Donald Trump is increasing his use of offensive and inflammatory speech at campaign demonstrations as the 2024 presidential election nears its last week. The former president opened a surprising story about the later golf legend Arnold Palmer’s testicles at a Pennsylvania occasion this weekend. Trump’s simplistic remarks about Palmer’s manhood were followed by insults directed at his Democratic player, Kamala Harris. These rants have sparked controversy but also resurrected his core supporters, which raises the question of whether this intentionally raw behavior was intended to appeal to his base, particularly younger female voters.
Why it concerns
Trump’s use of crude humor and bad language is not novel, according to a Politico report, but his remarks frequently occur during the campaign’s last weeks in 2024 are noteworthy. The former president, who has long embraced questionable language, seems to be doubling down on hypermasculine, aggressive comments, a technique that appears designed to allure to female voters, especially those disillusioned with traditional political accuracy. At the same time, his conduct was alienate important demographics, especially residential women and average Republicans, who might be turned off by his lack of decorum.
The firmness and demeanor of the candidates as Trump squares off against Kamala Harris, who might be the first female president of the US, is striking. Harris has mostly avoided directly addressing Trump’s private strikes, instead concentrating on portraying him as unfit for office. Trump’s followers, but, often praise his straightforwardness and sincerity, seeing his crude fun as a wonderful solution to what they view as the scrubbed speech of conventional politicians.
The big picture
Trump’s divisive remarks over the weekend identify a broader style in his campaign: the emphasis on populism and hypermasculinity. Trump gave a 12-minute tale about Palmer, which included graphic details about the sport legend’s body, at his Pennsylvania rally, which attracted laughter from the audience.
” Arnold Palmer was all person… Although I refused to say it, this person was strong and tough, but when he and the other benefits exited, they said,” Oh, my God. That’s incredible,'” Trump said.
He followed this with a rude attack aimed at Kamala Harris, calling her a” garbage evil leader”, to the happiness of his visitors. This style of using locker-room speak to reinvigorate his foundation has become a cornerstone of Trump’s gatherings, especially in battleground states like Pennsylvania, where he is courting working-class citizens and younger people.
Trump used a slang word for female genitalia to identify the demise of disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein in a podcast last year. These instances are not sudden; they are a part of a wider campaign to appeal to female voters who may find progressive movements and political correctness to be disconcerting. Trump is tapping into frustrations among voters who feel left behind by historical shifts in the country by positioning himself as an outsider who “tells it like it is,” according to the Politico statement.
But, while these comments does energize his foundation, they furthermore risk deepening the gender difference in the 2024 election. Polls suggest that Trump’s aggressive, masculine rhetoric appeals more to male voters, while Harris is performing strongly with female voters, particularly in suburban areas. With both campaigns focusing primarily on turnout from these crucial groups, the outcome is shaping up to be one of the largest gender gaps in recent political history.
What they are saying
Trump’s obscene remarks, according to Kamala Harris and other Democratic leaders, serve as an outlet for his obnoxious remarks. Trump’s critics were addressed by Harris, who responded,” I do think Donald Trump is an unserious man.” And the consequences of him ever returning to the White House are incredibly serious. Trump’s behavior is viewed by Harris as a representative of a wider pattern of instability and carelessness, suggesting that his re-election would be dangerous for the nation.
Arnold Palmer’s daughter, Peg Palmer Wears, also reacted to Trump’s comments about her late father. She expressed disappointment but not outrage in an interview with the Associated Press, saying,” I think it was a poor choice of approaches to remember my father, but what are you going to do?” Wears added that while she was n’t upset, she felt Trump’s comments did n’t honor her father’s legacy appropriately. She noted that her father, who passed away in 2016, had a strong support for the Republican Party, but she avoided saying whether she would support Trump in the upcoming election.
On the Republican side, reactions have been mixed. Some party leaders, like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La ), have avoided directly condemning Trump’s remarks, with Johnson telling CNN,” He says things that are off-the-cuff”. Other Republicans, including Gov. Chris Sununu (R-N H), have been more critical, saying Trump’s language, particularly his profanity-laced attacks on Kamala Harris, is unhelpful and distracting. However, Sununu also noted that such remarks are unlikely to sway voters one way or the other, adding,” It’s just par for the course”.
Between the lines
Trump’s frequent use of crude humor and locker-room slang may be a wise move to win over young men who have become a key part of the Republican Party. Republicans have made a concerted effort to appeal to younger male voters over the past few years, many of whom feel alienated by progressive social movements and the viewed as political correctness of the left. These voters perceive Trump as a “real” candidate who will say what others wo n’t because of his crude language and unapologetic style.
Trump’s emphasis on masculinity and strength is not unusual. In the 2016 election, he used similar tactics to portray himself as the alpha male candidate, contrasting himself with Hillary Clinton, whom he frequently belittled with sexist and derogatory remarks. His most recent remarks about Kamala Harris and Arnold Palmer serve as a continuation of this strategy, establishing himself as a strong, determined leader who is n’t afraid to break the rules.
This strategy could be effective in energizing Trump’s core supporters, but it also risks alienating moderate Republicans and undecided voters, especially women. Polls indicate a significant gender gap between male and female voters, which is expected to be historic in this election. Harris, who has focused on presenting herself as a competent and serious leader, may benefit from Trump’s controversial remarks, particularly among women who find his behavior off-putting.
What’s next
As the November 5 election approaches, both candidates will continue to sharpen their closing arguments. This is likely to result in more rallies filled with crude language and humor intended to energize Trump’s supporters. His team hopes that by making an appeal to male voters, particularly in swing states like Pennsylvania, he can close the gender gap that he faces with suburban voters.
In the meantime, Harris will likely stick to her plan to concentrate on Trump’s character and suitability for office in an effort to persuade skeptical voters that his actions make him unfit for a second term. She will also make an effort to elect moderate voters, who are crucial to her victory.
The final weeks of the campaign are set to be a battle of contrasting styles: Trump’s brash, masculine rhetoric versus Harris’s more reserved, policy-focused approach. The outcome may depend on which message finds more of a following among voters in key battleground states.
( With inputs from agencies )