5 takeaways from Trump’s 2020 campaign launch speech
Aaron Blake
Midway through the speech officially launching his 2020 reelection campaign Tuesday night, President Trump joked about his campaign staff. “They cost a fortune, and they never give me any ideas,” he said, adding that he was “kidding.”
Judging by his speech, it might be truer than he let on.
]Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today’s most popular stories on The Washington Post
Trump broke little new ground in Orlando — not just relative to the dozens of political rallies he’s already held since his inauguration, but also relative to his 2016 campaign. It was very much a Greatest Hits rally, replete with grievances against the media and Democrats. It referenced Hillary Clinton more than Trump’s would-be 2020 opponents.
That said, there were a few interesting and new-ish lines that stuck out. Below are the ones I’ve isolated.
1. A Russia sanctions shout-out
For much of his presidency, Trump has been allergic to blaming Vladimir Putin for Russia’s 2016 election interference or even talking about said interference. But someone has apparently prevailed upon Trump to at least allude to the sanctions that were imposed on that country in response.
While hailing his achievements, Trump noted that he “built up the military, imposed sanctions on Russia” and supported countries that compete with Russia.
It was a brief, fleeting mention that he didn’t expound upon — nor did he reference how much he resisted those sanctions, both when Congress passed them in 2017 and in response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Britain. Trump also offered similar lines a couple of times last month.
If nothing else, though, it suggested that he and his campaign feel the need for him to argue he hasn’t given Russia a complete pass. Until recently, Trump basically relied upon everyone else around him to make that case.
2. Kavanaugh and judges
Perhaps one of the most long-lasting changes brought on by the Trump presidency is the remaking of the judiciary, both at the Supreme Court and in the lower courts.
And Trump made that a key element of his speech, both alluding to the large number of judges confirmed and speaking at some length about Brett M. Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Trump, of course, seized upon the grievance-related aspects of the Kavanaugh fight, accusing the justice’s opponents of trying to destroy his family. So even where Trump has a legitimate and extensive victory, it all comes back to how nefarious his opponents are.
3. ‘People who refuse to concede an election’
One conspicuous line that Trump didn’t dwell upon but seems likely to make a return is when Trump alluded to Democrats “who refuse to concede an election” and suggested they were sore losers.
Trump appeared to be referring to Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D), who has not conceded her loss to Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and has argued that minority votes were suppressed. Abrams has also said she still might run for president in 2020.
Left unsaid: Trump’s repeated threats during the 2016 election to not concede if he lost because of potential rampant voter fraud that hadn’t yet taken place. That’s not hugely different from the case Abrams has made.
4. The TBD slogan
Even as he was launching his 2020 campaign, Trump suggested he still hadn’t landed on a slogan. He called 2016′s “Make America Great Again” the “greatest theme in the history of politics,” but he also said it might be “Keep America Great.”
At one point, he invited the crowd to applaud for which slogan they thought he should run on. It wasn’t clear which one they preferred.
5. A new African American talking point
During his 2016 campaign, Trump appealed to would-be black supporters by arguing, “What the hell do you have to lose?” It didn’t earn him an unusual level of support for a GOP candidate.
Since then, he has pointed to a historically low black unemployment rate, and yet his approval rating among African Americans remains extremely low.
On Tuesday, though, Trump offered something somewhat new, pointing to the criminal justice reform bill that was passed through Congress with bipartisan support. He alluded to “crime policies that so unfairly affected the African American community — so unfair.”
The true target of the line, though, may not have been elusive black Republican voters. It seemed more likely it was the leading 2020 Democratic candidate, former vice president Joe Biden, whose support for Bill Clinton’s crime bill has become a hot-button issue in the Democratic primary.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/5-takeaways-from-trumps-2020-campaign-launch-speech/ar-AAD5ztI?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U453DHP
Today at 2:34 pm by Rocky
» Urgent | Including increasing the number of branches.. Al-Sudani issues 6 directives to develop the
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Al-Alaq describes the parallel dollar as “abnormal”: There is great stability in prices
Today at 5:14 am by Rocky
» utube 11/8/24 MM&C MM&C -Iraq Dinar-International Stability-Financial System-IMF-Art
Today at 5:08 am by Rocky
» utube 11/5/24 MM&C MM&C News Report-ICC-Investors-RIYADA BANK-Port of Faw-3 Presidents Seated-Removi
Today at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Foreign Ministry: Iraqi-Saudi Coordination Council to convene in Baghdad next month
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Travelers demand cancellation of electronic reservations by government banks in selling them dollars
Today at 5:03 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani directs to increase bank branches to expand financial services and modernize buildings in
Today at 5:01 am by Rocky
» Census Without Nationalities: An Attempt to Write a New Narrative of Iraq’s Unity
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Diplomatic Embrace or the Specter of Sanctions: Iraq Sways in Positions towards Trump
Today at 4:58 am by Rocky
» The National: The British Army Returns to Iraq Under New Pretext
Today at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Zidane and Al-Mandlawi discuss the issue of approving laws related to the work of the judiciary
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» MP: The ministerial change is not linked to a specific component or party
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» For these reasons, Al-Mashhadani came to power as Speaker of Parliament.
