American politics has always been filled with drama, questions, outrage, and general disbelief. From the 'Hanging Chad' incident in 2000, to the 2020 election, there has been chaos and more questions than answers. But there is an art of craftiness to it you have to admire.
Major stories are usually kept in the back pocket to use at strategic times to hurt the other candidate. It usually, at least for Presidents, comes in the form of what is called an 'October Surprise.' That being a major news story that drops the month before the election, in hopes from one side to sway undecided voters. In September 2004, the Killian documents controversy came for President George W. Bush, just two months before the election.
Trump got his own taste of the tradition in 2020, when it came down that very month before the election that he did not pay his fair share of taxes. Ultimately, while that was not the death blow, he ended up losing that election. In 2024, he is cruising into the Fall with a massive lead, and a wave of support behind him. Most have even started calling the election in his favor, months before voters hit the polls.
So, will we see another October Surprise this Fall? Melissa Mackenzie of the American Spectator says in our America, another salacious story is always around the corner, especially with the Democrats.
"The problem they have is they have to find so many...America is very tribal, and people tend to revert to what they have done before," she says.
Trump has been hit with countless sham indictments in their efforts to overthrow his candidacy, all of which he has fought tooth and nail. Those efforts have still not worked, as Trump gains leads in polls every day.
Mackenzie says some issues with ballot harvesting might come back to haunt Trump. But even then, no surprise story will do enough to move the needle for anyone.
"Trump is a known quantity, and so is Biden...most people have made up their minds of how they will vote," she says. "If there is an undecided voter out there, I would like to meet them...because I do not believe them."
But, as Democrats have shown time and again, it does not have to be a true story. The Russia hoax was pitched for years before they finally gave up on that, and said it was not a real issue.
You can expect the October Surprise to be the same old Democrat nonsense, too.
"It can be made up...the Bush thing in 2004...that was made up...so, there could very well be a made-up thing about Trump in October," she says.
In today's politics, it would not be a surprise anymore. It would just be what we call the 'Democrat playbook.'
"We are in strange times...we have not seen this situation before...talking about October surprises, this whole election has been full of surprises," she says. "And I would not be surprised to see another before the election."
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