In recent days, US Democrats have been trying out a new attack line on Donald Trump - that he is "weird." This tactic appears to be aimed at resonating with young and independent voters, who polls show are becoming more engaged in the 100-day contest between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee.
On Thursday, in a press release, Harris issued a list of what she sees as the main takeaways of Trump's time in office. One of the entries read: "Trump is old and quite weird?"
Harris continued to use this line of attack at a fundraising event in Massachusetts on Saturday, describing what Trump and his running mate JD Vance had been saying about her as "just plain weird."
The Harris campaign has been working to redefine the race, with a particular focus on the youth vote. This has included efforts like coloring online HarrisHQ banners lime green after an endorsement from singer Charli xcx. The campaign has also sought to draw attention to Trump's penchant for referencing the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter, as well as his comments about choosing between being shocked by a sinking electric boat or being eaten by a shark.
Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Walz appears to have kickstarted this "weird" line of attack, posting on Twitter to say "Say it with me: Weird," in response to a video of Trump speaking about Lecter. Walz later followed up by describing Trump and Vance as "these guys are weird."
During a Sunday appearance on CNN's State of the Union, Walz was asked if "weird" had replaced "existential threat to democracy" as a more effective attack strategy. Walz replied that he sees it as an "observation" based on his experience as a former high school teacher and football coach, saying that Trump's behavior and comments are simply "weird."
Other Democrats, such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have also weighed in, telling Fox News that Trump is "clearly older and stranger than when America first got to know him."
The new Democratic messaging on Trump comes as his campaign has maintained that the 78-year-old is "strong as an ox," despite concerns about his age and mental acuity compared to the 59-year-old Harris.
The discussions also come as a new poll found a jump in Harris' favorability rating, particularly among independent voters and the group of "double haters" - those who disliked both Biden and Trump.
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