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Al-Kroui to Al-Maalouma: 4 oil and gas fields on the table of the upcoming licensing rounds
Today at 4:51 am by Rocky
» Raouf: The region needs more time to form the new government
Today at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani issues 6 directives to increase financial inclusion and raise its indicators in all govern
Today at 4:49 am by Rocky
» Kurdistan Men's Union Diagnoses Danger Threatening Society's "Collapse" and Proposes Polygamy
Today at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Anbar explains details of the Western Desert irrigation project and sets its opening date
Today at 4:46 am by Rocky
» Large ships at the five berths of Al-Faw Port
Today at 4:44 am by Rocky
» Al-Marsoumi: Faw Port and Development Road will generate revenues worth 6 trillion dinars in 2038
Today at 4:43 am by Rocky
» Nearly half of Iraq's factories are "stopped"... moves to rescue them
Today at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Gulf central banks follow the Federal Reserve and cut interest rates
Today at 4:41 am by Rocky
» Iraqis are the most likely to buy real estate in Jordan in 2024
Today at 4:39 am by Rocky
» Iranian-Sudanese agreement to expand economic and trade cooperation
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Completion of 670 schools in all Iraqi governorates
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani's advisor: We have put in place a mechanism to provide loans to these groups
Today at 4:37 am by Rocky
» A set of recommendations from Al-Sudani to reform the financial and banking system in Iraq
Today at 4:36 am by Rocky
» A dialogue seminar in Basra discusses the anti-torture file and fair trial mechanisms
Today at 4:33 am by Rocky
» The conclusion of the Ninth International Scientific Conference of the College of Veterinary Medicin
Today at 4:32 am by Rocky
» Minister of Interior from Amman: The government has launched a major campaign to improve the service
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Al-Bujari: The Grand Faw Port Project is an opportunity to do justice to graduates of maritime speci
Today at 4:29 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani announces a package of new banking directives to enhance financial inclusion in the govern
Today at 4:27 am by Rocky
» Iraqi oil returns to gains as Iran-Israel tensions escalate
Today at 4:25 am by Rocky
» Next week... Parliament is close to resolving the controversial laws
Today at 4:22 am by Rocky
» Zidane discusses with Mandalawi and Maliki cooperation between the judicial and legislative authorit
Today at 4:21 am by Rocky
» Al-Atwani to Al-Maliki: We have embarked on a new philosophy for managing the financial sector based
Today at 4:20 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani issues a set of recommendations to reform the financial and banking system in Iraq
Today at 4:18 am by Rocky
» Iraq's Maritime Future.. Everything You Need to Know About Faw Port and Completion Rates (Video)
Today at 4:17 am by Rocky
» Trump poses a threat to Iraq's budget
Today at 4:16 am by Rocky
» A detailed explanation of the implications of Trump’s victory on Iraqi oil policy
Today at 4:14 am by Rocky
» Minister of Interior inaugurates the unified card system at the Iraqi Consulate in Jordan
Today at 4:13 am by Rocky
» Iraqi Parliament extends its legislative term until the ninth of next month
Today at 4:11 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Services: We will hold accountable those responsible for the failure in the sewage dep
Today at 4:09 am by Rocky
» Urgent demands to withdraw US forces and warning against Washington's procrastination
Today at 4:08 am by Rocky
» Why did Qatar enter the Total project: A report criticizes China’s “colonial entry” into Iraq
Today at 4:06 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary movement to pass 5 “important” laws
Today at 4:05 am by Rocky
» Iraqi congratulations and divided positions.. What after Trump's victory?
Today at 4:04 am by Rocky
» Parliament Presidency decides to extend legislative session for 30 days
Today at 4:01 am by Rocky
» Government Media Announces Completion of 670 Model Schools in All Governorates
Today at 4:00 am by Rocky
» More than 10 billion dinars.. Sulaymaniyah and Halabja imports in a week
Today at 3:59 am by Rocky
» Parliamentarian reveals reasons behind the phenomenon of "loose weapons" and details of the state ad
Today at 3:56 am by Rocky
» "Everything Above Ground"... What does the population census include?
