Host Dave Davies introduced the program, highlighting the tumultuous developments in the ongoing presidential campaign with only 47 days remaining. The campaign has seen dramatic events, including President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race after the first debate, leading to Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic nominee. Additionally, there have been two reported assassination attempts targeting Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump. This volatile campaign has seen an increase in the number of contested states and promises a close and intense conclusion.
To provide analysis on these events, New York Times senior political correspondent Maggie Haberman joined the program. She has extensive experience covering presidential elections and won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for reporting on Trump’s advisors’ connections to Russia. Haberman most recently appeared on FRESH AIR in 2022 to discuss her book, “Confidence Man: The Making Of Donald Trump And The Breaking Of America.” The conversation with Haberman was recorded the previous day.
During their discussion, Haberman clarified that it’s not accurate to blame Trump directly for the assassination attempts, noting that the rhetoric in the campaign has significantly heated over time but not equally on all sides. Trump’s rhetoric, according to Haberman, is particularly accusatory and dark. She agreed that the political climate has worsened since their last discussion in 2022, with hostility defining the current political landscape.
Haberman shared insights into the impact of these assassination attempts on Trump’s mentality, noting that the incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, had visibly shaken him. The persistent sense of paranoia within Trump’s campaign was highlighted, including an incident involving fake listening devices which was taken seriously due to previous hacking attempts attributed to Iran.
She also discussed the approach of Kamala Harris’s campaign in contrast to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 strategy. The Harris campaign has adopted a strategy similar to Obama’s 2008 campaign, not responding to provocations and instead focusing on core messages, a tactic that seems to be aimed at avoiding unnecessary elevation of Trump’s controversial statements.
Further, Haberman discussed the self-destructive moments in Trump’s campaign, such as his unnecessary rant about the E. Jean Carroll case and his offensive comments about the allegations, which are unlikely to appeal to critical voter demographics like suburban women.
The conversation also delved into the complex relationship dynamics within Trump’s campaign team, where despite having experienced campaign aides like Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, managing Trump’s impulses remains a challenge.
Addressing criticisms of the media’s coverage of Trump, Haberman defended the press, emphasizing how challenging it is to cover Trump’s frequent falsehoods and incoherent statements while maintaining journalistic integrity. She acknowledged occasional lapses but argued that the media has generally done a good job highlighting Trump’s actions and statements.
The interview concluded with a discussion on upcoming events in the campaign, the potential for another debate, and the evolving methods of campaign outreach and voter engagement in comparison to traditional media like television ads.
The segment ended with Davies thanking Haberman for her insights. Haberman is the senior political correspondent for The New York Times and the author of “Confidence Man: The Making Of Donald Trump And The Breaking Of America.” The conversation was recorded a day prior.
