As the race for the presidency heats up, the Harris-Walz team continues to gain momentum, with Kamala Harris emerging as an early frontrunner. Polls have already shown her taking the lead, which seems to have overwhelmed Donald Trump, leading to desperate attempts to divert attention away from Harris' success.

In a news conference held last Thursday, Trump resorted to making false claims in a bid for attention. Among these claims was the utterly absurd declaration that his rally on January 6, 2021, had a larger turnout than Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic 1963 rally, where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. The House select committee that investigated the events of January 6 confirmed that Trump's rally drew 53,000 attendees, while King's rally summoned an impressive 250,000 individuals.

Trump's desperate need for attention seems to overshadow the consequences of his actions. While Martin Luther King Jr.'s rally contributed to the landmark Civil Rights Act, Trump's rally on January 6 led to a deadly assault on the US Capitol. It is puzzling why Trump would want to remind anyone of this fateful day, but it appears that he cannot help himself.

Continuing in his pattern, Trump persistently repeats baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen. However, this narrative not only turns off independent voters but also fails to contribute to his case against Harris. Over the weekend, he even posted a link to a 2021 document questioning the security of Georgia's voting machines. During a campaign stop in Georgia the previous Saturday, Trump attacked the state's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, and Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger. It is worth noting that both Kemp and Raffensperger won re-election in 2022, despite Trump's vehement opposition.

The reason behind Trump's attacks on Republican leaders in Georgia instead of focusing on Harris becomes apparent - he will never forgive Kemp and Raffensperger for not supporting his ill-fated attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in the Peach State. During his rally, Trump referred to Kemp as a "bad guy" and accused him of being disloyal, even stating that without him, Kemp would not hold his position as governor. Ironically, Trump needs Kemp's organization in Georgia to aid him in his battle against Harris, making his rant even more counterproductive.

Trump's insistence on perpetuating the narrative of a "stolen" 2020 election cost Republicans two Senate seats in Georgia's special elections in January 2021. By depressing Republican turnout, solely based on the assumption that their votes would not count, Trump indirectly undermined his own party's chances. It is clear that when Trump does discuss Harris, he is unable to focus on valid policy critiques such as the southern border, instead resorting to racist tropes and mispronouncing her name.

As he did during a rally in Montana last Friday, Trump attacked Harris with ideological platitudes, amidst labeling her a "bumbling communist lunatic." His ego has clearly been bruised by the massive turnouts at Harris' rallies, leading him to now claim that they were "fake." On Sunday, he went to the extent of asserting on his Truth Social platform that the large crowd at Harris' Detroit-area rally was fabricated by artificial intelligence (AI), even though video evidence clearly disproves his claims.

Trump's recent behaviors have little to do with his opponent's governing capabilities or qualifications to be president. Rather, they highlight his inability to separate his own fragile ego from the pursuit of attention and revenge. He seems to be on an all-out attack, targeting everyone and everything that challenges his sense of self. After the New York Times published an article outlining his campaign's struggles, Trump launched a tirade against the newspaper, calling it a "Failing New York Times" and accusing it of being run by a group of Radical Left "Lunatics" while claiming it was rapidly losing readers.

Furthermore, he fabricates stories that have no bearing on Harris or Walz, including a supposed "scary" helicopter ride with California's Willie Brown, which never actually took place. Trump's inability to directly focus on his opponent stems from the threat posed by the attention and positive energy generated by Harris and Walz. Their playbook, fueled by excitement and hope, stands in stark contrast to Trump's reliance on grievance and narcissism.

It remains to be seen how Trump's rage-driven tactics will hold up against Harris' rising momentum. With each attempt to dismiss her success, he only appears more desperate and disconnected from the issues that truly matter to the American people.