In a recent campaign statement, Harris captured the essence of this strategy, referring to Trump as “old and quite weird.” This isn’t just idle chatter; it’s part of a calculated effort to reshape Trump’s public image from a political powerhouse to an unpleasant, laughable figure.
“Just plain weird,” Harris herself declared at a recent event, making it clear that her campaign aims to turn the former president into a national punchline.
Trump’s response to this tactic has been predictable. Known for his ability to mock opponents with biting humor, Trump has shown visible irritation at being the subject of ridicule. “I hate when people laugh at me,” he lamented at a rally earlier this month. His discomfort with being the butt of jokes seems to play right into Harris’s hands.
The Harris campaign has embraced this approach with gusto. Their recent press releases are a masterclass in modern political mockery. Descriptions of Trump include phrases like “bitter, unhinged” and “generally sounded like someone you wouldn’t want to sit near at a restaurant—let alone be president.” The idea is to minimize Trump’s stature and present him as an increasingly erratic figure.
The campaign’s jabs extend beyond Trump himself to his vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance. Vance’s past remarks about “childless cat ladies,” which belittled women like Harris who haven’t had children, have earned him the label of “super weird” from Democratic senators. Adding fuel to the fire, a viral fake news story about Vance and a sofa, while entirely fabricated, has been used to fuel a deluge of memes and jokes that have further cemented his status as an oddity in the public’s eye.
Hillary Clinton, ever the sharp critic, summed up the strategy succinctly: “If Republican leaders don’t enjoy being called weird, creepy, and controlling, they could try not being weird, creepy, and controlling.” Her words echo the new tone of Harris’s campaign, which is less about policy and more about poking fun at Trump and his allies.
This approach has caught the Trump campaign off guard. After President Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the race and Harris’s rapid rise, the Trump team has found itself scrambling. The former president, who has traditionally thrived on verbal sparring, now faces a different kind of battle.
In response, Trump and his allies have attempted to turn the tables. Trump has labeled Harris with a series of insults including “dumb,” “nuts,” and “a bum.” His son, Donald Trump Jr., has been leading the charge to flip the “weird” narrative back at the Democrats. On social media, he’s used crude language to attack Harris’s support for gender reassignment surgery for prison inmates, suggesting that her priorities are out of touch.
Trump himself has even taken to mocking Harris’s laughter, trying to brand her with a new nickname: “laughing Kamala.” He’s suggested that her laugh reveals something sinister, aiming to discredit her through her mannerisms.
As the campaign trail heats up, it’s clear that the battle will be as much about perceptions and humor as it is about policies. Whether the “weird” strategy will stick or if Trump’s counterattacks will shift the narrative remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the 2024 election is shaping up to be one of the most unconventional in recent history.
Source : Times of India
