Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign team has launched a cleverly crafted ad targeting a specific audience ahead of the upcoming debate on Tuesday — none other than former President Donald J. Trump. This ad plays on former President Barack Obama’s recent speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where he humorously referenced Mr. Trump’s
“strange fixation with crowd sizes,”
using a notable hand gesture to emphasize his point. In his speech, Mr. Obama moved his hands apart and then back together, all while casting a telling glance downward, subtly mocking Mr. Trump’s concerns about the size of his rally crowds.
The Harris campaign, however, has taken this light jab to a more pronounced level. The ad zooms in dramatically on Mr. Obama’s hand gestures and his meaningful downward look, amplifying the mockery. It further intensifies the ridicule by featuring visuals of empty seats paired with the sound of crickets chirping — an unmistakable symbol of a lack of enthusiasm. To drive the point home, the ad focuses on Mr. Trump’s hand, a nod to the notorious taunts by Senator Marco Rubio during the 2016 Republican primaries, where he teased Mr. Trump for having “small hands.”
These taunts had provoked a memorable response from Mr. Trump during a 2016 debate when he defensively stated,“He referred to my hands, if they’re small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there’s no problem.”
The Harris campaign’s ad seems to strategically capitalize on this moment, clearly aiming to get under Mr. Trump’s skin.
The campaign’s intentions appear focused more on provoking Mr. Trump than on persuading voters, as evidenced by their decision to broadcast the ad on a News channel, specifically in West Palm Beach, Florida — Mr. Trump’s home media market. Additionally, the ad is airing in Philadelphia, where Mr. Trump is expected to be for the debate. The campaign’s Instagram account cheekily shared the ad, ending with a montage of sparse attendance at Trump rallies, contrasted against a roaring crowd for Ms. Harris, captioned, “We’re running this ad on Fox News this morning for no particular reason,” accompanied by an angelic emoji with a smiling face.
To further reinforce the narrative, the Harris campaign purchased billboards in Philadelphia featuring ads focused on Mr. Trump’s rally attendance. One of the ads humorously draws a comparison between a well-known chain of convenience stores, Wawa, popular in the region, and Mr. Trump’s rallies. It reads,
“When u want a quick coffee: WAWA. When people don’t show up to ur rally: WAAA WAAA,”
cleverly using humor and wordplay to emphasize the point.
While the Trump campaign has not issued a response to these provocations, the Harris campaign’s strategy is clear. By using humor, mockery, and strategic ad placement, they are not only targeting Mr. Trump directly but also generating buzz and media attention that may resonate with a wider audience. This tactic may well serve to energize their supporters and draw a stark contrast between the two camps in the run-up to the debate.
