Last Updated on July 31, 2024
Former White House reporter Simon Ateba, of Today News Africa, is sounding the alarm in a “morning rant” about 45th President Trump’s election prospects this November, after the Democrats’ switcharoo from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris.
Simon Ateba says that the 2024 presidential race is “shifting” and that 45th President Trump “has a problem,” including that his running mate JD Vance “does not seem to have brought any electoral votes or value” to the campaign. Furthermore, Vance is “dragging Trump down” just weeks after he joined the ticket, Ateba opined.
While conceding that the “honeymoon phase” between Kamala Harris and re-energized Democrats may come to an end rather quickly, Ateba went on to warn the Trump campaign that they’ll have to “redefine the best way to attack Harris” to avoid walking into a PR trap, because of her racial minority status and her Jewish husband.
This problem could be confounded, Ateba added, if Jewish Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro becomes her running mate.
Read Simon Ateba’s full morning rant below:
MORNING RANT: For those reading from around the world, Donald Trump has a problem. His camp is underestimating Kamala Harris, but the race is shifting, and a movement is forming against him. In less than two weeks, she’s raised more money than him, recruited more volunteers, and completely wiped out the big lead that Trump had against Biden. She’s 19 years younger than him and is redefining the race as a choice between the past and the future, the old and the new, weird insults and decency. Trump and his camp are struggling to land serious attacks against her. They have not been able to find something that really sticks.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, does not seem to have brought any electoral votes or value. In contrast, he seems to be dragging Trump down with his comments about “childless cat women.” It’s almost as if something new pops up every day. If significant changes do not happen, Trump might likely lose in November.
Harris also has vulnerabilities. First, this might just be a honeymoon phase, and she may lose momentum in the next few weeks, potentially becoming very unpopular. Second, although she’s been in the public eye for years, there are still many things unknown about her, and revelations in the next few weeks or months might drag her down. Third, the border is a major issue, and although she was not president, she will be blamed for the failure to secure the border for years. Fourth, it remains unclear whether the older Biden coalition will support her. Right now, we don’t know yet. Fifth, when she sits down for a serious interview, she might either do well or completely confirm what many already believe—that she was not a successful vice president.
Trump also has many vulnerabilities, including many Republicans who never wanted him to return to power, as seen during the primaries. What I am saying is that the right is dismissing and underestimating Harris too soon, and it might cost them the election.
To win, Trump and the Republicans will have to take her seriously and campaign against her vigorously. More volunteers on the ground across the country, especially in battleground states, will be needed to knock on doors and talk to voters. That means more money from small and big donors as well.
There should also be an increase in media coverage, especially on social media, using and empowering pro-Trump and pro-Republican influencers. Most people don’t have time to watch TV anymore; they just check what’s trending on social media and run with it. Almost all journalists are on X, and what’s trending there ends up being what they focus on.
The Trump camp will also have to redefine the best way to attack Harris, a woman of color with a Jewish husband and potentially a Jewish running mate from Pennsylvania. Nothing should be taken for granted! Failure to do these things may result in defeat.
Now, I may be completely wrong in my analysis, as I have been many times before. But at least I will have sounded the alarm long before it’s too late.
