Trump’s Weird, Rambling Rally Shows How Much He’s Struggling
Donald Trump capped the first week of his campaign’s so-called “reset,” already punctuated with chaotic speeches that veered off topic into personal attacks against Kamala Harris, with yet another chaotic speech that veered off topic into personal attacks.While Trump initially seemed more interested in staying on script than his previous failed forays, he still couldn’t help but shift his speech on economic issues into immature smears and complaining. “Joe Biden hates her, okay? Hates her. You don’t mind if I go off teleprompter for a second, do you? Joe Biden hates her,” Trump said. “This was the overthrow of a president. This was an overthrow. They went out, and I spent $100 million fighting Joe Biden.”Trump: Joe Biden hates her, ok? Hates her. You don't mind if I go off teleprompter for a second, do you? Joe Biden hates her. This was an overthrow of a precedent. I spent a hundred million dollars fighting Biden pic.twitter.com/hJvvXWEH0D— Acyn (@Acyn) August 17, 2024Trump proceeded to make several asides, diverting to his same tired lines and some particularly meandering stories. At one point, he caught himself getting off topic.“They’ll say, ‘He was rambling.’ I don’t ramble. I’m a really smart guy, you know, really smart. I don’t ramble,” Trump rambled.“Anytime I hit too hard, they say, ‘He was rambling!’ Rambling?” Trump said, incredulous. Trump: "They'll say, 'he was rambling.' I don't ramble. I'm a really smart guy." pic.twitter.com/r4CrClHUV0— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 17, 2024No matter how many times his campaign may try to keep its candidate on message, Trump can’t seem to stop revisiting his worn-out attacks against Harris. He once again started talking about her laugh, claiming it was “the laugh of a lunatic.”Trump also complained again about the photo-illustration of Harris on the cover of Time magazine, which he’d previously said made her look like the “most beautiful actress to ever live.”Trump now claimed it was because they couldn’t get a good enough picture, and scoffed at the idea that Harris was “beautiful.” “I am much better looking than her,” Trump said, murmuring, “Much better. Much better.” “I am a better looking person than Kamala!” Trump shouted, as the crowd cheered. But the enthusiasm of his audience was hardly consistent."I am much better looking than her" -- Trump is still mad about Kamala Harris looking too good on the cover of Time pic.twitter.com/yZ1EbZB46T— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 17, 2024Trump’s long-winded tales lost the crowd. He told a particularly meandering story about French president Emmanuel Macron to a mostly quiet audience. Later, he reminisced about being endorsed by renowned basketball coach Bobby Knight ahead of the 2016 election. “He endorsed me and Indiana was mine.” Trump said, to some mild clapping. While the former president’s lame insults may wind up his crowds, even they can’t pretend to follow his winding stories.
Donald Trump capped the first week of his campaign’s so-called “reset,” already punctuated with chaotic speeches that veered off topic into personal attacks against Kamala Harris, with yet another chaotic speech that veered off topic into personal attacks.
While Trump initially seemed more interested in staying on script than his previous failed forays, he still couldn’t help but shift his speech on economic issues into immature smears and complaining.
“Joe Biden hates her, okay? Hates her. You don’t mind if I go off teleprompter for a second, do you? Joe Biden hates her,” Trump said. “This was the overthrow of a president. This was an overthrow. They went out, and I spent $100 million fighting Joe Biden.”
Trump: Joe Biden hates her, ok? Hates her. You don't mind if I go off teleprompter for a second, do you? Joe Biden hates her. This was an overthrow of a precedent. I spent a hundred million dollars fighting Biden pic.twitter.com/hJvvXWEH0D— Acyn (@Acyn) August 17, 2024
Trump proceeded to make several asides, diverting to his same tired lines and some particularly meandering stories. At one point, he caught himself getting off topic.
“They’ll say, ‘He was rambling.’ I don’t ramble. I’m a really smart guy, you know, really smart. I don’t ramble,” Trump rambled.
“Anytime I hit too hard, they say, ‘He was rambling!’ Rambling?” Trump said, incredulous.
Trump: "They'll say, 'he was rambling.' I don't ramble. I'm a really smart guy." pic.twitter.com/r4CrClHUV0— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 17, 2024
No matter how many times his campaign may try to keep its candidate on message, Trump can’t seem to stop revisiting his worn-out attacks against Harris. He once again started talking about her laugh, claiming it was “the laugh of a lunatic.”
Trump also complained again about the photo-illustration of Harris on the cover of Time magazine, which he’d previously said made her look like the “most beautiful actress to ever live.”
Trump now claimed it was because they couldn’t get a good enough picture, and scoffed at the idea that Harris was “beautiful.”
“I am much better looking than her,” Trump said, murmuring, “Much better. Much better.”
“I am a better looking person than Kamala!” Trump shouted, as the crowd cheered. But the enthusiasm of his audience was hardly consistent.
"I am much better looking than her" -- Trump is still mad about Kamala Harris looking too good on the cover of Time pic.twitter.com/yZ1EbZB46T— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 17, 2024
Trump’s long-winded tales lost the crowd. He told a particularly meandering story about French president Emmanuel Macron to a mostly quiet audience. Later, he reminisced about being endorsed by renowned basketball coach Bobby Knight ahead of the 2016 election.
“He endorsed me and Indiana was mine.” Trump said, to some mild clapping.
While the former president’s lame insults may wind up his crowds, even they can’t pretend to follow his winding stories.
