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<p>If familiarity breeds contempt, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-enablers-finally-realize-hes-a-loser-who-hurts-the-gop?ref=author">Donald Trump</a> is a glutton for punishment.</p>
<p>The former guy’s presidential announcement (coming just one week after <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/upshot/trump-effect-midterm-election.html">his hand-picked candidates underperformed</a> in the 2022 midterms) occurred <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2022/president-candidate-announcement-timing/">earlier in the cycle than most recent candidates</a>. But this deserves an asterisk: The earliest announcers (think former Maryland Rep. John Delaney) are usually hoping to catch fire—not <em>keep their flame from being snuffed out</em>.</p>
<p>Times change, but <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/yes-bill-clinton-helped-pave-the-way-for-donald-trump">Bill Clinton</a> didn’t formally announce his presidential candidacy until Oct. 3, 1991. At the time, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/10/03/today-history-october-1991-bill-clinton-announces-hes-running-president/728941001/">Clinton was the <em>fifth</em> major candidate</a> to enter the Democratic primary. Trump is almost <em>eleven</em> months ahead of Clinton. And Clinton, then a fairly obscure governor of Arkansas, had significantly more work to do.</p>
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Photo Illustration by Erin O’Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty
If familiarity breeds contempt, Donald Trump is a glutton for punishment.
The former guy’s presidential announcement (coming just one week after his hand-picked candidates underperformed in the 2022 midterms) occurred earlier in the cycle than most recent candidates. But this deserves an asterisk: The earliest announcers (think former Maryland Rep. John Delaney) are usually hoping to catch fire—not keep their flame from being snuffed out.
Times change, but Bill Clinton didn’t formally announce his presidential candidacy until Oct. 3, 1991. At the time, Clinton was the fifth major candidate to enter the Democratic primary. Trump is almost eleven months ahead of Clinton. And Clinton, then a fairly obscure governor of Arkansas, had significantly more work to do.
