'Dems Escalate Attacks on Trump: "When they go low, we go with the flow"'
Democrats are fully leaning into a more sarcastic and witty approach.
TroibNews 
In 2016, Democrats embraced Michelle Obama’s principle of “when they go low, we go high.” However, that stance seems to have been set aside as they now engage in a barrage of insults, memes, and sarcasm.
Recently, party members have taken to television to describe former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, as “creepy” and “weird.” During his inaugural speech as a vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz invoked a false viral meme about Vance and a couch. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has also adopted a tone that feels more like that of an online provocateur than an official administration.
Ahead of a Trump press conference in New Jersey on Thursday, her campaign issued a warning: “Donald Trump To Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home.”
These remarks aim at a former president who has demonstrated little restraint in delivering his own coarse insults directed at Harris. Trump has challenged her racial identity and intelligence, referring to her as “low IQ” and “dumb.”
This shift in demeanor is not entirely unprecedented for Democrats, who began to sharpen their rhetoric after Trump’s 2016 victory when the “we go high” approach fell flat. Yet, with the general election approaching, it signals a comprehensive departure from traditional political decorum.
“We saw what happened when we let them define us. Now, we define their messaging about us,” commented Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. “We went from ‘when they go low, we go high,’ to ‘when they go low, we go with the flow.’ That’s what’s happening.”
James Carville, a veteran Democratic strategist, added: “After eight years of Trump, there’s no discussion among anybody about going high. That’s a luxury we may have some time in the future, but we certainly don’t have now.”
While Trump continues to follow his standard campaign tactics — including name-calling and attacks related to Harris’ race and gender — she has generally refrained from responding directly. When asked about a series of criticisms from Trump at a recent press conference, Harris remarked, “I was too busy talking to voters, I didn’t hear them.”
Nonetheless, her campaign and its supporters are actively retaliating. During a fundraiser in Massachusetts, Walz criticized Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, saying, “I feel like one of my roles in this now is to be the anti-Tommy Tuberville, to show that football coaches are not the dumbest people.”
Following Trump’s news conference at Mar-a-Lago last week, the Harris campaign released a statement that read: “Donald Trump took a break from taking a break to put on some pants and host a press conference public meltdown.” Additionally, when Trump spoke with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, they sent out a fundraising email titled “The two worst people you know are live this evening.”
Chants of “he’s a weirdo,” referring to the Trump-Vance ticket, broke out during a recent speech by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in Philadelphia, a moment shared via the Harris campaign’s X account. At an event in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Walz, who prefaced his remarks by stating, “I know bullies, and I’m not a name caller,” described Trump and Vance as “creepy and weird as hell.”
Mark Longabaugh, a seasoned Democratic strategist, explained the approach by noting, “One of the things you see with Harris and Walz is neither one is intimidated by Trump and certainly not Vance, and they have both taken an aggressive position to stand up to the schoolyard bully. Walz does it with a great sense of humor and Harris has done it by not completely taking the bait.”
Previously, President Joe Biden’s campaign also tried to adopt a snarkier tone, which drew criticism when the Democratic National Committee’s then-national press secretary Sarafina Chitika mocked former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s exit from the Republican primary.
Chitika is now a senior spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, and this tone may fit the ticket’s style more seamlessly than it did for Biden, according to Longabaugh, who pointed out a generational difference in political approach.
“It’s one of the advantages of having a new team that’s younger,” he noted. “[Biden’s] generation of political experience didn’t include a guy like Donald Trump or even Vance.”
Harris herself was elected to the Senate the same year Trump won the presidency, and she served with Biden on the ticket that defeated him four years later. During a recent campaign speech in Atlanta, Harris drew cheers from the crowd when she taunted Trump: “If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.”
While the Trump campaign did not provide a comment, Democrats are convinced that their more confrontational language could resonate with voters feeling disconnected from traditional political dynamics. Seawright asserted, “One of the things you hear from folks is that Democrats are not known to fight, they do not project strength,” expressing optimism that Harris and Walz could “project strength and style and substance.”
Though their tactics seem to be hitting home in online forums and at rallies, the broader impact on public perception of the race remains uncertain. Harris’ approval rating has improved to 50 percent, as noted in a recent New York Times/Siena College poll, a significant change from the last three years when many viewed her unfavorably.
