Donald Trump he had not appeared on a major TV channel outside his conservative media bubble since 2020, when he lost the election.
Wednesday evening he returned to the early evening in the US, like preferred candidate of Republicans in the White House in 2024, in a “town hall” live on CNN where the former president showed his classic arsenal of gestures and verbiage. Trump has been seen more than ever on a TV show he caused a big controversy.
If anyone expected the former president to approach the new campaign with more moderate tones he was wrong.
In front of a New Hampshire audience of Republicans and independents who would vote internally for the opposition, Trump said that they stole the last election presidential, he praised those who stormed Congress and suggested that lawmakers should allow the federal government default on your debt and fall into default.
Trump arrived at “town hall” — which was scheduled weeks ago — a day after he was convicted in a civil trial of sexually abusing and defaming the former writer. E. Jean Carroll in the locker room of a luxury store in Manhattan decades ago.
When asked about the matter, he said that I did not know her that the woman had invented everything and was taking the opportunity to mock her calling her “crazy”to the applause and laughter of the audience.
Trump’s presence on CNN – which is usually described by the tycoon as a leftist chain and disseminator of fake news – had given rise to a debate on whether to offer him a platform to appeal to undecided voters that he would need to return to the White House given his behavior that many consider repugnant and undemocratic.
Remember that Trump’s political career -a high rating generator- It was widely promoted by the media, even by the most liberal and most critical sectors of that stage. they don’t want to be given so much space again. Much less the day after being accused of sexual abuse.
The favourite, with style intact
But above all, Trump Today he comfortably drives the republican interior by nearly 30 points over his closest follower, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. And, at least for now, polls give him about 5 points ahead of a possible showdown with President Joe Biden in 2024.
as seen go back and forth with people and the presenter, the Trump style that appeals to his followers is still intact: braggart, warlike, elusive in the answers and very difficult to control in a debate.
At a time when reporter Kaitland Collins pressed a question, he insulted her to the face qualifying it as “unpleasant person”, as he raised applause from the audience.
Some points to highlight:
–Trump went on to say that the 2020 election have been stolendespite the fact that justice has repeatedly proved that it was not so and that is being judged on the issue in Washington and Georgia.
–Not only did you not regret your role during the January 6, 2021 attack on Congress, but you praised the raiders. “They were proud. They were there with love in his heart‘ he said, adding, ‘It was a beautiful day.’
— Advised Congress not to raise the debt ceiling in June if President Biden disagrees deep spending cuts. A default could precipitate a global economic crisis. trump Shrugged.
–He repeatedly dodged questions about whether he would sign to national ban on abortion or would say at what stage of pregnancy abortion should be illegal. “What I’m going to do is negotiate so people are happy,” she said.
–She said would solve the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours” and that Putin would not have invaded that country had he been president. He has been coy about monetary aid to Ukraine, saying Europe needs to spend more.
–He insisted on that now too he no longer has confidential documents at his home in Mar-a-Lago.
a risky bet
It’s been a long shot for CNN. Having Trump take center stage with an audience practically made up of Trumpists or people who Shuffle the option to vote for him and with only one emcee in the center of the ring to counter him it looked very challenging and it was.
Trump moved comfortably. It launched waves of falsehoods –the theft of the election, who had built a wall all along the border or that Democrats want to execute children, among many— and the driver could not deny everything, a even if i triedwhile the audience cheered.
As soon as the broadcast ended, there were commentators who came out in force to criticize on the networks saying it was a “political act” for Trump, others dismissed it as “a Trump advertisement”, and the Democratic representative of the Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said just that CNN “should be ashamed”.
Some pundits said the show should have been canceled or at least postponed given the sexual assault conviction. Others directly called for the resignation of the CEO of CNNChris Light.
The show it was applauded and seen as a victory for Trump among its most fervent supporters and a large part of the Republicans. But there is one fact to take into account: in the last two elections – the presidential one and the legislative one – it was seen that the independents were curbing their support for the tycoon, tired and even frightened by their behavior.
When the red-haired, red-tie tycoon showed up Wednesday night exactly as always, has lost a good chance of seducing the more moderate electorate, the one that can alternate its vote between Republicans and Democrats. It is a key sector to reach the White House.
Washington correspondent
ap
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.