DONALD Trump and Kamala Harris deliberately say “common sense” in their speeches to avoid sounding extreme but the way both use the phrase is different, a GOP strategist told The U.S. Sun.
John Thomas warned that the vice president must be wary about overusing the phrase while on the campaign trail and in the eagerly-anticipated presidential debate on September 10.
Kamala Harris has vowed to be the president of ‘common sense’[/caption]
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has described the GOP as the ‘party of common sense’[/caption]
Harris and Trump have repeatedly used the words “common sense” in speeches as they try to set their stalls out, solidify their bases, and attract voters that are up for grabs.
The Democrat has vowed to be the common sense president as she tries to create clear water between herself and Trump, while the Republican has said he’s a man of common sense and branded Harris’ policies as radical.
Thomas, of Nestpoint Associates, revealed the context in which both politicians use the phrase is strikingly different.
“Both sides use the word common sense to avoid appearing extreme,” he said.
Part of Trump’s strategy is to communicate policy proposals with voters who are not considered part of the elite or are academics, Thomas said.
“Trump deplores the elites. But, Harris’ view of common sense is about whether you agree with her worldview or agenda – not necessarily that it’s a simplistic approach,” he added.
Just because politicians use the phrase “common sense” doesn’t mean there are no risks, Thomas warned.
And, the challenges for Harris revolve around the fact that she is part of the current administration.
“Referring to future proposals with a common sense approach makes it very difficult for that messaging to stick,” he said.
“Harris has to be careful not to overuse that word. Trump can wield common sense because it’s authentic to his general approach and will ring more true with the electorate.
“Trump has the advantage when he wields common sense approaches.”
Thomas explained that Trump has the upper hand because he has been out of the White House for the last three-and-a-half years.
And, he warned that voters will not be fooled when Harris repeatedly refers to a common-sense style of politics.
The electorate will have in the back of their minds, thinking why the Biden-Harris administration didn’t propose a policy or introduce a measure then if it seems logical now.
He said this presents a challenge for Harris as a quasi-incumbent.
“Voters are not going to be fooled into thinking Kamala Harris is a new candidate with no ties to the Biden-Harris administration,” he added.
“She can’t have her cake and eat it. She’s trying to infer she has the experience and trick voters into ignoring the actual last three years of her track record.
Oprah Winfrey used the phrase ‘common sense’ to describe Harris and Walz[/caption]
Trump pictured alongside former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who recently endorsed him[/caption]
“Harris in her messaging and the Democrats value the elites, which is the antithetical approach to common sense.
“Trump has been consistently commonsensical in his worldview and policy prescriptions since he took office.”
In her keynote Democratic National Convention speech, Harris vowed to be the so-called common sense president that would unite the country.
And, Oprah Winfrey urged voters to choose common sense over nonsense as she hurled digs at Trump and his running mate JD Vance.
“Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect,” she said.
The slogan “common sense over nonsense” has been emblazoned on t-shirts sold on online marketplaces.
Meanwhile, former president Trump received endorsements from Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who suspended his Independent presidential campaign, and ex-Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump hailed Gabbard as someone who had “great common sense.”
The brash tycoon also painted the GOP as the party of common sense while on the campaign trail in Michigan.
Trump delivered remarks during a visit to the Livingston County sheriff’s office where he claimed he wasn’t radical.
Trump has the advantage when he wields common sense approaches
John Thomas
“I’m just a common-sense person that was successful,” he said.
“We want to have, we want to have a good life. We want to be safe.”
Harris and Trump are preparing to lock horns on September 10 for their first debate.
Thomas revealed Trump can score points when Harris mentions policies that appear logical.
“Harris can say securing the border is common sense, but Trump can turn and say ‘Yes I agree it’s common sense. But why was it not common sense then, but it is now?” he said.
Harris and Tim Walz sat down with CNN’s Dana Bash on Thursday in her first sit-down interview since announcing her presidential run.
The vice president promised to enforce laws when it comes to border crossings.
She also said that her values hadn’t changed and opened up about what she was doing when Biden called her to reveal he was ending his re-election campaign.
‘NOTHING HAS CHANGED’
Trump has ramped up efforts to cast Harris as a radical by referring to her as a comrade – but he admitted that he found it difficult to attach a particular nickname to the vice president.
Senior Republicans have ripped Harris’ economic policies that she unveiled earlier this month.
Trump has lashed out at her proposals, branding them “Soviet-style.”
Speaker Mike Johnson said Harris wanted to take policies from the playbooks of the Soviet Union and Venezuela.
Ahead of the DNC, he shared a picture on his Truth Social account that depicted Harris speaking to delegates at a Communist Party event.
Those in attendance held red flags aloft and the word Chicago was also in red.
Trump has tried to wrestle back the narrative following the Democratic Party’s convention and received RFK Jr.’s endorsement.
Harris has seen a polling boost since announcing her campaign and the race is on a knife edge, per Real Clear Politics.
RCP’s electoral map suggests Harris and Walz would pick up 270 electoral college votes while Trump and Vance would be on 268.
The swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are currently in the Democratic ticket’s column.
But the average polls suggest the races are incredibly tight – with Harris leading by less than a percentage point in Pennsylvania, and Trump holding slender advantages in Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina.
Polymarket suggests Trump has a 50% chance of winning the presidency, while Harris is on 49%, as of August 30.
