On Sunday morning, former President Donald Trump posted an attack on pop star Taylor Swift, signaling that his campaign had begun to unravel.
It was not a surprise that Trump might resent Swift for her endorsement of his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, but there was absolutely nothing to be gained by saying so publicly.
In doing so, Trump was drawing attention to an endorsement that had made little impact, and possibly alienating some of his supporters.
He was also signaling that he had lost control of himself, and the campaign. This was the Trump of 2020, the undisciplined incumbent who, under attack from all sides, would lash out at rivals and the press, even when he was winning.
We had not seen this version of Trump in years. The "lawfare" against him seemed to have focused his mind even as it also consolidated his Republican support. The 2024 campaign was professional, disciplined, and efficient.
True, the campaign was slow to react to the replacement of President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket with Vice President Harris. But staffing changes in August seemed to work: Trump tightened his message and stuck to policy.
Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), Trump's running mate, also became an important asset to the campaign, sharpening his skills as he sparred with the media on Sunday morning news shows (which his rival, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, has avoided).
Then came the debate. According to my sources, Trump had appeared in fine form during practice sessions with former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). But onstage, he was immediately combative, defensive, and ultimately ineffective.
True, he had the moderators against him. But it was not the moderators' fault that he failed to seize on an early Harris mistake, when she dodged a question about whether Americans were better off today than they were 4 years ago.
Give credit to the Harris campaign for preparing a set of talking points designed to get under his skin, including insulting him over his rallies (which she claimed, falsely, are boring). He could have ignored her; instead, he took the bait.
It was not a disaster; he did not insult Kamala Harris personally, or make too many major gaffes. But he failed to use the opportunity to communicate his own message. And Democrats left feeling a boost of confidence in Harris.
The full picture of what happened has begun to emerge. Trump traveled to the debate with Laura Loomer, a provocateur who associates with marginal figures and ideas on the right and somehow insinuated herself into Trump's inner circle.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a rhetorical bomb-thrower who also likes to provoke opponents (including Republicans), also somehow made it into Mar-a-Lago as Trump was preparing for the crucial debate, and later posted on X about it.
https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1833596637194948708?s=46&t=l2JVNfY-lbp_LzUHpXhZEA
These voices often flatter Trump and amplify his most incendiary instincts. At a time when he needed to project a calm, presidential demeanor, he was surrounded by at least some people who would have supported the opposite.
Later, after the media declared that Harris had won, it is possible that these were the sources of comfort to which he turned -- the voices that savor battles against the odds. Hence Trump's unhelpful frame of mind on Sunday morning.
The Taylor Swift debacle was quickly forgotten amid news of the attempted assassination. While the shocking event -- the second in just over two months -- was deeply disturbing, it may also have saved the Trump campaign.
The assassination attempt placed Trump once again at the center of public empathy. It also brought out the worst in his media and Democratic opponents, who blamed the intended victim, saying his rhetoric -- not theirs -- was at fault.
That was a reminder of the stakes in November: the same voices that would stoke violence while censoring their political rivals would be fully in charge in a Harris administration. The Democrats were scarier than an unstable Trump.
On Monday, as he returned to campaigning, Trump exuded calm, and issued messages of unity. It was Trump back at his best -- urging supporters to fight, but to fight for all Americans. He appeared to have been shaken out of his funk.
The question is whether Trump will use the opportunity that fate -- or God -- has given him. He needs to get rid of the grifters and groupies and focus on a positive message. It is not enough to point to Harris's weaknesses; he must lead.
What a week it was for President Donald Trump -- and what a week it's going to be, as we prepare to celebrate the 249th anniversary of the United States. From the BBB to Iran, to the jobs numbers later this week -- so much news!
We'll focus -- unusually so -- on a recap of recent events, just because they have been so profound -- but we'll also look ahead to things to come.
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on California gas prices and Gavin Newsom
Bradley Jaye -- Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the BBB
Carrie Severino -- Judicial Crisis Network, on recent SCOTUS decisions
James Rosen -- Newsmax White House correspondent, on the media
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Iran and Israel
Alan Dershowitz -- lawyer and author, on Iran and antisemitism
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call in: 866-957-2874
This week's portion is about the rebellion of Korach against Moses. The story is a powerful lesson about the role of good leaders -- and the unique challenges they face, as it is human nature to question why others should have authority.
Korach's rebellion fails because it is ultimately based on personal interests, even though it uses the language of common grievance. Moses prevails because he remains true to his faith even when confronted by a crowd.
We have seen a lot of "Korach" lately in my particular political world, as a cohort of "talkers" has tried to challenge the Republican "establishment" over support for Israel. They lost badly this week because their protests was empty.
It's never a good idea to bet against Israel, or against God. My advice to those tempted to join such rebellions is to search their own hearts, and ask if they are acting out of conviction or out of some other motive, perhaps conformity.
There is another lesson in Moses's reaction. When God says he will ...
A new phenomenon has appeared over the past several months, which burst into full view during the recent "12 Day War": the so-called "woke right," a small but vocal group of anti-Israel commentators and podcasters.
We are talking about a small minority of people -- only about 6% of Trump supporters, according to one recent poll. But they are prolific on social media, and are therefore believed to be somewhat influential.
Some of these voices used to be avowedly pro-Israel, but turned against the Jewish state in recent months. Often, their changes of heart are ascribed to antisemitism, but usually that is too simplistic an explanation.
It is true that a few have used antisemitic language and themes. In some cases, these commentators had been targeted previously by left-wing Jewish groups like the Anti Defamation League for cancelation for stating conservative ideas. Once targeted in this way, they became more hostile to Jews, and to Israel, because they felt they had been attacked first -- which they had been, ...
