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Awkward moment Fox News host asks White House spokesman why no GOP surrogates are campaigning for Trump

Alyssa Farah (bottom right) appeared on Fox News on Wednesday morning and was quizzed by Brian Kilmeade (bottom left) (Fox News)
Alyssa Farah (bottom right) appeared on Fox News on Wednesday morning and was quizzed by Brian Kilmeade (bottom left) (Fox News)

Donald Trump’s lack of political support on the campaign trail was highlighted by Fox News on Wednesday morning, with the host asking where the surrogates were, and describing the president as “a one-man band”.

Brian Kilmeade spoke to White House spokesman Alyssa Farah on Fox & Friends, and noted something unusual about Trump’s campaign rallies.

“Here’s the thing I don’t understand,” he said. "He still has 85 per cent support among Republicans, maybe higher. And now you have almost all these governors outside of Governor Hogan that are big supporters of his from Doug Ducey to former Governor Rick Scott.

"Where are the surrogates?

"Where is Senator Rick Scott? Where is Senator Marco Rubio? Where is Senator Tim Scott? Where is Jim Jordan? It seems like the president is a one-man band with 20 days to go.

"I’m just not used to seeing this type of solo act, especially for an established president who has seen the loyalty before. Is there plans to get them out?”

Farah replied that the president’s children are out on the campaign trail, with Don Jr, Ivanka and Eric all hosting events.

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“Something we’re also proud of is we’ve got all of the president’s children deployed into the states, talking about his record, the policies he’s enacted for the American people,” she said. “So, there are vocal supporters of his out there in the states making his case.”

Kilmeade remarked: “But he’s going to have to adopt quite a few kids with 50 states and so many in play. I just don’t know if there’s any help planned.”

Farah insisted: “We’ve got help on the way. We’ve got a lot of folks really eager to make his case to the American public.”

Kilmeade’s questions came as multiple publications reported that Republicans were seeking to distance themselves from the president, who according to RealClearPolitics’ latest tally of polls is trailing his rival Joe Biden by 9.8 per cent.

Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate, and his top lieutenant, Senator John Cornyn, have both offered critical assessments of the administration’s botched response to the coronavirus pandemic, with McConnell being at pains to stress that he has not set foot in the White House grounds since August.

Lindsey Graham, senator for South Carolina, and Susan Collins, senator for Maine, are both facing the real possibility of losing their seats in November, and broke with Trump last week over his decision — since reversed — to call off negotiations with House Democrats over a coronavirus relief package.

Thom Tillis, the North Carolina senator who tested positive for coronavirus after attending the White House “super-spreader” celebration of Amy Coney Barrett on September 26, apologised for not wearing a face mask, admitting it had been foolish.

And at a debate last week, Martha McSally, senator for Arizona, evaded repeatedly when asked whether she was proud of her support for Trump, in an excruciating clip which has since gone viral.

“I’m proud that I’m fighting for Arizonans on things like cutting your taxes,” McSally said.

Asked again, she repeated: “I’m proud to be fighting for Arizona every single day, putting legislation on President Trump’s desk. You look at the legislation we put on his desk, it’s to cut Arizonans’ taxes.”

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