Some republicans are secretly celebrating as President Donald Trump abruptly cancels his weekend rallies in Iowa and Kansas in favor of holding numerous tele-rallies.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins said that sources indicated some Republican officials are “relieved” to see the president staying home. On The Source Thursday, she quoted one top GOP official who, with the in-person rallies canceled, was quoted as saying, “Thank God, he hasn’t moved the needle anywhere.” Another was quoted as saying, “Everyone has seen the president who wants to see him.”
The White House has tried to put a positive spin on the move to virtual events. In a statement to the Daily Beast, an official said:
“President Trump will continue connecting directly with Americans nationwide through more than 20 telerallies before Election Day. These events give him the opportunity to highlight his accomplishments and expand his reach across the country.”
The news comes as a number of GOP candidates have put some distance between themselves and Trump in light of his unpopularity. With a Democratic sweep of Congress a strong possibility in next week’s midterms, Trump had a fit with a reporter on Oct. 29 over the matter of the canceled campaign stop in Kansas.
“Oh, you’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” the president told the man from Reuters when he was put to task on whether the trip was called off because the president was “sick of traveling.”
“Look at this guy. He’s way out of shape,” Trump said. “You know what the reason is? I don’t feel I have to go to Kansas. I’m going to Florida tomorrow” for a Friday rally in Daytona Beach. “You’ve been following me for two weeks. I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell.”
Collins described the reporter's question as "straightforward," and he was not implying that Trump was ill. She added that it "says a lot" that he snapped at a question concerning his health. She also played a supercut of the president speaking about the toll his packed campaign rally schedule is taking on him.
Trump has put on more than two dozen rallies in the final stretch of the midterm drive to fire up the MAGA base, but in places like Kansas his approval ratings are underwater in the polls, which is a risk for his candidates.
The event in Salina due for Oct. 31 was canceled on the 29th, and the RNC has said there will be no rally in Iowa on Nov. 1 either.
