As the 2024 presidential campaign intensifies, the Democratic Party appears unable to move beyond its familiar strategy of attacking former President Donald Trump, despite having a new candidate at the top of the ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris. This tactic was on full display during the recent Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, where speakers spent as much time lambasting Trump as they did promoting Harris.
Former President Barack Obama, addressing the convention, quipped about Trump's "weird obsession with crowd sizes," a reference to Trump's infamous preoccupation with attendance at his events. Obama's jabs at Trump were part of a broader theme among Democratic speakers who focused on painting Trump as a continued threat to American democracy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of peddling anti-Semitic and Islamophobic rhetoric, while former First Lady Michelle Obama criticized Trump for "demonizing our children for being who they are and loving who they love".
Disgraced Dem Raphael Warnock says Trump Assualted our Nations Capitol
Warnock once Assualted his wife by trying to run her over with his car.
The DNC spent $67 million to install this guy. pic.twitter.com/IsLBvXqhja
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) August 20, 2024
This relentless focus on Trump, however, reflects a deep-seated anxiety within the Democratic Party. Even though Harris leads in some polls, Democrats worry that Trump’s base remains as energized as ever. This concern has led to a strategy that some see as overly reliant on rehashing old battles rather than presenting a forward-looking vision.
The Democrats’ approach to Trump in this election cycle contrasts sharply with their 2016 mantra, “When they go low, we go high,” famously championed by Michelle Obama. In 2024, that approach has been replaced with a more aggressive stance.
Wow…just wow.
Look at the faces on the CNN panel as a huge truth bomb is dropped.
“Democrats have controlled the White House for 12 of the last 16 years, and somehow, it’s still all Trump’s fault.” pic.twitter.com/JFc9zBPAS1
— SweetPeaBelle (@SweetPeaBell326) August 21, 2024
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, now Harris's running mate, has taken to the campaign trail with pointed attacks, describing Trump and his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, as "creepy and weird as hell." These harsh words mirror the party’s shift towards a more confrontational style, intended to rally their base.
Democrats believe that emphasizing Trump’s character flaws and controversial policies will galvanize voters as it did in the 2018 and 2022 midterms. Despite these efforts, there are signs that voters might be fatigued by this strategy. Mallory McMorrow, a Michigan state senator who spoke at the convention, acknowledged that while attacking Trump remains essential, the party must also find ways to inspire and energize voters without solely relying on anti-Trump rhetoric. "You can only tell people how much is at risk for so long, and people get tired and burned out," McMorrow said.
The decision to maintain a strong focus on Trump could also be seen as a gamble. While it certainly fires up the Democratic base, it risks alienating swing voters who may be more interested in hearing about policy solutions to current issues than re-litigating past grievances. The Trump-centric strategy underscores the party’s belief that Trump remains a potent threat to democracy, a message they hope will resonate with a broader electorate as it did in past elections.
As the campaign progresses, it remains to be seen whether the Democrats’ strategy of incessant Trump bashing will pay off or if it will drive voters to seek a fresh perspective. What is clear is that, for now, the party is betting that its continued focus on Trump, coupled with Harris’s historic candidacy, will be enough to secure victory in November.
