Where is Donald Trump?
The question could be asked in the literal sense since Trump the ever-present lifelong real estate developer, tabloid celebrity and reality TV star-turned first time politician-turned president of the United States has (somewhat) disappeared from view recently, the always hungry for sleaze establishment media having discovered a much shinier object and juicier topic to obsess over in the multitude of foibles and astonishing Democrat self-hatred being directed at incumbent president senile Joe Biden.
Trump’s relative absence from the headlines has been odd to American politics observers conditioned to seeing every other news story focusing on some aspect of Trump, be it his always in motion personality or to-the-point collection of winning political issues. The media slants them in a negative way, of course. As a whole, the journos have never been interested in presenting Trump’s ideas as mainstream, even if tens of millions of Americans turn out to see him at his rallies because he says things that represent hope for the future.
But lately, Trump has seemingly sidestepped the controversy that’s always weighed down his political career. Starting with his impressive debate performance two weeks ago, the former president and Republican nominee-to-be (a few days and counting) has exhibited restraint like he’s never done before, largely dodging the ample opportunities to exploit Biden’s intra-party problems that have caused the once seen-as-invincible Democrat’s poll numbers to plummet like no other’s in recent times.
Whatever the reason, some in the establishment media are getting antsy without their big dose of Donald Trump to keep things stimulating. In an article titled “Donald Trump Hits Back at Claims He's Avoiding Public Eye”, Ewan Palmer reported at Newsweek earlier this week:
“Donald Trump's team has hit out at allegations that the former president has disappeared from public view for more than a week. A number of allies of President Joe Biden alleged that Trump had not been seen in around 10 days in the wake of the live CNN presidential debate on June 27.
“While Biden has since faced mounting pressure over his performance at the debate, several supporters of the president are asking why Trump is not facing similar scrutiny for not appearing in public events for several days. Trump virtually addressed veterans in Wisconsin and Florida on Independence Day from his home in Bedminster, New Jersey, while his last rally was in Virginia on June 28.
“Harry Sisson, who promotes the president's 2024 campaign on social media, alleged on Sunday night that Trump has ‘not had a public event in 10 days.’ ‘Biden spoke at the White House for the 4th of July, held a rally in Wisconsin the next day, and was in Pennsylvania all day today,’ Sisson posted on X, formerly Twitter. ‘Where is Trump? And why won't folks in the media discuss how Biden is working and Trump isn't?’”
Gee, this one is new. In 2020, Democrats fell over themselves making excuses for senile Joe’s being holed-up in his Delaware basement bunker due to COVID while Trump was out on the trail conducting mass maskless rallies in front of tens of thousands of adoring backers.
Now, with senile Joe’s competency being questioned at every turn, the shoe is on the proverbial other foot. For what it’s worth, Trump did appear by phone on Sean Hannity’s show the other night as well, and he sounded about the same as he always has – energized, well-informed and eager to win the 2024 election.
Trump also held a huge rally in Miami on Tuesday. So much for hiding away, Democrats.
That being said, there has been a noticeable drop-off in Trump sightings lately. So why is Trump employing a new, quieter persona, basically using a “less is more” philosophy to advance his bona fides this year?
First, when you’re a presidential candidate and the voters have already indelibly branded your opponent with a host of negatives, there’s no need to go to excesses to do it yourself. Trump finds himself in unfamiliar territory in the general election, being the undisputed frontrunner in the polls. Prior to this year, Trump was compelled to drive up the negatives on his opponent by pointing out his or her flaws, which he’s done a stellar job at.
No one – except the diehard, “win at all costs” Democrats – favors Biden any longer, the aura of “bipartisan peacemaker” having evaporated with the phony invisible halo above his balding head. Instead of seeing senile Joe as a unifying figure, Americans now view Biden as a lying old dunce who gets led around by his wife and needs to be reminded how to enter and exit a stage.
Does this sound like someone Americans want to be president?
It all serves to lessen the job Trump has to do himself, which is one reason why his TRUTH Social account has been quieter than usual lately. There’s simply not much damage to add to Biden’s horrible reputation that isn’t being inflicted by the establishment media and some in the incumbent’s own party, so Trump probably thinks he can gain more just by staying silent.
