U.S. Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump visited a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania on Sunday and tried french fries during that time, as well as holding an impromptu press conference and using the no-drop-off pickup window to answer questions from the media. As reporters and aides watched, an employee showed Trump how to dip the fries in oil, salt them and spoon them into a box. Trump showed surprise at this, especially since he has previously been considered a clean freak and reluctant to touch food directly with his hands.
Trump working at a McDonald’s
Before learning the art of french fries, Trump put away his suit jacket and tied an apron over his shirt and tie. ‘It actually takes a great deal of expertise to do it fast and well,’ he said with a laugh. The visit comes as he tries to rebut Democratic presidential candidate Harris’ claim that she worked at McDonald’s while in college. Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Harris never had such a work experience.
The McDonald’s is located in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a key swing voter district. A long line formed outside the restaurant when Trump arrived, drawing a large crowd of supporters. Later Sunday, he also plans to attend a town hall meeting in Lancaster and watch NFL games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets.
Trump remained wearing his apron during the delivery of takeout to customers in his driveway and took questions from outside media through a window. He again reiterated his disagreement with the outcome of the 2020 election and said he would respect the results if next month’s election is fair. When asked by another reporter that day for his wishes for Harris’ 60th birthday, Trump responded, ’I would say happy birthday, Kamala (Harris).’ He also joked that he would like to send her some flowers.
Trump has recently been focusing on Harris’s claim that she worked at McDonald’s, claiming that she ‘lied about working there’ without providing concrete evidence. In response, a spokesperson for Harris’ campaign said, ’When Trump gets desperate, all he knows how to do is lie. He can’t comprehend the hardships of ordinary people’s lives because he’s had a smooth sailing life with millions of dollars in his hands.’
In an interview with MSNBC last month, Harris reiterated that she did work at McDonald’s while in college forty years ago. She mentioned that she shared this experience because many people who work in restaurants are struggling to provide for their families. Harris said the difference between herself and Trump is her understanding of the needs of the American people and her responsibility to meet those needs.
Police blocked off the streets around the McDonald’s as a large crowd of supporters and onlookers gathered at the scene during Trump’s cameo as a shop clerk. The atmosphere was electric as people waved flags and held placards. Waters, a local resident, said he had never attended a Trump rally before, but was excited by the opportunity. He said, ‘When I drove up, it was unbelievable to see so many cars lined up, and I thought to myself, “He’s coming, he’s coming, he’s definitely coming”.’
Trump’s preference for McDonald’s is well known, especially his beloved Big Mac burger and Filet-O-Fish sandwich. He has publicly stated that he trusts big chain restaurants more because they have more pressure and responsibility to uphold their reputations. The event was not only a campaign event for Trump, but also a vivid display of his interaction with the general public.
For votes, both candidates put their best foot forward
In the final moments of the U.S. election, Trump and Harris did not, as in the past, frequent speeches to build momentum, but another way, one french fries, the other with the Fox host Brett Baier choke.
Not long ago, Harris ‘deep into the tiger’s den’, in the Republican Party ‘mouthpiece’ Fox News did a talk show, talking about their own political ideas and denounce Trump. Of course, the performance of Harris in this interview is a matter of opinion. Only on the core issue of how to address illegal immigration at the border, Harris did not come up with a convincing answer. However, many people, especially Republican supporters, through this interview to recognise the ‘smiling vice president’.
The numbers don’t lie. A total of 7.8 million viewers tuned into the interview, 1.13 million of whom were voters between the ages of 25-54, according to final figures from Nielsen Media Research. The average viewership for Fox News’ daytime programming in the third quarter was around 1.57 million, and the interview with Harris brought a five-fold increase in viewership. That result is also significantly higher than the numbers for Harris’ interviews with pro-Democratic media outlets, which topped out at 5.7 million viewers when Harris did his show on ace shows like CBS’s 60 Minutes.
It takes courage to go to the ‘enemy’s position’ to be tortured, and CNN’s two TV commentators expressed very different views, one said ‘Harris is too brave’, the other slightly worried: ‘Generally speaking, if it is not a critical situation, the candidate should not appear on the opponent’s propaganda position, which can somehow show some problems.’ Generally speaking, if it is not critical, candidates should not appear on the other side of the public opinion position, which can somewhat explain some problems.’
The latest report demonstrates that polls show Trump and Harris neck and neck, but on the Polymarket platform, 60 per cent of chips are betting on Trump making it to the White House again, with just 40 per cent betting on Harris winning. However, the platform does not allow Americans to bet on the US election on its trading platform.
