OPINION:
Former President Donald Trump is showing Americans what the real “politics of joy” look like.
He held a news conference in a garbage truck wearing a garbage collector’s vest (which he then wore to a rally with thousands of people). He served french fries at a McDonald’s drive-thru window. He went to a Pittsburgh Steelers game where the crowd chanted “USA.” He headlined a rally at Madison Square Garden before 20,000 people. The list goes on.
There is a certain irony that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign tried to project the concept of joy while former President Donald Trump is clearly having a great time and being more joyful.
Two things drove this home for me this past Wednesday.
First, Paul Manafort gave a fascinating interview with Mark Halperin. Mr. Manafort has spent four decades working with Mr. Trump. He said that Mr. Trump has always liked people and interacting with them. This became an enormous advantage for Mr. Trump as a candidate.
I noticed this quality last week when I wrote “French Fries vs. French Laundry.” In that column, I referenced the day he did a variety of jobs at one of his hotels; a video segment was shown on Oprah Winfrey’s now-defunct talk show. Clearly, he got a kick out of working and hanging out with people.
Watching Mr. Trump campaign in the Bronx — at a rally many Republicans wouldn’t have held — made it obvious he identified with and enjoyed interacting with the kind of workers who had built his buildings. Eating with gusto at a food truck in Queens seemed perfectly natural for the Queens native.
By contrast, the self-described candidate of joy has been expressing hatred about her opponent. The vice president is calling him a fascist, an admirer of Hitler and an aspiring dictator. There is clearly no joy in Ms. Harris’ world.
The absurdity of Democrats claiming to be joyful was driven home on Fox News’ “Gutfeld.” The show played a series of comments made by speakers at the Democratic National Convention:
• Barack Obama: “The joy, and the excitement that we’re seeing around this campaign.”
• Michelle Obama: “The joy of her laughter and her light!”
• Kelley Robinson: “We’re voting for joy! Somebody say ‘joy!’”
• Hakeem Jeffries: “Joy. Joy. Joy.”
• Hillary Clinton: “With faith in each other and joy in our hearts.”
• Tim Walz: “With energy, with passion and with joy.”
• Bill Clinton: “We need Kamala Harris, the president of joy.”
• Oprah Winfrey: “And let us choose j-o-y!”
President Biden’s recent claim that Trump supporters were “garbage” is a far cry from promises made at the beginning of the Harris campaign.
Isn’t it amazing how rapidly the Democratic Party of joy turned into the Harris party of anger, hostility, name-calling and divisiveness?
If you watch the two candidates, you know that Mr. Trump really enjoys being with people and having fun. You also know that Ms. Harris is frightened, rigid and insecure and would like to hide until she is coronated president.
Think of the nominating process. In 2016, Mr. Trump fought his way past 15 solid Republican candidates. This year, he had to defeat a number of first-rate candidates. He campaigned cheerfully, enthusiastically and effectively.
By contrast, Ms. Harris dropped out in 2019, before a single vote had been cast for the 2020 Democratic nomination. Then she was handpicked (probably by Nancy Pelosi and the Obamas), and the vice presidency was handed to her. This year, she did not receive a single vote or earn a single delegate. She did not campaign for the nomination. She got the nomination for president because the bosses picked her.
Now she is frightened, and Mr. Trump is having a blast.
Watch each of them for five minutes and you will know Donald Trump is the real candidate of joy.
• For more commentary from Newt Gingrich, visit Gingrich360.com. And subscribe to the “Newt’s World” podcast.
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