OPINION:
Political pollster Frank Luntz said in a briefing before members of the British strategy firm Global Counsel that President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign advisers have “their heads up their a——” and ought to be “brought up on charges of political malpractice,” according to a report in The Hill.
His point being: Team Trump doesn’t know what it’s doing.
But isn’t this the same Frank Luntz who famously engaged in public bickering with Trump in 2015, and who conducted a vicious Trump-trashing focus group that same year — only to apologize profusely in 2018 for underestimating Trump’s ability to lead? Why yes, yes it is.
Honestly, it should seem obvious after all these years that Trump is Trump, and no amount of anti-Trumping is going to change him. Or the people he chooses to represent him and advise him, i.e. campaign reelection folk.
Democrats tried, during the 2015-2016 campaign season, drubbing the then-candidate as a surefire loser in the White House race. He proved them wrong.
Psychologists tried, during the opening months of his White House administration, debasing the newly minted commander-in-chief as unfit to lead, mentally incapable of withstanding the pressures of the role — and all from the long-distance comfort of the armchairs at leftist news outlets, no less. Nary an in-office session. But again, Trump proved them wrong.
Even Republicans tried, during the first year — and beyond! — of his administration, wagging fingers and shaking heads and tsk-tsking loudly and scornfully at the now-famous Trump Twitter Feed, saying in no uncertain terms that if he wanted to govern well, or govern at all, for that matter, he needed to stay off social media. Trump, ba da dum, dum, drumroll please, proved them wrong.
The takeaway?
Trump seems to know what he’s doing.
Trump seems to have a pretty decent handle on how to run his campaign, how to run his White House, how to run his reelection.
Trump seems to be doing an A-OK job on selecting his reelection team as well as his reelection messaging.
It’s worked so far. Despite what polls and naysayers have said, and continue to say — it’s worked so far.
“I’ve never seen a campaign more miscalibrated than the Trump campaign. Frankly, his staff ought to be brought up on charges of political malpractice,” Luntz said, The Hill reported. “It is the worst campaign I’ve ever seen and I’ve been watching them since 1980. They’re on the wrong issues. They’re on the wrong message. They’ve got their heads up their a——. … Your damn job is to get your candidate to talk about things that are relevant to the people you need to reach. And if you can’t do your damn job, then get out.”
Hmm. Maybe. That’s one point of view. Another?
Luntz, come November, may very well take to Twitter with the same message he posted in 2018: “I owe Donald Trump an apology.”
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
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