Last week was Trump’s worst since announcing his candidacy for president of the United States.
Going into the first of three debates against Hillary Clinton, Trump had been gaining in national polls but a rash of bad press for his debate performance, controversial twitter comments against a former miss universe, and leaked tax documents, have set him back at a time when he should be winning over undecided voters.
On Monday, Clinton and Trump faced off in the first highly anticipated presidential debate of 2016. The showdown was set to be a crucial moment for Trump who desperately needs to expand his base of support. Although he started well, Trump became increasingly flustered as the debate wore on, often grimacing and talking out of turn.
Clinton on the other hand looked poised, hitting him hard for questionable business dealings and derogatory comments made toward women. She cited Trump’s verbal abuse of former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, who alleges Trump called her “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housewife” after she gained weight post Miss Universe.
Although Trump did land a few counter blows, like criticizing Clinton’s support for NAFTA and the Iraq War, it really didn’t feel close. Media analysts at Fox News agreed, reporting pundits “were near unanimous in finding Clinton was more disciplined and armed with greater recall of facts.” It was an early sign she had won.
Trump went on the attack immediately following the debate determined to change the narrative. But instead of attack Clinton over Benghazi or leaked emails – both with the potential to win over undecided voters – he decided to attack Clinton for her alignment with former Miss Universe Alicia Machado.
In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, “Did Crooked Hillary help disgusting (check out sex tape and past) Alicia M become a U.S. citizen so she could use her in the debate?” His comments were widely panned by the media for being baseless. What’s worse? Buzzfeed News uncovered a Playboy film featuring none other than Donald Trump.
The “Video Centerfold” published in 2000, shows Trump, surrounded by Playboy Bunnies on a street in New York City, pouring a bottle of champagne over a black vehicle bearing the Playboy logo. No he doesn’t appear naked in the film but it doesn’t bode well for Trump’s chances with female voters weighing whether to vote for a man who attacks women on Twitter, all the while appearing in a porno of his own.
Then came the New York Times revelations about Trump’s tax records. For months now Donald has avoided calls from all sides to release his tax returns, a practice that every major party candidate has done since 1980. On Saturday, the New York Times published a bruising article, written with a portion of Trump’s leaked tax records in hand, which alleges Trump could have avoided paying taxes for nearly two decades.
While the leaked records were not tax returns, they did show Trump recorded a $916 million loss in 1995, coinciding with poor real estate and investment deals. The loss would have put Trump in a position to avoid paying taxes for nearly 18 years. Although legal, it begs the question: did Trump aspire to loose $916 million in order to gain long-term tax avoidance?
Supporters say the report is evidence of his business prowess. But to those who are on the fence about Trump, it might seem odd he would exploit tax loopholes as a businessman while running a campaign for president that promises to eliminate them.
Polls released at week’s end had Clinton ahead of Trump by an average of 2.8 percentage points among likely voters. Donald’s numbers around the board remained stagnant suggesting he is keeping his core base of support but not expanding to women and minorities.
Trump should do himself a favor by keeping his attention on Clinton, preparing for the remaining debates, and avoiding any focus on his controversial past. The problem is voters like him for his unconventional style. They don’t care that he was in a Playboy or avoided paying taxes. It’s just business to them.
Changing this late in the game, if even possible for the Donald, would jeopardize his base and his chances of winning. To stop the slide, Trump will need Hillary to slip up before voters go to the polls on November 8.
The remaining presidential debates are on October 9 and 19. Election Day is November 8.