ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

World

    • Harris vs. Trump: A battle royale featuring strategies of addition and subtraction

    Share

    Democrats and Republicans have pitched the voters their respective visions and directions for the future of the nation. The political conventions are officially over, but both sides are hopeful the euphoria and enthusiasm still lingers.

    It is now officially a sprint to the White House as opposing campaigns vie for electoral supremacy. After hosting their respective marquee extravaganzas, showcasing their best and brightest, each side has settled on the overarching strategy they think will secure victory.

    Republicans, led by MAGA Godfather Donald Trump, seek to contract the electoral landscape in hopes of their leader becoming only the second president in U.S. history to win back the White House after suffering defeat as an incumbent.

    Vice-President Kamala Harris, however, aims to finally shatter the historical glass ceiling facing a woman candidate with a massive expansion of the democratic base. A battle royale featuring addition vs. subtraction.

    Eager to regain the narrative, the Trump campaign announced the endorsement from Robert Kennedy Jr. in the immediate aftermath of the DNC confab. At first glance, the support of one of the most recognizable names in American politics certainly refutes the idea of contraction.

    However, further examination of Kennedy’s cratering poll numbers underscores the politically prudent decision for the third party candidate to quickly strike a deal to endorse and exit the race before his numbers fell even further.

    Republican presidential nominee former U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena, Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    A conducted in August shows Kennedy’s support dropped by half from 15% to just 7%, the direct result of Vice-President Harris's move to the top of the Democratic ticket. Clearly not a move to expand so much as one reeking of desperation. In fact, mostly known for his stance as an anti-vaxxer, Kennedy doesn’t grow the MAGA base so much as he reinforces a candidacy driven by grievance and isolation.

    Talk of mass deportations; attacks on a popular ; caustic comments urging Israel to "" in Gaza; and, , staunch opposition to women’s reproductive rights, all have certainly excited an already exuberant GOP base.

    Nevertheless, this sky-high support comes at the expense of growth and outreach to invaluable constituencies in must-needed battleground states. The Trump campaign strategy of contraction seeks to depress voter enthusiasm among moderate and independent voters. All the while making room for a one-on-one confrontation pitting MAGA against K-Hive voters in a race for turnout.

    REPUBLICANS WHO ENDORSE HARRIS

    However, the Harris campaign is not obliging as it continues to court expansion. Just recently, more than 200 former aides to three former GOP presidential nominees—President George W. Bush, the late-Senator John McCain, and Senator Mitt Romney—released a for president.

    The climactic denouement that began with coveted primetime speaking slots at the DNC convention in Chicago featuring a number of Republicans including two former senior aides that served in the Trump White House.

    Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois speaks during the Democratic National Convention Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

    Undoubtedly both strategies are showing remarkable resilience as national polls show the race well within the margin of error. However, go inside the numbers and the Harris-Walz campaign has seen marked improvement over President Biden’s anemic numbers.

    In fact, in the all-important battleground states, the Harris-Walz ticket has eliminated Trump's lead in many of the must-win states and is rapidly closing the gap in North Carolina. Democrats have not seen success in the Tar-Heel state since Barack Obama won it in 2008. Still, despite the Hollywood star power, historic fundraising, and tremendous enthusiasm by young voters and voters of color, Trump’s MAGA base remains a resilient and elastic lifeline for his candidacy amid a surging Harris political movement.

    Cheney's gone; Bush is gone; no Pence; no Romney. Nine years later, though age has somewhat diminished him and the incessant legal fights have taken their toll, Donald Trump remains, to this day, a political force of nature.

    No state operations to speak of; trailing in the vaunted money race; and carrying a running mate woefully out of his depth. Still, the twice-impeached convicted felon emits fire and brimstone, which serves as a clarion call to his supporters.

    Supporters attend a campaign event for Republican presidential nominee former U.S. President Donald Trump at Alro Steel, Aug. 29, 2024, in Potterville, Mich. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

    Even after hollowing out the Republican Party, a hostile takeover that he enacted and reshaped in his own image, a dysfunctional, chaotic, and ineffectual apparatus that has woefully underperformed post-2016 still finds a way to remain competitive, relevant, and potent.

    Losing with a majority of key voters that will decide the outcome of this race, the Trump strategy of subtraction is still somehow paying dividends.

    Even among what is quickly becoming a political juggernaut, the Harris movement, with shades of Obama excitement and personality, is growing and shaping hearts and minds. Moving into every constitutional crevice, every social corner, shaking the ambivalent from their political hibernation.

    Yet, it remains unclear if the addition, the inclusivity, the multiplication will be enough to offset Trump’s unique plan of contraction. In politics, the most votes win, but only if they are not susceptible to division -- which Trump has shown time after time an uncanny ability to master.

