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Donald Trump then wipes out victories Joe Biden gave a disappointing debate performance.
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The Supreme Court also issued two conservative rulings hours after the debate.
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But Trump’s apparent victories this week could disappear like snow in November.
Former President Donald Trump is back at the top – at least for now.
The Republican nominee enjoyed a wave of political victories this week after President Joe Biden delivered a disastrous first debate performance and the Supreme Court handed down two Trump-friendly decisions.
But Trump’s victories Thursday night and Friday morning are far from permanent, and certain aspects of this week’s apparent victories could fizzle out in the long run.
Biden’s Big Blunder
Political pundits and pundits seem to agree that Trump also did poorly in Thursday’s debate. He lied several times, failed to articulate his plans and policies, and again boasted about his golf swing.
But few were focused on Trump’s faux pause in the aftermath of the debate. The focus was on Biden’s gravelly voice and apparent memory lapses, which only exacerbated growing concerns about the 81-year-old president’s age and fitness.
Throughout the debate, Trump managed to inject some of his infamous zingers, including after a particularly incoherent Biden ramble, saying, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence.” I don’t think he knows what he’s saying. didn’t say either.”
Democrats responded to the debate with utter panic as some Biden loyalists began pushing him to resign. The resulting liberal frenzy is at least marginally good for Trump, said Christian Grose, a professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California.
“Trump only benefits from it in the sense that Biden didn’t benefit from it,” Grose said.
Most voters, however, are already decided. While the debate could have further tipped undecided Americans toward Trump, Grose said Biden’s poor showing is unlikely to sway Democrats toward the Republican nominee in the current partisan era. Biden may have lost some votes, but it’s not clear whether those will strengthen Trump’s base, Grose said.
“Those who support Donald Trump will continue to support him in November, no matter what happens until then. Those who don’t, won’t,” said David Triana, a public relations consultant who focuses on legal figures. “The question remains: Will they vote for Biden or stay home?”
The early nature of this first debate, however, could work in Biden’s favor. Public memory tends to be short, and there’s plenty of time between now and November for Biden to try to change the narrative around his age — especially amid Trump’s ongoing legal troubles, Grose said.
“Every two weeks something terrible happens to one of these candidates, usually Trump,” Grose said.
SCOTUS surprised
Less than 24 hours after the debate, the Supreme Court made two major rulings that at first glance seemed like good news for Trump.
The Supreme Court struck down the Chevron Doctrine, a decades-old legal precedent that required courts to defer to federal agencies’ interpretations of congressional law when it was reasonable to do so. Conservatives had long sought to overturn the doctrine, which they saw as giving too much power to the executive branch.
In a separate 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court also reduced charges against several Jan. 6, 2021, rioters, ruling that the obstruction statute used to prosecute the defendants was applied too broadly by the Justice Department.
Both decisions are a reminder of the outsized role Trump has played in shaping the modern court. During his first term, he appointed three conservative justices who helped tilt the court further to the right than it had been in years.
The Jan. 6 case also has positive personal implications for Trump, who also faces a federal obstruction charge in the case of Special Counsel Jack Smith. On Friday, legal experts told Business Insider that the decision was good news for Trump’s legal prospects.
But the personal benefits Trump derives from the Supreme Court’s decisions could have unintended political consequences for his campaign, Grose said.
It could remind voters dissatisfied with the Supreme Court’s conservative stance that another Trump term could mean more people appointed to the Supreme Court.
Much of Biden’s platform hinges on his claims that he alone can protect democracy from the dangers of a second Trump term. Undecided voters with strong views on abortion and Jan. 6 could be turned off by Trump’s Supreme Court nominations and increasingly conservative rulings, he suggested.
If the court rules in Trump’s presidential immunity case next week, voters may be more likely to believe Biden’s narrative that democracy needs saving, Grose said.
Many undecided voters also worry about a candidate’s character. According to Triana, Trump’s refusal to take responsibility for his crimes could end up costing him among independents, especially if the Supreme Court grants him broad immunity.
But ultimately, it’s simply too early to say how this week’s events will impact November, Grose said.
“We’ll just have to wait and see how the polls turn out,” he said.
Read the original article on Business Insider
