President Biden’s recent remark labeling Trump supporters as “garbage” has rocked the 2024 race, and pollster Frank Luntz told CNN on Wednesday it could hand Donald Trump the election.
“The Harris campaign is trying to downplay the effect of those comments. Of course they are,” CNN’s Brianna Keilar noted on Wednesday. “But I wonder if you think that those comments are going to move voters.”
Luntz didn’t hold back. “It's going to be huge because this is not some comedian saying something stupid and offensive at a rally where he should have been basically disinvited,” he told Keilar. "This is the President of the United States, endorsing his Vice President, saying something.”
In Luntz’s view, Biden’s statement could mark a pivotal turning point, mobilizing Trump supporters much like Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” remark did in 2016.
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“And I know that there's different interpretations about what he said. It's still inappropriate,” Luntz continued. “He still shouldn't be doing it. And I've watched Trump already seize this. The ‘basket of deplorables’ was significant — was meaningful in 2016. In 2024, I can promise you that this is going to drive Trump turnout.”
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Back to Luntz: he predicted that ads are coming very soon that will highlight Biden’s comments, which he says are likely to strengthen Trump’s position. "This may be a turning point for those final 3%, and that's all it is who still need to be persuaded," he added.
"And I'll offer you guys something. We're going to be talking to them over the next couple of days. If you want to do something on Monday, the day before, focusing on these last persuadables, I will tell you that Trump offends them and they don't like him as a person. But Harris scares them because they don't know where she stands and they feel that she hasn't been clear on some of the key issues, most notably immigration."
JUST IN: Pollster Frank Luntz says President Biden may have lost Kamala Harris the election, says his "garbage" comment is "huge."
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 30, 2024
CNN: Will Biden's comments move voters?
Luntz: "It's gonna be huge because this is not some comedian saying something stupid and offensive at a… pic.twitter.com/SY8el7hpva
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Earlier in the segment, Luntz also disputed polling showing Kamala ahead in Michigan and Wisconsin.
"Why do you think Harris is up in Michigan and Wisconsin but still in this deadlocked race in Pennsylvania?" co-host Boris Sanchez asked. "I wonder what you're hearing from focus groups that might explain that?"
"Well, I'm not convinced that she's up in those states or where things are in Pennsylvania because, in the end, there are voter blocs that are still shifting," he explained. "The one that I focus on most for Pennsylvania is organized labor union members because they do vote, they do participate. They're particularly eager to vote this time. And if you're a government worker or a teacher's union member, you are voting for Harris overwhelmingly. But the people who work with their hands, the Teamsters and the trades, Donald Trump is drawing an unusual percentage among these people, and it not only makes him viable in some of these states, it could be the difference."
Luntz also pointed to early vote numbers as an indication that Trump is doing well. "And one last thing: the early vote right now suggests that the Republicans are doing better now than they have in either of the last two elections," he said. "I'm not convinced of whether that is cannibalizing the eventual vote on Election Day, but I tell you that it's got Democrats worried as hell, because something clearly is happening out there."
Joe Biden didn't help matters at all.
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