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After the attack, Donald Trump feels stronger than ever. But his designated vice president, JD Vance, could still become a problem for the ex-president.
Hardly anyone can analyze the USA, its politics and the upcoming presidential elections better than he: the American political scientist James W. Davis. He is a proven expert on US politics and International Relations, has been teaching in German-speaking countries for decades. He regularly writes for IPPEN.MEDIA about the situation in the USA and the upcoming presidential election.
Last week was undoubtedly one of the most dramatic in the history of American election campaigns. It began with the assassination of Donald Trumpwhich was followed by the judge’s dismissal of a federal criminal case for obstruction of justice and mishandling of classified documents, and ended with his nomination as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate. In between, he announced that he had chosen author-turned-politician JD Vance as his possible running mate. It felt like your head was spinning all week!
The events also seemed to change the trajectory of the race for the White House – at least for a few days. For months, Trump’s campaign consisted of a litany of personal grievances. He continued to claim that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him, accused President Joe Bidenof using the Justice Department against him and accused the media of spreading “fake news” (one wonders when he will come up with something different on that front). While there were the usual claims that the country was being “invaded” by illegal immigrants, the accusation that Biden had quadrupled the cost of bacon (“We’re not eating bacon anymore!”), and that electric cars would rob Americans of time in their cars (because they take too long to charge), Trump’s speeches were shockingly devoid of substance. Most importantly, we never find out what he will do if he is actually re-elected. But after the assassination, the approach changed.
US election: After the attack, Trump demonstrates an instinctive understanding of the significance of the moment
The now-iconic image of Trump rising above the Secret Service agents who had formed a human shield around him, his fist raised over his bloodied face, offered an opening. Trump was no longer the aggrieved former president, but a paragon of strength under fire. Think what you will of the man from Mar-a-Lago—and believe me, I don’t think much of him—but he demonstrated an instinctive understanding of the moment’s magnitude.
He could appear weak and at the mercy of his bodyguards, or he could rise above the obvious danger of the situation and use it to his advantage. The contrast to the hesitant demeanor of the current president was obvious to all. In his speech at the party convention of the republican His son Erik summed it up well: “You wiped the blood from your face and raised your fist in the air in a moment that will be remembered as one of the bravest acts in the history of American politics.”
The shift from litigation to image politics was confirmed by the nomination of JD Vance for the vice presidency. The bestselling author of “Hillbilly Elegy”a tale of the values and struggles of his rural American family, Trump used his speech to portray himself as a victor over the adversities of his childhood. They heard about his mentally unstable and drug-addicted single mother and the grandmother who encouraged him to work hard and make something of his life. He eventually attended one of the most prestigious law schools in the country, was elected to the Senate, and is now nominated for the second highest office in the land. Americans love the story of an underdog triumphing over adversity, and with Vance, Trump has given them just that.
Neither Trump’s nor Vance’s positions are particularly popular
For the Democrats The aim now must be to get the public to focus on the content rather than the personalities. After all, neither Trump nor Vance’s positions are particularly popular. Trump is a well-known figure, but most Americans don’t know much about Vance. In a survey of registered voters in June, the majority said they had never heard of Vance or had no opinion of him. Of those who had formed an opinion, only 13 percent had a positive image of him. 20 percent, however, had a negative opinion.
To person
► James W. Davis, US-American, is one of the most renowned experts on US politics and international relations.
► He studied International Relations at Michigan State University, received his doctorate in political science from Columbia University in 1995 and completed his habilitation at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munichwhere he taught until 2005.
► Since 2005 he has been Professor of International Relations and Director of the Institute of Political Science at the University of St. Gallen.
►Davis is the author of several books and has received numerous scientific awardsincluding visiting professorships and fellowships at renowned institutions.
One of the Democrats’ best weapons is Trump himself
That’s not surprising, because the 39-year-old populist conservative has taken positions that most Americans consider extreme. For example, he has supported a nationwide ban on abortion, with no exceptions for rape or to save the mother’s life. He has advocated cutting U.S. support for NATO and said he “doesn’t care what happens to Ukraine.” He also once advocated invading Mexico to stop illegal immigration. At times, his public positions have been so unpopular that even some of his financial backers have called him to complain.
So do the Democrats have a chance to shift the focus back to the real issues affecting the country’s future?
As I often say, one of the Democrats’ best weapons is Trump himself. If you let Trump be Trump, he can’t help but turn every conversation into a discussion of himself and his grievances. And although he spent the first third of his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on an emotionally charged account of the assassination, he quickly reverted to his old, sprawling lamentations. Painting a picture of American carnage – and much of “Hillbilly Elegy” is just that – is likely to diminish Americans’ enthusiasm for the apparent heroism of Trump and Vance. And so this head-scratching week may not change the dynamics of this race after all.
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