October surprise fantasies are dancing like sugarplums through the heads of Republicans after Donald Trump’s disastrous showing in the first presidential debate against Hillary Clinton. From WikiLeaks to Benghazi accusations, the Trump campaign and the Republican Party are grasping at straws – even imaginary ones – at this point.
One straw they seem to be banking on is WikiLeaks and Julian Assange’s promise of an October surprise related to Hillary Clinton’s email “scandal.” But the question that has to be asked at this point is why Assange is waiting till October if he has any real information – rather than insinuations – that can sink the presidential aspirations of his arch nemesis, Hillary Clinton.
It seems more likely Assange – in lieu of actual evidence – is trying to plant doubt about Clinton with an entirely fictional October surprise that – by November – we will finally realize was never coming to begin with. After all, Assange has quite a grudge against Hillary Clinton because of her efforts to get him extradited to the United States.
But if the dream of being saved by WikiLeaks founder Assange doesn’t pan out, the Republicans can always hope – and undoubtedly pray – Hillary Clinton is prosecuted for… something. Whether it’s unfounded charges related to Benghazi or a parking violation, the Trump campaign would love to see Hillary Clinton behind bars. Maybe Trump should ask Putin for help again.
Unfortunately for them, Trump’s own legal troubles are far more likely to result in an October surprise than any of Clinton’s imaginary crimes. From issues regarding his wife’s immigration status to allegations he diverted money from his charities for his personal use, Trump is in no position to cast stones.
Of course, ever since Clinton had her short bout with pneumonia, one October surprise the Trump campaign seems to be hoping for is the disclosure that Hillary Clinton has one foot in the grave. During this Monday’s first presidential debate, Clinton’s every movement, expression, and breath were closely watched for a sign of anything – from Parkinson’s to beriberi.
As reported by CBS , the October surprise Republicans are really salivating for is probably proof Hillary Clinton has a body double who stands in for her whenever she gets the “vapors.” Send them the clones! Sadly, for the increasingly desperate Trump campaign, Clinton’s ability to stand for 90 minutes in the first presidential debate – while Donald Trump sniffed and wheezed his way through it – throws a monkey wrench into these hopes.
Hillary Clinton wins the debate—and the next-day trolling https://t.co/EI27To3RlM
— Daily Kos (@dailykos) September 27, 2016
During this last debate, one of the things Republicans literally seem to be praying for was the front row presence of Gennifer Flowers, Monica Lewinsky or someone else from Bill Clinton’s supposedly flamboyant romantic life. As ABC News reports, Flowers was a no show . A classless tactic? Sure, but Trump has never let that stop him before. So maybe this will be their long hoped for October surprise.
The problem with this scenario is that Hillary Clinton seems to be armor plated when it comes to things like that. It’s highly unlikely it would throw Clinton off her game at all during the debate. The public opinion backlash that would have likely resulted for Trump is probably the reason Gennifer Flowers didn’t show up this last time.
Trump said at least 20 things that would have been huge gaffes from a normal pol. But hey, “no admission of guilt.” https://t.co/0un8b9zj5U
— Michael Grunwald (@MikeGrunwald) September 27, 2016
Finally, there’s always the chance Republicans might be able to pounce on some staggering gaffe that Clinton makes at some point during October. But the likelihood of this is increasingly small. If anyone is extremely careful about everything they say and do this election cycle, it’s definitely Hillary Clinton. Aside from a slip about coal miners months ago, Clinton has been very careful to avoid missteps.
It’s almost certain if there are any October surprise gaffes, they’ll be coming from Donald Trump. The Trump campaign staffers seem to spend most of their time putting out fires started by their own candidate. From disparaging Mexican judges to insulting the disabled, no one can offend the voting public quite the way Donald Trump can.
[Featured Image by David Goldman/AP Images]