How COVID-19 changed the landscape of presidential campaigns
Dan Henninger, Wall Street Journal, discusses the new landscape for presidential campaigns as Trump replaces his campaign manager
President Trump must settle on a campaign strategy and his address to the nation from Mount Rushmore "should be seen as a template," Wall Street Journal editorial page deputy editor Dan Henninger said Thursday.
PARSCALE REPLACEMENT 'SHOCKED' TRUMP CAMPAIGN STAFFERS, DESPITE SPECULATION
In an interview on "America's Newsroom," Henninger told host Sandra Smith that there will likely be a "shift in strategy" over the next few days as the president attempts to claw his way back up in the polls. Trump replaced his campaign manager Brad Parscale on Wednesday.
President Trump watches as planes perform fly-overs of the Mount Rushmore National Monument Friday, July 3, 2020, in Keystone, S.D. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
"I mean, the president has got a 5-10 point gap to fill, at least, showing up in the polls. And, that cannot just come out of the Trump base," said Henninger. "I mean, there was a theory out there for some time that Brad Parscale would be able to reach untapped members of the White, blue-collar class out there that had not voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and put them across the finish line. But, the polls show that they simply keep going south among independents and suburban women to the point now where, in The Wall Street Journal poll, he is down by 10 points."
Henninger predicted that the president would be taking the reins in the campaign's decision-making process on "where it should go" and "what strategy he needs to pursue," noting that there needs to be "an alternative to those big rallies" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a "media-centric" president, Henninger noted Trump – unlike his Democratic challenger – would be "front and center, one way or another."
"And, I do think that that Mount Rushmore speech that he gave – just before the Fourth of July – should be seen as a template," he said. "It was a serious substantive speech on a serious subject: American values."
Henninger advised that the president do the "same thing" on issues like the economy, coronavirus, Democratic-controlled inner cities and opportunities for minorities in those cities.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
"The president showed that he has the capability and ability to do that. And, I think that’s pretty much what a lot of these independents are looking for: a president who can articulate a serious and sober agenda for the next four years," he concluded.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.