Simple and effective

“Strange” strategy leaves Trump and Vance baffled

Trump is already said to regret his choice.

(Bild: Getty Images/Stephen Maturen)

Donald Trump has consistently stumped his opponents since entering politics. He dragged them down into a world where a commitment to truth, facts and decency fell victim to his sensationalism. The Democrats now seem to have found an exit strategy. 

Donald Trump has defied all advice and made J.D. Vance his "running mate". The MAGA man has thus foregone a broader spread of topics and nominated his son Donald Junior's best buddy - something he may already bitterly regret.

From celebrated author to vice-president?
Trump was impressed by the life story of his vice president, which was recorded in the book "Hillbilly Elegy". In it, Vance embeds the tragic existence of his family in a larger context. The fate of his mother and grandparents serves as a magnifying glass for the white underclass of America.

Vance is supposed to reflect the American promise of advancement, but for Trump he increasingly turns out to be the guarantor of his own decline. The 39-year-old is even more radical in his statements, has less charisma and is even more off-putting to the female electorate than Trump.

It's all rather "strange"!
For the political competition, the duo of Trump and Vance is one thing above all: strange! "Weirdos" who are out of their depth. This narrative is currently dominating the headlines and is also catching on among Republicans. The Democrats call the strategy "stating the obvious". Simple and effective.

From now on, the Democrats want to "call a spade a spade", explains Tim Walz, the originator of the "strange" strategy:

And indeed, Vance is on the fringes of society. Since his nomination, his tweets, appearances and interviews over the past few years have been scrutinized. What emerges is a gruff style, full of sexism and extreme statements. The Democrats' message is always the same: this guy is damn "weird". Trump's vice president makes himself particularly vulnerable on the subject of family.

How the Trump vice president scares off women and the childless
In September 2021, Vance preached to students at a Catholic institution that violence is not a reason to change sexual partners or even divorce. On Fox News that same year, he referred to female politicians without children as frustrated "cat ladies" who should not have a say because they are not "invested" in the country. In his opinion, the same should apply to leadership positions. 

Vance ranted openly that parents "should have more of a voice in our democratic republic than people without children." His approach: all children should be given the right to vote under the supervision of their parents in order to devalue the votes of single people.

Vance is torn to shreds
Although the 39-year-old stylizes himself as a family man, he sees financial aid as "class warfare against normal people". In his opinion, daycare centers should not be made more affordable. "Normal Americans" would not send their children to these "shitty" facilities. Anyone who does that loves their job more than their children, Vance tweeted in April 2021.

Where does Vance come from?

• Vance grew up where the availability of drugs is high, violence is omnipresent and hope has disappeared: in Middletown in the Rust Belt state of Ohio.
• Opposition to abortion and homosexuality is commonplace for him, the elite in Washington the enemy. Poverty is part of everyday life, breaking out is the exception, he describes in his book.
• In the USA, this social class is often referred to by the defamatory term "white trash". Translated: "white trash".

The list could go on and on, which the Democrats are now calling "strange" in relation to the Trump-Vance campaign. The following is an excerpt:

• An outright ban on abortion - even in cases of rape and incest? Very strange!
• Equating abortion with slavery? Super weird!
• Following several nationalist accounts on X, many of which glorify bodybuilding and fascism and fantasize about the "great exchange"? Totally weird!
• Comparing Trump to Hitler before his rise, then flattering his way to the vice presidential nomination? What the hell!

The Democrats are having success with this and the Republicans have no answer yet. Even on Fox News, Vance is confronted with his statements about women and childless people. As a reminder, a few days ago an ex-president and current candidate was almost shot and the incumbent US president dropped out of the race for the Oval Office. But people are only talking about the "strange" Vance.

Damage limitation for Republicans
Trump's election team is now trying to save what can be saved. A section on abortion was completely deleted from the vice-candidate's website. Vance himself claims that his statements were taken out of context by the Democrats.

J. D. Vance has three children with his wife Usha.

(Bild: AP/Alex Brandon)

Rather, his aim was to make it clear that the political competition had become anti-family and anti-children. He did not want to criticize women who do not have children. His "cat women" comment was a "sarcastic comment". On Friday, he added in a conservative podcast: "I have nothing against cats."  

J.D. Vance has repeatedly made embarrassing appearances in the current election campaign. Here, the 39-year-old tries unsuccessfully to make a joke: 

The Republicans have long since lost their laugh. The Democrats' attacks are going viral. The "weird" argument is "stupid and childish", say prominent Trumpists such as Vivek Ramaswamy. Calls are now coming from the Trump party, of all places, for the Democrats to return to substantive politics. 

Vance sets negative record
Conservative opinion makers such as Ben Shapiro are already talking about the "worst case". Trump is said to be passionately regretting his decision behind closed doors, US media report.

According to confidants, the 78-year-old is absolutely obsessed with poll figures. The latest figures are unlikely to have escaped his notice: since 2000, vice presidential candidates have gained an average of 19 points shortly after their nomination. According to CNN, Vance has lost six points. Kind of makes sense!