    Eric Ham is a bestselling author and former congressional staffer in the U.S. Congress. He served as a contributor to TheHill.com and The Washington Diplomat. He resides in Washington, DC.

    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard is expected to be sentenced for his sexual assault convictions today, after multiple delays in the case that have stretched for months.

    Charred stumps and the remains of fire-ravaged trees still cover large tracts of land on the Jasper landscape, but life is returning quickly down below.

    video

    video

    Heather Appleton just renewed her passport for another ten years. “I’m not checking out yet,†said Appleton, 61, who has the incurable cancer, Multiple Myeloma.

    Canada

    • Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard is expected to be sentenced for his sexual assault convictions today, after multiple delays in the case that have stretched for months.

    • Around 50 people participated in Sunday's annual Kidney Walk in Barrie to raise awareness and funds for kidney health, including a wife who donated a kidney to her husband.

    • video

      video

      Heather Appleton just renewed her passport for another ten years. “I’m not checking out yet,†said Appleton, 61, who has the incurable cancer, Multiple Myeloma.

    • A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.

    • Mounties in Northern B.C. have set up a dedicated tip line as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance of an Indigenous woman two months ago.

    • Quebec provincial police (SQ) handed out over $15,000 in a two-day span to a series of drivers who were caught speeding and street racing on highways, including some that were construction zones.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    • Nearly two-dozen drivers were caught in a speed trap outside a Vancouver elementary school on Thursday – as students were settling back into their daily routines.

    • An Ontario man said he couldn't believe an electric car he bought three years ago for $20,000 would need a new battery at a cost of more than $33,000.

    Local Spotlight

    Mary Grace Rico is seeking help in getting treatment for a rare spinal condition.

    Swimmer Nicholas Bennett and para canoeist Brianna Hennessy have been named Canada's flag-bearers for Sunday's closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Paris.

    Halifax resident Tucker Bottomley started feeling the painful effects of rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 21.

    Roger Barker was looking forward to exchanging a book at one of the Little Free Libraries that had been erected in his neighbourhood, until he found it vandalized.

    You never know what you might find in your doorbell camera footage...

    Brenda Tremblay has been an avid gardener for the last 40 years, but this year’s harvest in Colpitts Settlement, N.B., is a tough nut to crack.

    A group of seniors in Ontario is offering their time and experience as parents struggle to find reliable child care spaces.

    Saskatchewan man Clyde Hall has been collecting and restoring antique farm equipment for five decades. He's now ready to part with his collection.

    An Ottawa man has won the $3.8 million prize in the 'Catch the Ace' draw in Maniwaki, Que. Local radio station CHGA 97.3 has been playing their version of 'Catch the Ace' for nearly a year without a winner.

    • An attempted break-in to a Metro Vancouver business was caught on camera this weekend, leaving the owner with a terrifying sense of déjà vu.

    • The "volume and severity" of complaints against a B.C. condo owner for violating building bylaws were sufficient to justify hiring a lawyer to handle them, a tribunal has ruled, dismissing the man's bid to be let off the hook for $15,000 in legal fees.

    • Metro Vancouver has been under hazy skies due to wildfire smoke wafting into the region from the U.S, but conditions are expected to change Monday.

    • Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard is expected to be sentenced for his sexual assault convictions today, after multiple delays in the case that have stretched for months.

    • JUST IN

      JUST IN

      Police are investigating a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in Mississauga.

    • Toronto police have arrested one man and are looking for two others who are wanted in connection with a violent robbery in the city’s east end.

    • Cher, Anthony Hopkins, Heath Ledger, Alec Baldwin and Tom Hardy are just a few of the celebrities John Cumming met while growing up in his family's military surplus store.

    • Some Jasperites have moved back to their community and tourists are being allowed in, but efforts to rebuild the third of the town that was destroyed by July’s wildfire remains the priority.

    • Calgary water consumption ddropped Saturday to 496 million litres, a dip of nine million litres from Friday’s 505 million.

    • Starting Monday, Sept. 9, federal employees in the core public administration will be required to be in the office a minimum of three days a week, and executives will need to be on-site a minimum of four days a week.

    • A week of sunny and hot temperatures are in the forecast for Ottawa this week, with temperatures set to warm up to the high 20s by Thursday.

    • The Ottawa Senators' annual charity event to raise funds to support mental health initiatives for children and youth is coming back Monday.

    • Unions trying to organize at Amazon workplaces across Canada are facing a series of hurdles, including legal challenges and alleged anti-union tactics from the e-commerce giant.

    • A man in his 20s was the target of gunfire in Longueuil, on Montreal's South Shore.

    • Public transit services are expected to be disrupted this week in Sherbrooke, Que. as bus drivers exercise a strike mandate for four hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

    • At the end of a side street in Slave Lake, Alta., Lynn Bowes looks at a grey job-site trailer with boarded-up windows and doors that once operated as her town's only homeless shelter.

