Sunday Issues of the Week-August 18, 2024
Harris in Chicago; Trump in trouble.
Welcome to the third edition of Sunday Issues of the Week, where I share my thoughts on what to watch this week in politics and, occasionally, other things.
This week, I will watch the Democratic National Convention, but not all of it. I’ll watch Joe Biden and Barack Obama but settle for a highlights video of most other speakers. I’ll watch Harris’s speech, of course. If she screws the speech up, it could cost her momentum. She won’t.
Absent a surprise, Little real news is likely to come from the convention. The Democrats are unified, on a roll, and, as one pundit put it, their best strategy is to run out the clock. Pro-Palestinian protestors are expected outside the United Center, but Chicago police appear prepared. Harris will get a boost from the week’s speeches and the enthusiasm of the gathering.
I will also watch Donald Trump this week. Every day that Trump fails to come up with anything that restarts his campaign is a step forward for Harris.
Trump will attempt some sort of stunt to attract some media attention. Given his first two “news conferences,” including that joke at his golf course last week, I don’t expect him to hold a third one.
On Saturday, Trump held a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It was a disaster. Social media showed attendees leaving while Trump was still speaking. Trump revisited familiar themes, calling Harris “a Communist,” complaining about Biden dropping out of the race, and confusing North Carolina for Pennsylvania.
Here is an excerpt from Trump’s comments:
In her speech yesterday, Kamala went full communist. Comrade Kamala announced that she wants to institute socialist price controls. You saw that never worked before … It will cause rationing, hunger and skyrocketing prices.
Trump’s performance prompted Democrats and others to ask, “Is he OK?” He is not.
Over the weekend, I read about the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, chaired by James Comer (R-KY), which is conducting an investigation into Tim Walz’s relationship with China. The Washington Post reports Comer is concerned that Walz has a” long-standing and cozy relationship with China.” Comer writes:
Mr. Walz has visited China dozens of times, served as a fellow at a Chinese institution that maintains a devotion to the CCP, and spoke alongside the President of a Chinese organization the State Department exposed as a CCP effort to influence and co-opt local leaders.
The House investigation is a prime example of abuse of the legislative process. Comer should be held accountable for weaponizing the Congressional power to investigate for the purpose of attempting to smear Tim Walz. It won’t work.
Harris’s economic plan.
The Harris economic plan is now public, albeit without full details. Donald Trump railed against it at his “press conference” at his golf club. I am watching how economists react to the proposed price controls on food.
Harris will also be attacked on the cost of her proposals, including forgiving medical debt and increasing the child tax credit to $6,000.
Harris’s proposal on medical debt builds on proposals announced by the White House in June. The proposals included “leveraging public dollars and eliminating medical debt.” The Biden administration also proposed restricting efforts to collect medical debt and prohibiting medical debt from being reported to credit bureaus. The Harris plan is likely to build on the Biden proposals.
Harris’ economic plan will receive enthusiastic support at the Democratic convention. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) described it as “a strong progressive agenda.”
Other news.
The Washington Post reports that Harris has reserved $370 million in advertising before election day, $170 million in traditional television advertising, and $200 million in digital ads. I can hardly wait. Will Trump be able to match the deluge of ads?
What about the polls?
I will not watch the polls on the presidential race this week, at least not watch them closely. A new Washington Post -ABC-Ipsos poll released today shows Harris’ number improving dramatically. That is good news, but it is only August. Harris and Trump are in a tight race. The polls won’t become meaningful for a few more weeks. Until then, they are a distraction.
Thank you.
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© 2024 John Dean, all rights reserved.
The Trump phenomenon seems to be experiencing a downward spiral where he rejects all advice on message and reverts to a limited set of scripts in his head which make up an alternative universe in which he's chosen to reside. My favorite new offering from DT: "I look better than Kamala...."