Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump struck again in Asheville, North Carolina, and the target of his jibes was none other than Vice President Kamala Harris. As a battleground state, the crowd was primed for a show, and Trump delivered with characteristic flamboyance. He poked fun at Harris’s laugh, or rather, the apparent absence of it. His comedic timing, while questionable to some, had the crowd roaring as he claimed her laugh was conspicuously missing, suggesting that party handlers might want to keep her off the stage to prevent potential meltdowns.
While the rally was billed as an essential economic speech, Trump’s focus frequently shifted from the economy to sniping at the current administration—especially Harris and President Biden. He took a particular delight in mocking Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota for his progressive policies on school bathroom access. Apparently, the idea of tampons in boys’ bathrooms sent Trump’s crowd into a frenzy of jeers and boos. At this rate, dressing rooms may soon become the next battlefield in the culture wars.
🚨 PRESIDENT TRUMP: I am announcing today that, under my leadership, the U.S. will commit to the ambitious goal of slashing energy and electricity prices by HALF — AT LEAST!
Your energy bills will be down by 50%-70%. pic.twitter.com/tiiHA2RyXT
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 14, 2024
Trump’s tactical shift included trying to position himself as the rightful champion of economic and tax reforms, claiming Harris was mimicking his ideas to end taxes on tips and Social Security. He wasn’t shy about proclaiming that Harris had lost the support of the voters, dubbing her the worst vice president in history. If elections were a workplace, Trump clearly had a pink slip prepared for Harris, complete with his brand of humorous indignation.
At the rally, he also doggedly pressed Harris for her lack of press interactions since taking on her role and insinuated she wouldn’t have a coherent answer if challenged with tough questions. The more he ragged on her supposed incompetence, the clearer it became Trump was trying to play the long game: keeping his opponents on the defensive while promising immigration policy measures and significant cuts to energy costs if he returned to the Oval Office. The promise of the “largest deportation operation in American history” and halving energy bills were grand — if not somewhat theatrical — visions of his potential presidency.
While Trump seems more than willing to trade blows with Democrats on personality and laugh-tracking, some GOP members, including his former rival Nikki Haley, are urging him to pivot toward concrete policy critiques. In a landscape where North Carolina stands as the Democrats’ elusive prize, and economic anxieties remain among the top voter concerns, the pressure for Trump to sharpen his focus is tangible. Nearly three months until the election, will Trump steer his campaign toward the liberal agenda at play rather than wallowing in mockery and past grievances? That remains the million-dollar question.
