Donald Trump’s presidential campaign last week went through more gyrations following the candidate’s own inflammatory comments.
The week of ugly discourse ended with Trump trying to back away from the most incendiary assertion yet: Calling President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton the “founders” of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.
Trump did backpedal, in his own way, finally on Friday suggesting on Twitter that the media failed to recognise his “sarcasm”. But he muddled his message later in a speech in Pennsylvania, reiterating that he was “being sarcastic”, then added: “But not that sarcastic, to be honest with you.”
Trump’s shoot-from-the-hip style had raised eyebrows with a comment last Tuesday that many interpreted as a suggestion gun enthusiasts should use violence against Clinton.
Trump kicked off last week trying to refocus his campaign on his economic vision, making more sharp criticism of US trade policy and calling for cuts in taxes and government regulations to spur investment and increase jobs.
He stayed on script, speaking to the Detroit Economic Club, but had to pause multiple times while police escorted protesters out of the room.
Clinton criticised his plan as one that would give “super big tax breaks to large corporations and the really wealthy, just like him”, then released her own tax documents and demanding he do the same.
While Trump’s mouth ran throughout the week, so did more Republicans – away from the controversial candidate – while poll numbers showed his support wilting in the August heat.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine announced she would not vote for Trump, citing a “constant stream of cruel comments and his inability to admit error or apologise”. The four-term senator said she believed having Trump as president would make “an already perilous world” even more dangerous.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was another top Republican who took a dim view of Trump’s verbal antics, saying he hopes Trump
“settles down and follows the script”.
Trump’s troubles with his own party were magnified by a letter reportedly being drafted urging the party’s chairman to cut off funding to Trump’s campaign.
More than 70 Republicans had signed the letter, according to news reports, which quoted it as saying Trump’s “divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide”.
New poll numbers released on Friday showed how support for Trump is evaporating in four swing states – Colorado, Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.
Clinton is ahead by 8 points in Colorado (43%  to 35% ) 7 points in Florida (44-37), 6 points in North Carolina (44-38) and 9 points in Virginia (44-35), according to the poll conducted by NBC News, The Wall Street Journal and Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.