“A Disaster”: Republicans Reportedly Frustrated by Trump’s Debate Performance
[Justin Lane/Pool via AP Photo]
President Donald Trump’s campaign is scrambling to defend his debate performance from Tuesday night, but behind the scenes, Republicans are reportedly describing it as “a disaster.” Speaking from the debate site in Pennsylvania, MSNBC’s Dasha Burns revealed the mixed reactions she’s been hearing from GOP insiders.
“Some of the Republican operatives I’ve been talking to have given some mixed reviews,” Burns explained. “Some say, look, he did no harm. Others are saying he really did take the bait from Harris, and they’re frustrated by that.”
However, one particular Republican operative highlighted just how damaging Trump’s performance was. “He said, the economic start was fine, abortion was a disaster, then she baited him with the rallies comment, and he hasn’t been off the ropes since,” Burns quoted. “It’s like his kryptonite.”
According to the operative, Vice President Kamala Harris managed to subtly make age an issue without directly addressing it. “Trump sat back and let Joe Biden sound old and incoherent in that first debate; now she’s sitting back letting Trump sound old, angry, and rambling,” Burns explained, echoing concerns raised by GOP insiders.
Burns further noted that the Trump campaign missed key opportunities during the debate. Instead of focusing on policy issues where Trump could have touted his administration’s accomplishments, like immigration, he veered into unfounded claims about Haitian migrants, including the bizarre statement about Haitians eating cats and dogs.
“There were opportunities where Trump could have talked about his accomplishments or even criticized President Joe Biden’s administration,” Burns said, but instead, “he tended to go a little bit off the rails, not exactly what the campaign was hoping he would accomplish last night.”
The frustrations from within Trump’s own party highlight the growing concern that his erratic debate performance could hurt his standing with voters, particularly as Harris stayed calm and focused.
