Given rambling speeches and personal attacks over policy talk, supporters wonder if events do more harm than good

Given rambling speeches and personal attacks over policy talk, supporters wonder if events do more harm than good

As Donald Trump emerged to a thunderous roar of approval in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Rust belt, he was back in his comfort zone among the people who once put him in power.

But by the time he stepped off the stage nearly two hours later, even some of the former US president’s supporters were wondering whether his rallies are doing his re-election campaign more harm than good.

…

“He reminded me why I’m not going to vote for him this time,” said Jenny, a local businesswoman who did not want to give her full name because she didn’t want to alienate customers.

“I voted for him in 2016 and had a Trump flag in the front yard. I voted for him again in 2020 but didn’t put the flag out that time. I’ve been thinking of voting for him again because Biden’s been so bad for the economy and Kamala won’t be any better. But after listening to that, I’m actually afraid of Trump being president again. I don’t know what he was talking about half the time. Perhaps he was always like that but he seems worse, more unstable.”

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
    1172·
    2 months ago

    Perhaps he was always like that but he seems worse, more unstable.

    He was always like that, you’re just becoming a better person.

    • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
      38·
      2 months ago

      Nah, he’s clearly worse. Saw an article on here where they broke his speech patterns down, looked at repetition, vocabulary, continuity of thought, etc. Trump seems to be going down scary fast.

      It’s always been easier to listen to his speech than read it. At least with listening and watching, you can slip your own meanings into the vague patter. Reading forces you to try and parse meaning, and while there has never been much in his speeches, at least his Tweets were understandable. Now even those seem scrambled.

      • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.worldEnglish
        22·
        2 months ago

        I agree. I guess his decline is hard to catch because it’s not as if he started from a place of formidable intellect and vocabulary anyway but he’s slipped far enough that even some MAGA types are starting to notice.

    • barsquid@lemmy.world
      12·
      2 months ago

      Nah, they’re also still as awful as they have always been. Just rats starting to notice the ship is sinking.

  • Zachariah@lemmy.world
    62·
    2 months ago

    I’ve been thinking of voting for him again because Biden’s been so bad for the economy and Kamala won’t be any better.

    So if this person understood Trump was worse for the economy, would they vote change?

    • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
      35·
      2 months ago

      If you asked “How will Harris be worse for the economy?” I doubt you’d get a coherent argument in response. Most Trump supporters repeat what they’ve been told.

    • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
      9·
      2 months ago

      When these idiots say “the economy” the don’t even mean the economy, and they don’t even mean the health of their business, they just mean one extremely specific line on their tax forms.

  • edric@lemm.ee
    43·
    2 months ago

    Come election day, I bet Jenny will end up writing Trump on her ballot. It’s always like that especially for the type of people to attend a 2-hour ramble of nonesense. They’ll say this and that but will vote for him in the end anyway.

  • mhague@lemmy.world
    28·
    2 months ago

    “perhaps he was always like that”

    I don’t know what to think of that. “This guy is crazy, the idea of him winning scares me. Maybe he was always like this.”

    Wouldn’t you know, though!? How is someone absolutely nuts and unstable to the point it kinda freaks you out, and you’re hedging that shit?

    Are they trying to say they’re still about the shittiness and Trump just isn’t fetch anymore? Or now that the ride is over its going to be a “That wasn’t me” kind of thing? Because both sound like biding their time.

  • Optional@lemmy.world
    20·
    2 months ago

    Are Trump’s campaign rallies energizing his base – or sowing doubt?

    Is anyone confused as to whether it matters or not? His only goal in life is to be lauded by cheering audiences for whatever the fuck he thinks he’s saying.

    He’s a demented narcissist. He’ll hold rallies as long as he has the cash or influence to do so. Even if every single one turns the entirety of the crowd against him.

    Remember the “loyalty oaths” first implemented by Gee Dubz and the Chainy? After Tulsa’s humiliation they started that up again. He’ll just do that. You have to swear on camera as to how great he is before you’re allowed in. Roving gangs of Pinkertons will wander the arenas throwing out anyone not sufficiently cheering.

  • IamSparticles@lemmy.zipEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Why not both? His (racist, xenophobic, homophobic, misogynistic, liberal-hating) base is definitely energized by his rhetoric. But he may also be alienating the less radicalized people he needs to actually win.

  • realcaseyrollins@thelemmy.clubEnglish
    1111·
    2 months ago

    Both. I think they sow doubt in anyone who isn’t in the MAGA camp. Everyone else thinks he needs to change his tactics.

    Trump thinks that Kamala being such a terrible candidate herself means that he can just do whatever and still win, which might technically be true but is a terrible perspective to have.