However, Republicans are only starting to escalate their attacks on Harris through advertisements and Trump’s personal remarks. On Thursday, Trump stated, “I think I’m entitled to personal attacks. I don’t have a lot of respect for her,” indicating that he plans to continue his offensive. In response, Democrats appear poised to maintain their strategy. As Carville noted, with Trump expanding the political “strike zone,” Democrats are simply responding to the game that has been set. “Look at all the stuff Trump has said about Harris. You want to see fucking low blows, go look at that. We live in a context.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
Recently, party members have taken to television to describe former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, as “creepy” and “weird.” During his inaugural speech as a vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz invoked a false viral meme about Vance and a couch. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has also adopted a tone that feels more like that of an online provocateur than an official administration.
Ahead of a Trump press conference in New Jersey on Thursday, her campaign issued a warning: “Donald Trump To Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home.”
These remarks aim at a former president who has demonstrated little restraint in delivering his own coarse insults directed at Harris. Trump has challenged her racial identity and intelligence, referring to her as “low IQ” and “dumb.”
This shift in demeanor is not entirely unprecedented for Democrats, who began to sharpen their rhetoric after Trump’s 2016 victory when the “we go high” approach fell flat. Yet, with the general election approaching, it signals a comprehensive departure from traditional political decorum.
“We saw what happened when we let them define us. Now, we define their messaging about us,” commented Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. “We went from ‘when they go low, we go high,’ to ‘when they go low, we go with the flow.’ That’s what’s happening.”
James Carville, a veteran Democratic strategist, added: “After eight years of Trump, there’s no discussion among anybody about going high. That’s a luxury we may have some time in the future, but we certainly don’t have now.”
While Trump continues to follow his standard campaign tactics — including name-calling and attacks related to Harris’ race and gender — she has generally refrained from responding directly. When asked about a series of criticisms from Trump at a recent press conference, Harris remarked, “I was too busy talking to voters, I didn’t hear them.”
Nonetheless, her campaign and its supporters are actively retaliating. During a fundraiser in Massachusetts, Walz criticized Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, saying, “I feel like one of my roles in this now is to be the anti-Tommy Tuberville, to show that football coaches are not the dumbest people.”
Following Trump’s news conference at Mar-a-Lago last week, the Harris campaign released a statement that read: “Donald Trump took a break from taking a break to put on some pants and host a press conference public meltdown.” Additionally, when Trump spoke with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, they sent out a fundraising email titled “The two worst people you know are live this evening.”
Chants of “he’s a weirdo,” referring to the Trump-Vance ticket, broke out during a recent speech by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in Philadelphia, a moment shared via the Harris campaign’s X account. At an event in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Walz, who prefaced his remarks by stating, “I know bullies, and I’m not a name caller,” described Trump and Vance as “creepy and weird as hell.”
Mark Longabaugh, a seasoned Democratic strategist, explained the approach by noting, “One of the things you see with Harris and Walz is neither one is intimidated by Trump and certainly not Vance, and they have both taken an aggressive position to stand up to the schoolyard bully. Walz does it with a great sense of humor and Harris has done it by not completely taking the bait.”
Previously, President Joe Biden’s campaign also tried to adopt a snarkier tone, which drew criticism when the Democratic National Committee’s then-national press secretary Sarafina Chitika mocked former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s exit from the Republican primary.
Chitika is now a senior spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, and this tone may fit the ticket’s style more seamlessly than it did for Biden, according to Longabaugh, who pointed out a generational difference in political approach.
“It’s one of the advantages of having a new team that’s younger,” he noted. “[Biden’s] generation of political experience didn’t include a guy like Donald Trump or even Vance.”
Harris herself was elected to the Senate the same year Trump won the presidency, and she served with Biden on the ticket that defeated him four years later. During a recent campaign speech in Atlanta, Harris drew cheers from the crowd when she taunted Trump: “If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.”
While the Trump campaign did not provide a comment, Democrats are convinced that their more confrontational language could resonate with voters feeling disconnected from traditional political dynamics. Seawright asserted, “One of the things you hear from folks is that Democrats are not known to fight, they do not project strength,” expressing optimism that Harris and Walz could “project strength and style and substance.”
Though their tactics seem to be hitting home in online forums and at rallies, the broader impact on public perception of the race remains uncertain. Harris’ approval rating has improved to 50 percent, as noted in a recent New York Times/Siena College poll, a significant change from the last three years when many viewed her unfavorably.
However, Republicans are only starting to escalate their attacks on Harris through advertisements and Trump’s personal remarks. On Thursday, Trump stated, “I think I’m entitled to personal attacks. I don’t have a lot of respect for her,” indicating that he plans to continue his offensive. In response, Democrats appear poised to maintain their strategy. As Carville noted, with Trump expanding the political “strike zone,” Democrats are simply responding to the game that has been set. “Look at all the stuff Trump has said about Harris. You want to see fucking low blows, go look at that. We live in a context.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
