Lindsey Graham Admits Trump ‘May Not Win’ If He Keeps Mudslinging
As Vice President Kamala Harris expands her lead in polls nationally and in battleground states, former president Donald Trump has become more erratic, rambling and unpredictable — so much so that one of his staunchest allies says if he can’t get back on message, Trump may lose in November.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, during a Sunday interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, admitted that Trump, “the provocateur, the showman, may not win this election.”
WATCH: Sen. @LindseyGrahamSC (R) says “policy is the key to the White House,” while Donald Trump focuses on personal attacks against Kamala Harris.
“If you have a policy debate, he wins. Donald Trump the provocateur, the showman, may not win this election.” pic.twitter.com/HnKaq4nlo4— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) August 18, 2024
Host Kristen Welker played Graham a clip of former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley critiquing Trump for not staying on message. “The campaign is not gonna win talking about crowd sizes,” Haley said. “It’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. It’s not going to win talking about whether she’s dumb… You can’t win on those things… I think the campaign needs to focus.”
“Senator, do you agree with Nikki Haley’s assessment?” Welker asked.
“I don’t look at Vice President Harris as a lunatic. I look at her as the most liberal person to ever be nominated for president in the history of the United States,” Graham said, adding, “I would make it about policy. A nightmare for Harris is to defend her policy choices. Every day we’re not talking about her policy choices as vice president, and what she would do as president, is a good day for her and a bad day for us.”
Welker then asked, “Do you think former president Trump should stop talking about Vice President Harris’ race and intelligence?”
Graham responded by asking Haley and other Republicans criticizing Trump to “get together and actually campaign for the guy, rather than just give advice.”
He then said, “President Trump can win this election,” Graham said. “His policies are good for America, and if you have a policy debate for president, he wins. Donald Trump the provocateur, the showman, may not win this election.”
“I’m looking for President Trump to show up in the last 80 days to define what he will do for our country, to fix broken borders, to lower inflation,” Graham added.
“Policy is the key to the White House,” Graham concluded.
But policy is low on the agenda when Trump gives his ranting and meandering rally speeches and press conferences. Trump relishes in the mudslinging. At a news conference this past Thursday that was promoted as focusing on the economy and inflation, Trump said, “I think I’m entitled to personal attacks.”
And at a rally Saturday, Trump again indulged in personal attacks when he made the laughable claim, “I am much better looking than her. I’m a better looking person than Kamala.”
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