    • Charred stumps and the remains of fire-ravaged trees still cover large tracts of land on the Jasper landscape, but life is returning quickly down below.

    • Mounties say a man who went missing while hiking Saturday west of Grande Prairie was found safe Sunday night.

    • The first residents of the 32 new affordable homes for women and their children in Dartmouth, N.S., have moved in, with more to follow in the coming weeks.

    • A 37-year-old woman from Bathurst, N.B., has died following a two-vehicle collision in Allardville, N.B.

    • Three Halifax Regional Municipality councillors will not be running for reelection in October.

    • Indigenous leaders came together Saturday to honour the life and legacy of Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.

    • More than 300 people laced up their walking shoes Sunday for the 21st annual Walk of Hope for ovarian cancer in Winnipeg’s Kildonan Park.

    • A 23-year-old Winnipeg man is facing charges after he was found in possession of a loaded zip gun during a traffic stop by police.

    • Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response (SIRT) is investigating after a man died as a result of police action on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation.

    • Regina's annual Queen City Marathon took place on Sunday, and it attracted quite the crowd. The start and finish line at the Conexus Arts Centre hosted people of all skill levels looking to try their hand at a race.

    • The second Sunday in September has been a solemn day at the RCMP's Depot Division in Regina since 1935.

    • According to police, during a traffic stop in Waterloo, officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.

    • Faye Dzikewich continues to fight for answers for her 36-year-old son, who died after spending the night in an Ontario Provincial Police cell in Rockwood, Ont.

    • More than a dozen vehicles have been stolen from Cambridge since mid-August.

    • Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response (SIRT) is investigating after a man died as a result of police action on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation.

    • Online fundraisers have been launched to support the victims of an incident that saw a student set on fire at Evan Hardy Collegiate on Thursday.

    • Three years have gone by since the death of nine-year-old Baeleigh Maurice at the intersection of 33rd St. W. and Avenue G. Three years marked by court dates, committee meetings, and pleas to the city to improve safety conditions.

    • According to police, during a traffic stop in Waterloo, officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.

    • VIDEO

      VIDEO

      As fall quickly approaches, leaves have begun to change colours and temperatures have started to dip in northeastern Ontario – perhaps starting to bring unwelcome wintry weather.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say a 54-year-old novice driver was travelling with drugs and without a required ignition interlock device or a qualified driver in the vehicle when it ended up in the ditch off Highway 11 last month, leading to multiple charges including impaired driving.

    • Owen Sound police are searching for witnesses after a pedestrian was dragged by a vehicle.

    • video

      video

      Heather Appleton just renewed her passport for another ten years. “I’m not checking out yet,†said Appleton, 61, who has the incurable cancer, Multiple Myeloma.

    • Sarnia police officers have arrested two suspects after a break and enter investigation.

    • New carts will collect garbage in Barrie starting September 9.

    • Familiar faces were brought back together as more than a hundred CKVR alumni gathered at Donaleigh's Irish Public House Saturday night for a special reunion.

    • A Saturday evening fire in the Town of the Blue Mountains caused significant damage at a residential chalet near the ski resort.

    • Windsor fire was on scene of a blaze at a former school on Norman Road Sunday afternoon.

    • One person has died following a collision Saturday night.

    • The Essex County OPP have laid charges following a single vehicle collision and car fire.

    • A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.

    • The "volume and severity" of complaints against a B.C. condo owner for violating building bylaws were sufficient to justify hiring a lawyer to handle them, a tribunal has ruled, dismissing the man's bid to be let off the hook for $15,000 in legal fees.

    • Mounties in Northern B.C. have set up a dedicated tip line as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance of an Indigenous woman two months ago.

    • A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.

    • Mounties in northwestern B.C. say they have arrested the suspect in a fatal shooting almost exactly a year after it occurred.

    • A man has now been charged for his alleged role in a hit-and-run that killed a teenager in Kelowna, B.C., last fall.

    • Rob Miyashiro was selected as the NDP candidate in Lethbridge-West Saturday to replace MLA Shannon Phillips.

    • It’s been just over a week since the federal government banned nicotine pouches from being sold anywhere other than a pharmacy.

    • A more inclusive and welcoming land acknowledgment has been released by the City of Lethbridge.

    • NEW

      NEW

      A Montreal-based power pop band with strong ties to northern Ontario is kicking off its new tour in North Bay at the end of the month followed by three other northern stops.

    • NEW

      NEW

      Another politician has added his voice to the call to have the timeline to build a new bridge in Little Current to connect Manitoulin Island to the mainland sped up.

    • NEW

      NEW

      A family dispute exploded in Elliot Lake on Thursday, end in charges for one individual.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow CTV News