It was based on several unnamed sources, and Trump — and others now or formerly in the administration — vigorously disputed the account. This is one more example of the reality that, since the beginning of the year, he has seen the advantages of incumbency erode or disappear. Bill Clinton’s reelection campaign put Republican Bob Dole on the defensive early in the 1996 campaign, and Dole never recovered. The Trump campaign tried and tried to find something that would stick, but as spring turned to summer and as June bled into the late-August conventions, little damage was done. Significantly, he is airing many more television ads in battleground states than Trump, although that doesn’t mean Trump won’t ramp up in the coming weeks.

Source: Washington Post September 12, 2020 15:42 UTC