Trump is holding fewer campaign events than even Biden, who was the previous record-holder in modern times for avoiding them, holding even fewer than Obama. It was an original strength of his 2016 campaign, and a lot of 2020 as well. Maybe the campaigning landscape has changed, but I think it is more that Trump has changed.
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This might be a wise use of money in terms of campaigning. But it also indicates how he is increasingly concerned about Donald more than America. His blustering patriotism and reflexively all-in-Americanism had some weaknesses (mainly thoughtlessness), but was also the thing his supporters liked most about him. They knew he might get many things somewhat wrong about foreign trade and foreign policy, for example, but was at least not going to sell them out. That may still be his instinct, but I think having been exposed to power has weakened it.
Back in 2016 I read an article--probably a subtle hit piece--which alleged that Trump's record showed him generally quite good in the first couple of years of a new job, but that he figured he knew it all long before he really did. As President, he seemed to be taking advice for a bit longer than the "two years", but he did seem to be chafing at the bit a lot.
ReplyDeleteI suspect he hasn't realized that the "Trump phenomenon" isn't exactly about Trump, and that loyalty works two ways.