Last night, President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden held dueling town halls. The contrast between the two couldn’t have been starker.
President Trump was the happy warrior, smooth and polished, who deftly handled an aggressive line of questioning, constant interruptions, and questionable fact-checking by NBC host Savannah Guthrie.
Biden, on the other hand, mumbled and bumbled his way through softball questions tossed at him by ABC’s George Stephanopolous, who never interrupted the former Vice President and never pressed him on answers he gave.
Even when those answers were bizarre, or worse.
Joe Biden appears to imply that children as young as 8 should be able to change their genders https://t.co/B4vVdP58py
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 16, 2020
RELATED: Journalists Praise Savannah Guthrie For Badgering Trump at Town Hall
Trump, who has repeatedly denounced white supremacy and bigotry of any kind, was once again asked to denounce it – which he did, forcefully and unequivocally.
Guthrie, clearly unhappy that the President’s answer on white supremacy wouldn’t garner the negative headlines she had hoped for, followed up by asking the President about the on-line conspiracy theory known as Q-Anon.
While Trump was asked to denounce white supremacy and a harmless boomer conspiracy theory, Joe Biden wasn’t asked to denounce Antifa.
Worse, Biden wasn’t asked a single question about the Hunter Biden emails that have dominated the news the last few days.
Trump at this town hall was Trump at his absolute best and the absolute polar opposite of the Trump we saw on stage in the debate with Biden in Cleveland.
Trump was so charming and affable that a town hall participant, who was preparing to ask a tough question on immigration, actually commented on how great the President’s smile was!
Voter to President Trump at #TrumpTownHall: “You’re so handsome when you smile.” pic.twitter.com/KgJThAtAQg
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 16, 2020
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I know there are Trump supporters out there who won’t want to hear this, but the fact is that Trump’s overly combative performance in Cleveland didn’t help him.
I understand the logic behind going in hot in that debate, it was clear that the President was hoping to rattle Biden and force Biden into one of those game-ending gaffes the Vice President is so known for delivering.
However, it was clear early on in the Cleveland debate that Trump’s aggressive tone wasn’t working to rattle Biden.
Instead of giving Biden just enough rope to hang himself, Trump’s tone – coupled with Chris Wallace’s laughable moderating performance and Biden’s equally combative tone – made the Cleveland debate a serious missed opportunity for the President to connect with the sliver of undecided voters that remain.
Last night, however, Trump hit an absolute home run.
ABC put on a church ice cream social for Biden’s town hall, while NBC staged a political knife fight for Pres Trump in Miami.pic.twitter.com/gOnJUwxg1m
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) October 16, 2020
RELATED: Town Hall Voter Jabs Biden: What Do You Have to Say To Black Voters Besides ‘You Ain’t Black?’
Trump the happy warrior exuded the confidence and likeability that undecided voters want to see in a leader.
Last night is incredibly bad news for Democrats. Trump the happy warrior is back and is hitting his stride just as the campaign hits the final stretch.
Trump’s base is absolutely motivated. You need look no further than the rallies, the impromptu sign wavings, and the grassroots-driven boat parades to see just how motivated the base is.
Where I live in rural Virginia, there are Trump flags flying everywhere and houses with not just one – but often 10 or 15 – Trump signs in their yards. In these closing weeks, Trump needs to focus on that sliver of truly undecided voters.
Give them more of the happy warrior they saw on TV last night.
NBC’s Savannah Guthrie Hated Voters’ Great Questions, So She Took Over The Trump Townhallhttps://t.co/nnffvzpZz8
— The Federalist (@FDRLST) October 16, 2020
Continue to focus on the President’s accomplishments, continue to lay out his optimistic vision for the country, and do it all with that trademark smile.
This election won’t be decided by the popular vote, it will be decided in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
If the President gives those voters more of what they saw last night, the contrast with sleepy Joe Biden will be obvious, and the President will roll to victory on Election night!
RELATED: Trump Eviscerates Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer – Says She ‘Wants To Be A Dictator’
