Donald Trump's campaign is preparing to launch a targeted attack on Vice President Kamala Harris, focusing on her record as a prosecutor and her positions on criminal justice issues. The goal is to define her negatively before the election. The campaign believes that Harris's involvement in Biden's immigration policy and her record on spending bills are vulnerabilities. The attacks are planned to focus on specific cases from her past, including her support for a Minnesota bail fund during the George Floyd protests and her decisions as a prosecutor. Trump advisers claim the attacks are based on policy outcomes rather than race, but there are concerns that Trump may inject racial animus into the campaign. Harris's entry into the race has energized Democrats, with her campaign raising a significant amount of money after Biden announced his withdrawal.
Key Points
Trump campaign preparing to define Kamala Harris negatively before the election
Focus on vulnerabilities in her record as a prosecutor and on policy issues
Concerns about racial subtext potentially becoming explicit racism
Energized Democratic response to Harris's entry into the race
Pros
Targeted attack strategy to define Kamala Harris negatively
Focus on specific vulnerabilities in her record as a prosecutor and on policy issues
Energizing Democrats and raising significant funds for the campaign
Cons
Concerns about racial subtext being turned into overt racism
Potential for attacks to be perceived as racially motivated rather than policy-based