Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Meltdown
Digest
The podcast delves into the political landscape surrounding the upcoming election, focusing on the growing popularity of Kamala Harris and the strategies employed by both the Trump and Harris-Walls campaigns. Trump is reportedly upset by Harris's rising poll numbers and large crowds at her rallies, resorting to making false claims about her and even fantasizing about Biden taking back the nomination. He further attempts to downplay her momentum by focusing on crowd size at his own rallies, comparing them to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, a deeply offensive and inaccurate comparison. The podcast highlights the importance of framing the race and defining the candidates on their own terms, suggesting that voters are more responsive to positive messaging about Harris's biography and record than anti-Trump messages. The Harris-Walls campaign is advised to focus on low-key events in the week leading up to the convention, allowing the convention itself to drive the message. They should continue to be on offense, releasing new attacks on Trump daily and rolling out policy proposals. The podcast also examines the Trump campaign's attacks on Tim Walls's military record, accusing him of lying about his rank and leaving the National Guard before his unit was deployed to Iraq. However, these attacks have backfired after Trump was recorded praising Walls for his handling of the George Floyd protests. Finally, the podcast features Brian Tyler Cohen, author of "Shameless Republicans: Deliberate Dysfunction in the Battle to Preserve Democracy," who discusses the importance of reaching different audiences and the lessons Democrats can learn from operating in a political landscape dominated by misinformation. He emphasizes the need for Democrats to build a stronger progressive media ecosystem to combat misinformation and reach different audiences.
Outlines
Trump's Frustration and Attacks on Kamala Harris
Trump is reportedly upset and complaining about Kamala Harris's rising poll numbers and large crowds at her rallies. He's even posting fantasies about Biden crashing the Democratic convention to take back the nomination.
Trump's Press Conference: Crowd Size and Other Rants
Trump held a press conference where he focused on his crowd size, comparing it to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. He also made comments about asylum seekers and transgender issues, demonstrating his lack of understanding of these topics.
The Harris-Walls Campaign's Strategy and Messaging
The Harris-Walls campaign has a two-week window to frame the race and define the candidates on their terms. Polling suggests voters are more responsive to positive messaging about Harris's biography and record, rather than anti-Trump messages.
Campaign Strategy for the Two Weeks Before the Convention
The Harris-Walls campaign should focus on low-key events in the week leading up to the convention, allowing the convention itself to drive the message. They should continue to be on offense, releasing new attacks on Trump daily and rolling out policy proposals.
Swiftboating Tim Walls and the Backlash
The Trump campaign is attacking Tim Walls's military record, accusing him of lying about his rank and leaving the National Guard before his unit was deployed to Iraq. However, these attacks have backfired after Trump was recorded praising Walls for his handling of the George Floyd protests.
Brian Tyler Cohen Discusses "Shameless Republicans"
Brian Tyler Cohen, YouTuber, podcaster, and now author, discusses his new book, "Shameless Republicans: Deliberate Dysfunction in the Battle to Preserve Democracy." He talks about the importance of reaching different audiences and the lessons Democrats can learn from operating in a political landscape dominated by misinformation.
Keywords
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is an American politician who is the 49th and current vice president of the United States. She previously served as the 32nd attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017 and as a U.S. senator from California from 2017 to 2021.
Tim Walls
Tim Walls is an American politician who is the 40th and current governor of Minnesota. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Walls was born in rural Minnesota and served in the Minnesota National Guard for 24 years.
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. He was born and raised in the New York City borough of Queens and received an economics degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Shameless Republicans
"Shameless Republicans: Deliberate Dysfunction in the Battle to Preserve Democracy" is a book by Brian Tyler Cohen that explores the tactics used by Republicans to undermine democracy and the lessons Democrats can learn from operating in this political landscape.
Political Strategy
The podcast discusses the strategies employed by both the Trump and Harris-Walls campaigns, including messaging, framing, and attacking opponents.
Election 2020
The podcast focuses on the upcoming election and the political landscape surrounding it, including the candidates, their campaigns, and the issues at stake.
Democratic Party
The podcast discusses the Democratic Party's strategy for the upcoming election, including the importance of reaching different audiences and combating misinformation.
Republican Party
The podcast examines the tactics used by the Republican Party, including attacking opponents and spreading misinformation.
Q&A
Why is Trump so focused on crowd size and comparing himself to Martin Luther King Jr.?
Trump is likely trying to downplay Kamala Harris's momentum by claiming that her rallies are small and insignificant. He's also attempting to portray himself as a more popular and influential figure than Martin Luther King Jr., which is a deeply offensive and inaccurate comparison.
What are the key takeaways from Brian Tyler Cohen's book, "Shameless Republicans"?
Cohen argues that Democrats need to stop relying solely on mainstream media and build a stronger progressive media ecosystem to combat misinformation and reach different audiences. He also emphasizes the importance of being organized and having a clear message.
How can Democrats effectively counter the Trump campaign's attacks on Tim Walls?
Democrats should focus on highlighting Walls's record of service, his experience as a governor, and his commitment to working-class Americans. They should also point out the hypocrisy of the Trump campaign's attacks, given Trump's own history of making false claims about Walls.
Show Notes
Trump throws a temper tantrum at Mar-a-Lago, boasting he draws bigger crowds than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did for the “I Have a Dream” speech. Is he freaking out because Harris is surging in the polls? Meanwhile, Harris and Walz hit Detroit, where they score a UAW union endorsement and tout her economic record. Brian Tyler Cohen discusses his new book, “Shameless: Republicans’ Deliberate Dysfunction and the Battle to Preserve Democracy,” and then joins Jon and Favs for a game called Take Appreciators.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
aww I've missed Take Appreciaters! Please keep these coming - is such a great way to end each episode.
"Their job is to report the news not help Democrats win elections." Is easily the most frustrating reoccurring take on this show. I'm sorry guys if a fair accounting of the news helps Democrats win, that is infact the job. The editorializing and narrative crafting done by MSM is not real journalism and strays further from "news" every election cycle. Please stop giving them a pass on this and hammer them for the disservice they do their country.