The Commercials Write Themselves

Source: Official White House Photo

As I watch the courts and state legislatures continue to try to engineer a pathway for Republicans to retain control of the House, I take heart, to some degree, from things like this via PBS: WATCH: ‘I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation’ when negotiating with Iran, Trump says.

If our only hope for at least one chamber of Congress that will apply some level of accountability is a blue wave, then this helps. Soaring gas prices that can be directly pegged to the choices of a president who says that he doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situation” while also asking for $1 billion for his ballroom, among other vanity projects, will help move the goal along.

Here’s the clip:


I wonder what the over/under is on Kalshi for how many times that clip is going to appear in campaign ads this fall?

Too bad the audio is diminished by the helicopter in the background.

FILED UNDER: 2026 Election, US Politics, , , , ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter and/or BlueSky.

Comments

  1. Joe says:

    Too bad the audio is diminished by the helicopter in the background.

    I am sure that can be fixed.

    4
  2. Jen says:

    That, and his falling asleep numerous times IN FRONT OF CAMERAS and all we get from the rapid response account is “he was blinking.”

    There’s almost too much material for ads at this point. I hope Democrats focus on the stuff that is really easy to understand, like the no-bid contract for the reflecting pool work (estimate, $1.5 million, actual so far, $13 million), that ballroom he’s so obsessed with, and quotes like that one.

    6
  3. Kathy says:

    @Jen:

    Doesn’t everyone blink five or six times per hour for five to fifteen minutes per blink?

    3
  4. @Joe: Very likely.

  5. @Joe: Very likely.

  6. CSK says:

    @Jen:

    “My name is Trumpymandias, king of kings.”

    4
  7. Charley in Cleveland says:

    Another of Trump’s own-goals came when he was asked if he was concerned about his economic record given rising inflation, and he blurted out something along the lines of, “If you look at where it was just before the war….” He can really, really be dense.

    3
  8. Scott F. says:

    Text book Kinsley Gaffe.

    [For those new to the idea, a KG = A mistake whereby a politician inadvertently says something truthful which they had not meant to reveal.]

    1
  9. Scott F. says:

    @Jen:

    There’s almost too much material for ads at this point. I hope Democrats focus on the stuff that is really easy to understand

    The watch out is that it’s clear that a lot of Trump voters are taking a defensive stance. They are unwilling to hear they were duped into supporting a corrupt, mendacious clown. The ads need to stress that the corrupt, mendacious clown betrayed them.

    4
  10. Kathy says:

    @Charley in Cleveland:

    “You should have seen it before the tariffs. It was a weak, low energy, Democrat inflation. Now manypeoplesaythat it’s real Murikan stronggreatbigbeautiful inflation!!1!”

    2
  11. Gavin says:

    Note the banner in background of the picture up top.
    Trump promised lower prices and prices increased. He promised higher paychecks and paychecks decreased.
    I have a couple clinician buddies at United Health whose paychecks were racked down bc they’re a monopoly in local areas.