Today at 3:53 am by Rocky
» Increasing complaints and slow processing of transactions.. Demands for the necessity of replacing t
Today at 3:52 am by Rocky
» Can Iraq prosecute Trump using old arrest warrant?
Today at 3:50 am by Rocky
» Calls to revive 35,000 idle factories
Yesterday at 7:35 am by Bama Diva
» utube 11/2/24 MM&C Report-Iraq 3 Presidents-National-Constitutional Entitlements-Open Market Operati
Yesterday at 6:51 am by Rocky
» With the document.. Cancellation of the suspension of the agricultural plan in the Iraqi "breadbaske
Yesterday at 5:13 am by Rocky
» Economist criticizes government's neglect of tourism, agriculture and dependence on oil
Yesterday at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The development path will be an artery linking most countries in the region
Yesterday at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary bloc: Popular Mobilization Forces retirement law ready for voting
Yesterday at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Al-Kadhimi: Financial costs and government insistence will force Americans to withdraw militarily
Yesterday at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Committee Rejects Inclusion of Public Money Thieves in Amnesty Decision
Yesterday at 5:08 am by Rocky
» Al-Mashhadani directs to resolve differences over draft laws before submitting them to Parliament
Yesterday at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Emaar: Launching the housing loan application form in early 2025
Yesterday at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Health: The environment needs 2.6 billion dinars to operate air purification stations
Yesterday at 5:03 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: We faced major challenges in implementing the “Greater Iraq” project
Yesterday at 5:02 am by Rocky
» Iraqi Ports reveals in numbers the percentage of completion in the Grand Faw Port projects
Yesterday at 5:00 am by Rocky
» More than $300 million.. Central Bank sales increase in today's auction
Yesterday at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Faw Port prepares to receive the first commercial ship
Yesterday at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Service Effort of {Sabah}: Completing all projects with high implementation rates before the end of
Yesterday at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Government agency for digital transformation
Yesterday at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Committee: Final version of the National Day Law
Yesterday at 4:54 am by Rocky
» Al-Imar to {Sabah}: Launching the housing loan application form at the beginning of 2025
Yesterday at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Iraq looks forward to a new phase after Trump's victory
Yesterday at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Training workshops to help the unemployed in Kirkuk
Yesterday at 4:51 am by Rocky
» Nineveh to open oncology hospital in early 2025
Yesterday at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Service Effort: Completion of all projects that exceeded 80% completion rates.
Yesterday at 4:49 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Health: The environment needs 2.6 billion dinars to operate air purification stations
Yesterday at 4:48 am by Rocky
» Transportation: 20 public transport lines to be launched this month
Yesterday at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Al-Emaar to {Al-Sabah}: Launching the housing loan application form in early 2025
Yesterday at 4:46 am by Rocky
» The most prominent achievements of Al-Sudani's government in the youth care and sports sector files
Yesterday at 4:45 am by Rocky
» Planning: The percentage of women in the workforce does not exceed 13 percent
Yesterday at 4:43 am by Rocky
» Baghdad is the capital of Arab tourism
Yesterday at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The Grand Faw Port is Iraq's largest project
Yesterday at 4:39 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee to NINA: This is what is delaying the selection of the list
Yesterday at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary lawsuit to challenge the contract with the International Finance Corporation
Yesterday at 4:37 am by Rocky
» Minister of Justice issues directive regarding foreign lawsuits file
Yesterday at 4:35 am by Rocky
» How will Trump's victory affect Iraq?
Yesterday at 4:33 am by Rocky
» State Administration Coalition holds meeting with Al-Sudani and Al-Mashhadani in attendance
Yesterday at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Formation of the regional government.. How much influence does the new US administration have on the
Yesterday at 4:30 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani announces the receipt of the five berths that represent the backbone of Al-Faw Port
Yesterday at 4:29 am by Rocky
» Despite its global rise... Iraqi oil returns to the red zone
Yesterday at 4:27 am by Rocky
» Iraq Counts on the Grand Faw Port, and an Expert Says: It Will Change the Economy - Urgent
Yesterday at 4:25 am by Rocky
» Rafidain Bank expands comprehensive banking system to include 48 branches
Yesterday at 4:23 am by Rocky
» "The reference" indicates the seriousness of the situation... and the political forces "shuffle the
Yesterday at 4:22 am by Rocky
» Criminal wanted by Iraqi judiciary.. Rashid and Al-Sudani’s congratulations to Trump spark widesprea
Yesterday at 4:21 am by Rocky
» State Administration Coalition holds meeting with Al-Sudani and Al-Mashhadani in attendance
Yesterday at 4:19 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Security and Defense: There are “fake” security companies run by “suspicious” figures
Yesterday at 4:18 am by Rocky