Trump camp adopts scandal-scarred UK prime minister's tactic to distract media: columnist

Donald Trump seems to have adopted a strategy whose name was coined by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to a new analysis.

The former president and his running mate J.D. Vance have staked their campaign on false claims that Haitian immigrants are stealing and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, and Salon columnist Heather Digby Parton argued they've centered on the issue to distract from the shortcomings in the rest of their message.

"I agree that Trump probably doesn't know that what he's saying is a lie," Parton wrote. "He said he heard it on television, presumably Fox News, so in his mind it may be a fact. And he doubles down on everything anyway because MAGA means never having to say you're sorry. But Vance knows better.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut and often gives away the game, as he did there."

Parton was referring to Vance's statement on CNN Sunday, in which he said he was happy creating stories if they brought attention to issues he said the media was missing.

Parton suspects that the Republican ticket is relying on what Johnson, when he was mayor of London, called the "dead cat strategy," meaning that it would be impossible to talk about anything else if someone tossed a dead cat onto the dining room table, just as Trump and Vance had placed Springfield into the center of political discussion.

Johnson became Britain's prime minister, but resigned in 2022 amid scandal including hosting government parties that broke his own Covid restrictions.

"Using an actual 'dead cat' is a bit on the nose, but I have no doubt that at least some of them are aware of the concept," Parton wrote. "J.D. Vance probably is. Even after the bomb threats started and the story had been thoroughly debunked, he tweeted: 'In short, don't let the crybabies in the media dissuade you, fellow patriots. Keep the cat memes flowing.'"

Parton wrote that the Trump campaign is thrilled about the Haitian immigration story, which they believe gives them an advantage because that has become their strongest issue, citing polling.

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"That's likely true to some degree but it's not the only reason they won't let go of it," Parton wrote. "The Trump campaign doesn't want the media rehashing his dismal debate performance, and they don't want rumors about Trump associate Laura Loomer, which have caused a rift in the GOP coalition, to be a topic of conversation."

"I wish we could say this would also mean that Haitian immigrants in Springfield will be able to go back to their lives and put these horrible lies and accusations behind them," Parton added.

"But earlier on Sunday, Trump's campaign said he plans to visit there 'very soon.' They aren't going to let this go, at least not until they find a new outrage to entertain their supporters and distract from the fact that Trump is deteriorating more every day and Vance isn't ready for prime time. We can only hope that nobody gets hurt before they move on to the next shiny object."