Donald Trump lashes out at Democratic National Committee attacks that distract him from his message

Donald Trump is not in Chicago, but his presence weighs on everything and he is clearly following events here.

A few aides have told me, somewhat implausibly, that the former president is not watching the Democratic National Convention because he has no interest in watching a Democratic Party “ad.”

But a senior campaign official confirmed, speaking on condition of anonymity, that Trump is watching and is angered by the attacks on him.

Trump will win in November if he sticks to talking about the economy, the border and crime, according to an ally who speaks weekly with the former president.

Earlier this week, it seemed possible. Trump scheduled a series of rallies in Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina and Arizona, each with these political and economic issues as their theme.

But with anti-Trump speeches coming nightly in Chicago, there’s no point in sticking to his message. And that’s not what his supporters tell him they want anyway.

Wednesday’s event in North Carolina was typical Trump — and it became a referendum on his own team’s strategy. “They always say, ‘Sir, please stick to politics, don’t get personal,’ … and yet (Democrats) get personal all night long, these people. Do I still have to stick to politics?” Trump asked.

He then polled the crowd: More politics or a personal attack? His fans roared, they wanted the Trump show, not a list of boring economic proposals. “My advisers are fired!” he joked. Then he said he would stick to politics but couldn’t let the attacks go unanswered.

The campaign strategy now seems to depend on the candidate’s goodwill and the reactions of his entourage. This complicates the lives of his campaign advisers, who constantly tell me that their biggest concern in this election campaign is whether they can keep Trump focused on the issues and avoid controversial personal attacks.

There have already been a few this week.

Late Wednesday night, Trump took to social media to criticize Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who had delivered a fiery speech earlier in the evening. Trump clearly didn’t like what he heard.

“The highly overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, gave a truly bad and poorly delivered speech,” Trump wrote.

“I have done more for Israel than any president… Shapiro has done nothing for Israel and never will.”

His identification of Mr. Shapiro as Jewish did not go unnoticed. The information was picked up on American morning shows as an example of racial denunciation.

After the Obamas criticized Donald Trump at the DNC on Tuesday night, Trump responded at his rally in North Carolina, and, again, there was a similar racial slur.

“Did you see Barack Hussein Obama last night? He attacked your president. And Michelle too.”

It is true that they have directed very personal attacks at him, but the use of Mr. Obama’s middle name has long been used to stir up racial animosity toward him.

The problem for the Trump team is that their candidate thrives on controversy and then becomes known for it, making it harder for them to point out weaknesses in his opponent’s policy positions.

“It doesn’t matter what he talks about for 45 minutes,” one adviser told me on condition of anonymity. “A comment or an answer to a question gives the left all it needs to change the subject.”