President Donald Trump himself has laid the groundwork for questioning any adverse outcome by repeatedly highlighting missed errors, mistakes, or misconduct in the distribution of ballots, although most experts agree that they are not on a scale that should make a difference to the bottom line.
On Monday, Trump retweeted a story about a New Jersey postal worker accused of dumping 1,800 pieces of mail, including 99 ballots for the upcoming election, with a one-word comment: “Fixed!”
With polls across the country, including in battlefield states, showing Biden opening big opportunities and drawing bar even in states where Trump won in 2016, the president appears to have decided on a slash and burn strategy that will involve setting fire to any outcome that does not favor you
At the same time, political agents on the ground on both sides are bracing for legal challenges amid sporadic reports of vote-gathering and misconduct. In California, local media are reporting that Republicans are installing unauthorized ballot drop boxes marked “official” to invite accusations of illegal and private vote collecting.
Although California is a Democratic stronghold and no amount of illegal vote-gathering can change the outcome, such efforts appear to be aimed at so messing up the voting process that they rob it of all credibility. On Monday, in another savage outburst of tweets, Trump led the battle to solid blue states that he has no chance of winning, posting: “California is going to hell. Vote Trump!” “New York gone to hell. Vote Trump! “” Illinois has nowhere to go. Sad, isn’t it? Vote Trump! ”
California is going to hell. Vote Trump!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1602506324000
New York has gone to hell. Vote Trump!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1602506381000
Illinois has nowhere to go. Sad, isn’t it? Vote Trump!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1602506469000
In two other tweets, Trump was already projecting himself as the winner, despite polls showing he’s dropped more than 10 points across the country and is even behind in states where he last won. . In fact, there is only one battlefield state he leads: Georgia, a state known for suppressing minority voters. The reports also point to strong early voting by mail and in person for Democrats.
“SO MANY FAKE NEWS! Lamestream Media it has gone absolutely insane because they realize that we are winning BIG in all the polls that matter. They write or show one false story after another. They are truly sick people. VOTE !!! “Trump said.
SO MANY FAKE NEWS! Lamestream media has gone absolutely crazy because they realize that we are winning BIG in all or… https://t.co/TTherWA6nL
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1602507730000
But not a single credible poll, including his favorite Rasmussen poll, shows him winning. In another tweet, Trump stated: “November 3 will be the most exciting day in the history of the US elections, even more so than in 2016. Tremendous excitement and enthusiasm, the likes of which has perhaps never been seen before. No one has ever been seen before. Sleepy Joe Rallies will be featured. Venues are DEAD. Stiff !!! See you tonight in Florida. ”
November 3. it will be the most exciting day in the history of the US elections, even more so than in 2016. Tremendous excitement … https://t.co/0R1hWGVSXZ
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1602514072000
After having torpedoed the second presidential debate by rejecting the virtual format caused by the Covid-19 infection from which he now claims to have been “cured,” Trump also laid the groundwork to rescue the third and last, questioning the good faith of the moderator. Kristen welker, saying that he had “mysteriously deleted his entire Twitter account” and suggesting that he was trying to hide something. The Republican president seems to have settled on a strategy of calling or appearing on channels and formats that are flexible and do not critically question him. One such format is face-to-face rallies, frowned upon by many pandemic experts, where his base of worship drinks whatever he serves.
Amid the political skirmish on the electoral front, Republican and Democratic senators also clashed in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Monday over the confirmation of Amy coney barrett, a conservative judge who Trump nominated to the Supreme Court.
Several lawmakers who appeared in person to question Barrett wore masks (and herself) and others appeared from remote locations. Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who is the youngest member of the panel but whose long-awaited questioning of the nominee is expected to be the headliner, had not yet appeared as of this writing.
.