Donald Trump should be winning this election by a very wide margin. Given the last four years of inflation, illegal immigration and an increasingly violent international scene, combined with the chaotic retreat from the presidential race by Joe Biden, it is astonishing that the election is close at all.

The culprit, of course, is Trump. The man has not learned a thing from his loss in 2020. He remains undisciplined and disorganized. Trump is running a campaign geared toward himself and the applause he gets at rallies. It’s all about shock and entertainment.

Both Trump and running mate JD Vance act less like national candidates and more like headline writers for the Weekly World News — and it could cost them the election.

The clearest example of muddling a winning issue is the absurd Springfield pet-eating controversy. Vance thought he had made a genius move stirring up a hornet’s nest over claims that Haitian migrants were eating neighborhood pets. Instead, he created a firestorm over the veracity of his claims and, of course, a wave of internet memes.

This was perfect for Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democrats. With the Biden-Harris administration underwater in its handling of illegal immigration, they could shift the debate to the truthfulness of Vance and his fellow travelers. After all, the last thing they want to do is be forced to account for the influx of drugs, crime and their attendant costs.

But where Vance really struck out........

© The Hill