kill people, »said Trump.
Now it is understandable why the president is angry with his former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who is caustic criticism of Trump in his current disclosure book. “You don’t have to kill people” is not a good campaign slogan.
The program for undecided voters is missing
This is why unrest spreads among conservative opinion leaders who are associated with Trump in love-hate relationships. For example, the influential Wall Street Journal published a comment published on Friday: During his campaign appearances so far, the president had spoken primarily about things that got on his mind personally – the harsh media coverage of his work in the White House, for example. “But he didn’t present anything for those who aren’t already convinced.”
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