Some political strategists said that the recent ramping-up of media coverage around former President Donald Trump during his arrest last week could be used to his advantage.
Last week, Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to payments he made to Stormy Daniels and former model Karen McDougal during the 2016 campaign. Trump has framed the Manhattan District Attorney’s office’s charges against him as politically motivated and made it the central theme of his 2024 presidential campaign.
“What’s frustrating to me is we didn’t learn a [expletive] thing from 2015 and 2016 when it comes to just giving him absolute, roadblock media coverage,” David Kochel, a veteran of six Republican presidential campaigns, told Politico on Monday morning. “I get it, it’s a big story. But this was getting covered like … the opening of the war in Iraq or the O.J. chase. You couldn’t escape it.”
He said that for now, no GOP rival to Trump can do anything against him after the charges. “I don’t know that there’s a strategy anybody could employ,” Kochel said. “Maybe try shooting somebody on Fifth Avenue,” he added, referring to a quip that Trump made during the 2016 campaign.
Corporate broadcasters like CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox provided live coverage of Trump’s flight to New York City, arrival at the Trump Tower, and entry into the Manhattan courthouse to face the indictment. Throngs of journalists and camera crews were stationed around the court to capture the moment of Trump’s arrival and departure.
Some declared Republican candidates have come to Trump’s defense, accusing the DA of operating in a politicized manner. Others have noted that should any candidate go after Trump in the wake of the charges, he will likely face the former president’s wrath.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr, whom Trump has repeatedly criticized in the wake of the 2020 election, told ABC News that Bragg’s investigation is an “unjust case” but will elevate Trump in the GOP primary.
At least one commentator said in the Politico article that Trump’s arrest will denigrate the former commander-in-chief’s political brand and will make him more vulnerable ahead of the 2024 election.
“I’m not worried at all. I think there’s a bunch of hand-wringing from some nervous nellies prematurely,” Jason Roe, a Michigan-based Republican strategist who worked for Rubio’s campaign, told Politico. “Right now no one occupies the stage except Trump,” Roe added. “The dust has to settle.”