Donald Trump banned a series of violent attack ads in the 2020 election campaign, including one aimed at targeting Joe Biden’s behavior toward women, for fear of opening his own “worm cannon”.
Biden has been criticized for rubbing and ridiculing women in seemingly inappropriate ways, a behavior he said should not be “disrespectful” and complaints he said he would “listen with respect”. In early 2020, he opposed a claim that he sexually assaulted a former supporter. He strongly denied it.
Trump famously boasted that he was allowed to catch “women” with the pussy. He has been charged with harassment or sexual assault by at least 25 women. He strongly denies the allegations. But some have come to court and his former lawyer Michael Cohen has been convicted of breaches of campaign finance law over hush cash payments made to women before the 2016 election.
The news site Axios reported Monday night on campaign ads that he said were considered by Trump but confirmed “so far even though he put them down”.
One, titled “Predator”, Kamala Harris, Biden ‘s running partner who is now the first female vice president, said: “I know a predator when I see one. “
The clip featured quotes from Tara Reade, the former supporter who accused Biden of assault, and Lucy Flores, a Nevada state politician who reported in 2019 that CNN Biden’s behavior was towards women including her “disapproving”.
But Trump “never wanted to run predatory ads or women’s style against Biden,” Axios told an anonymous campaign source saying, “because he feared he was going to open his worm cannon yourself “. Axios said a second anonymous source confirmed the story.
The ads ended with a logo for Parscale Strategy. Brad Parscale was eventually released as campaign manager. In a familiar development of those who follow Trump’s business affairs, Axios said Trump did not pay for the ads he rejected. Axios also stated that Parscale would be present at the advertising viewing sessions, “often [sitting] so close that it upset the president ”.
Trump has a notorious lawsuit from E Jean Carroll, a writer who claims he raped her in a department store change room in the 1990s. Stormy Daniels, an adult film star and director who claims she had sex with Trump in Nevada in 2006, is also suing for defamation. Trump denies both charges – but paid Cohen for a $ 130,000 payment to Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.
According to Axios, other ads submitted by Trump included one targeting Biden’s health and one mocking Don Lemon, a CNN anchor, over his coverage of protests against structural racism which gripped the US last summer.
Trump was reportedly saying of the Lemon ad: “God, that’s brutal, but I don’t know if we can put it up.” Lemon is an African American. The ad shows a gradually whitening face, while it becomes a prank.
Trump lost the election before 306-232 in the election college – a result he called a landslide in favor of Hillary Clinton – and by more than 7m ballots in the popular vote. He refused to accept losses and pursued unfounded claims for electoral fraud in court, losing almost all such cases.
Trump is now in Florida. In Washington on Tuesday, his second impeachment trial will begin. He is accused of inciting a revolt, the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Shortly before the deadly riot, at a rally near the White House, he told supporters to “fight like hell” to reverse his election issue.