For those not exposed to the South Carolina media market, one ad Jaime Harrison runs against Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham never fails to grab my attention. He runs clips of Graham from before and after the 2016 election, first saying Trump is “a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot,” then later denying he thinks that. Harrison responds in a dismissive, “Oh, come on” tone you just have to love, “We can beat this guy. But I need your help.”
Eric Boehlert’s tweet minutes ago suggests the same about the acting president:
But even with poll numbers like these, Democrats are not expecting the race to be over on election night whatever the margin:
The Biden campaign and congressional Democrats are strategizing together to wage a post-election response to Trump on two fronts — anticipating both a legal challenge and a messaging war — as Trump’s attacks on the election have only intensified while he’s lagging in the polls two weeks ahead of Election Day, with voting already underway. Outside groups are also mobilizing to try to blunt any efforts to dispute the vote count after November 3.
People are worried about civil unrest if Trump loses. Hell, poll greeters at early voting sites here even in upscale neighborhoods are asking what to do if men with guns arrive. Team Biden is preparing for Trump’s attempts to delegitimize the results.
Democratic sources say that they are taking the President at his word. The Biden campaign is preparing for any number of legal contingencies that could arise if the vote is close, while lawmakers are preparing for plausible — and also quite implausible — scenarios that could arise if the presidential election were kicked to Congress to decide a winner. Democrats are also readying a response to Trump’s claims of fraud — which could cause his voters to doubt the legitimacy of the result, even if it’s a Biden landslide — with plans underway for nationwide protests should Trump try to dispute the result. They’re also working with social media companies to try to discourage a premature declaration of victory on election night.
The problem is, Trump has a more compliant media megaphone at his disposal.
Trump’s rhetoric about the election being stolen or rigged has mobilized both liberal activists and Washington veterans keen on ensuring the results of the election are trusted. They’re looking to provide air support should Trump launch a Twitter-driven protest of the results after Election Day.
Priorities USA, the largest Democratic super PAC backing Biden, is beginning to plan for the possibility that Trump will attempt to frame election results that favor Biden as illegitimate.”
We have begun making internal plans,” said Guy Cecil, who chairs the group. “We’re working with allied organizations to sort through our role both in terms of potential litigation and also what our role is in responding to the President.”
Two progressive advocacy groups, Stand up America and Indivisible, formed a bipartisan coalition of 100 advocacy groups called Protect the Results that’s organizing protests across the country should Trump try to challenge the results.
Eric Trump told supporters in Nevada last month that his father would concede if “he got blown out of the water.” Clearly, this guy and his brother do not speak for Donald, but blowing him out of the water is more desirable than fighting a defensive media battle against a torrent of MAGA bullshit.
We can beat this guy. Go. Blow him out of the water.
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
For The Win, 3rd Edition is ready for download. Request a copy of my free countywide GOTV mechanics guide at ForTheWin.us. This is what winning looks like.