President Trump: Cheerleader-in-Chief

In 2014, President Barack Obama, during the last midterm of his presidency, was 53 years old. He did seven rallies, four of which took place in October. In 2022, President Joe Biden, during his only midterm election, was 79 years old. He largely avoided traditional rallies. President Donald Trump, during the last midterm of his presidency, is 80 years old. So far in this month of October, he has held 23 rallies.

Biden was widely criticized for failing to do more campaigning. ABC News' Jonathan Karl asked Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), then-chair of the House Democrats campaign arm, why Biden was not hitting the campaign trail harder. Maloney replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Maloney described a Biden campaign stop in his district in Poughkeepsie, New York. Karl was unimpressed: "I recall in 2010 President Obama doing 16 rallies all across the country in the month of October alone."

As for President Obama, in October 2014, his approval rating was at 40%, according to an ABC/Washington Post poll, the lowest score in that poll since Obama entered office. Two weeks before the 2014 midterms, CNN wrote, "President Barack Obama says his feelings aren't hurt by Democrats who don't want to campaign side-by-side with him because those candidates are 'strong allies and supportive of me' when casting votes in Congress. ... Obama's remarks could harm endangered red-state Democrats and offer a boost to Republicans who need to capture six seats to gain control of the Senate for the president's final two years in office."

After the huge 2014 Democratic congressional losses, the liberal outlet Salon slammed Democrats for distancing themselves from Obama: "Nine times out of 10, if a Democrat runs a race in which she or he is constantly apologizing for being a Democrat, voters will simply opt to elect a Republican. Obama may be deeply unpopular in Kentucky, West Virginia and Alaska, but in a competition over who sticks it to the president more, guess which party will always come out on top."

This is exactly how Trump sees it.

He confidently tells voters, "Act like I'm on the ballot," something Democrats, given his poll numbers, are practically giddy to hear. But Trump vigorously defends his record on the economy, the Iran War, crime, the border, and deportations. He denounces the rise of socialism within the Democratic Party and Medicare for All, considered the signature policy issue for many congressional Democrats and Democratic candidates. Even the Washington Post editorial board calls it "taxes for all."

Trump noted that just days ago, despite the gloomy predictions by economic experts, the consumer confidence index increased in October, and the September index was revised upward. Inflation-adjusted median household income in 2025 reached an all-time high. Poverty in 2025 stood at a record low. Despite the dreary headlines, consumers continue to spend. The national average price of a gallon of regular gas remains lower than its peak under Biden.

Market Watch recently wrote:

"The economy is poised to show a growth rate of 3% or more from July to September when the government next week reports gross domestic product for the third quarter. The U.S. might even be on track to post frothy annual growth of 2.5% in 2026. It wasn't supposed to happen.

"Many economists predicted growth would slow after the spring as spending from large tax refunds dried up and the U.S.-hosted World Cup ended. High oil prices, rising inflation, the lingering effect of tariffs and the ongoing conflict in Iran were expected to depress growth. Instead, consumer spending picked up, and businesses boosted investment."

Trump's approval rating is lower than that of Obama's 40% in October 2014, and lower than that of Biden's 40% in October 2022. The New York Times Presidential Approval Tracker places Trump's approval at 36%, a record low for his presidency. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll shows his approval rating at 32%, a 1-point improvement from the previous week's record low.

Yet, love him or hate him, Trump knows his best campaign surrogate-cheerleader is Trump. His October schedule of rallies, meetings, policy briefings, media appearances and travel is absolutely exhausting.

No matter what happens on Nov. 3, even Trump's detractors should acknowledge this: The man stood by his record. He did not mail it in.

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