Mulvaney: Trump faces difficulty if 2020 election becomes 'referendum' on him

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Tuesday cautioned President Trump could face a steep climb to reelection if the 2020 presidential race becomes a referendum on his candidacy.

Mulvaney argued in a Fox Business interview that Trump should focus on recent economic gains to make the argument that he boosted the economy upon taking office and could do so again in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

"If the president can go back to drawing those contrasts between him and Joe Biden, that it becomes a race between Trump and Biden, I think the president does extraordinarily well," Mulvaney said. "And he shows people, 'Look, if you hire me, this is what you get. If you hire him, you end up with no jobs.'"

"If it ends up being a popularity contest or, worse, a referendum on President Trump, I think he's got some real headwinds to face," added Mulvaney, who left his White House job in March and is currently an envoy to Northern Ireland.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/mulvaney-trump-faces-difficulty-if-2020-election-becomes-referendum-on-him/ar-BB16rKi9?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=DELLDHP

Good lord Mick. The race for a second term is always a referendum on the incumbent.

[lame54]

1. Who?

[vapor2]

2. Nah, let this grifter hang himself

[Iliyah]

3. Why is he talking . . .

[Nevilledog]

4. If? If? IF??????????

Idiot.

[dweller]

5. woah... i'm going to have think this advice over very

nope, it's just his usual bs...

of course it's a referendum of fatnixon's failing the country

✌🏼

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Economic Gains, Mickey?

Gains?
Like this, Mickey?

This adds up to a huge decline in consumer spending and GDP; our baseline forecast shows GDP falling over 17% in the first two quarters of 2020. The initial consumption shock is only the start of the trouble: Investment spending is expected to decline, due to lower consumption and the continuing high level of uncertainty. Residential construction is expected to slow as many consumers may find themselves newly unable to afford new houses, even at rock-bottom mortgage rates. And, of course, exports will likely drop as economic activity slows abroad.

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/economy/us-economic-forecast/united-states-outlook-analysis.html

11.1% unemployment, with hotspot businesses reclosing? Is that what Mickey means?

S&P down >1% YTD? When it went up 200% in 8 years under Obama?

A dead cat bounce that is still in negative territory is not a gain.

I don't think Mickey knows what "gains" are.

[tanyev]

7. Um, isn't that what the election for an incumbent president's 2nd term is always about?

[subterranean]

8. Even on the economy, Donnie's record isn't that great.

Of course, Trump likes to boast that he is responsible for the greatest economy in the history of civilization, but the fact is GDP growth has been on par with most of Obama's term, and job growth during the first three years of Trump's term was actually worse than the last three of Obama's. Except Trump achieved those results while blowing up the budget deficit. And that was before Covid-19 happened.

So if Trump decides to campaign based on who's better for the economy, Biden should have plenty of ammunition.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

9. Elections Are ALWAYS A Referendum On The Incumbent

Hopefully the Democrats have learned the lesson of 2004, when the utter failure that was Bush somehow managed to make the election a referendum on his challenger, and the ineptly run Kerry campaign LET him. I've been saying this for some time now. DO NOT let the Trump campaign turn this thing around onto Biden. When he tries, keep putting it right back on him. Don't let THEM set the narrative.

I will say that, to my great surprise and pleasure, the Biden campaign seems to be expertly maneuvering at every turn. I've been very happy with the way the Biden team has been handling his campaign so far.

[zipplewrath]

10. It's always about the incumbent

If the incumbent is doing well enough, he can succeed by drawing comparisons to his challenger. If he is not, it won't work at all.