Second, it also appears evident that Trump is actually listening to advice – from someone – in terms of trying to soften his image. Why? Because the Donald Trump of 2024 is not the same as the Donald Trump of 2016.
Recall if you will, that Trump, when he entered the general election campaign eight years ago, had just been through a bruising primary season and had even withstood a number of challenges to his nomination at the Republican convention itself. It’s true, none of these “ditch Trump” scenarios even came close to fruition, but still it was obvious that the party establishment was out to get him and he couldn’t count on the old, blueblood Republicans to get behind him.
Some of those old bluebloods are still Never Trumpers (heard from the Bush family lately?), have died (John McCain) or are no longer on the political frontlines (Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, John Kasich, et.al). But much of the establishment has recognized the writing on the wall and joined the MAGA train, if only tepidly.
Even Mitch McConnell has outwardly endorsed Trump, as has every Republican senator. Well, maybe not Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski – and Mitt Romney – but the latter’s on the way out of his senate seat and the former are upper chamber ballast seat-fillers, no one listens to them in terms of leading the party’s mindset.
There’s a line in the movie Gladiator where the main character Maximus remarks to his emperor, Marcus Aurelius, “There’s no one left to fight,” whereby the older man replies, “There’s always someone left to fight.”
In the 2024 GOP, there really isn’t anyone remaining for Trump to fight – at least who could threaten his position. All of Trump’s primary rivals (if you can actually call them that) have come down off the fence and said they’ll vote for him, save for dirigible hot air tub of goo Chris Christie and pathetic holier-than-thou loser Asa Hutchinson. And who cares what they say, anyway?
In essence, then, Trump “has no one left to fight” for the heart of the Republican party. Does this mean he can get away with anything? No. Conservatives don’t work that way. We’re not Democrats, after all. But as long as Trump stays within certain boundaries and keeps doing the things he needs to do to win the election – which includes not deliberately fanning the ire of people who already hate him – then there’s no need to agitate the opposition.
Three, Trump has intentionally softened his position on some hot topics where he could be wounded from Democrat counterattacks, namely, on abortion. For example, this year’s Republican platform does not include references to Republicans calling for a specified-week national ban on abortion, outright stating that it’s up to the individual states to decide for themselves per the Dobbs Supreme Court decision.
Pro-life groups weren’t happy about the party backtracking on its pledge to push for a Constitutional amendment to outlaw most abortions, but, at some point, they must realize and acknowledge that saving babies will not be accomplished at any level by remaining politically unbending on the topic, period.
For if Trump and the Republicans allow the abortion issue to fire up the left again, they open the door to losing the presidency altogether. After all, what do you get if you lose? Nothing. Democrats will do everything in their power to legalize abortion everywhere by passing legislation in Congress, but also use the issue as a sledgehammer to pound Trump and all GOP candidates at every level.
As Scott McKay of The American Spectator wrote this week, if Republicans take away abortion, Democrats have nothing to replace it.
The final reason Donald Trump has (mostly) taken himself out of view is because he realizes he needs to save his energy and resources for the fall campaign. Next week Republicans from across the country convene in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to present the party’s case for replacing senile Joe Biden in the White House along with his band of evil Democrats in Congress, and this could be a grand opportunity to cement the impression of a newer, more unifying Trump in voters’ minds well ahead of November’s election.
Pundits often talk about a “political makeover” that candidates undergo, with many office-seekers having tried to change their proverbial stripes in mid-campaign in order to make themselves appear more palatable to the electorate. Remember how the little-known and light resume Barack Obama went from the voice of a new generation of leftists to representing “Hope and Change” in national circles?
The radical who palled around with Bill Ayres and sat in the pews at “Black Liberation Theology” touting Pastor Jeremiah Wright’s church snuggled up to the establishment and eventually became known as the Democrat establishment candidate.
Trump won’t seek to change himself much at next week’s convention, primarily because he believes what he already does equates to demonstrable success. Don’t be surprised that, after Trump announces his running mate, that he emerges from seclusion (by his standards) and starts hitting the Democrats hard again.
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