Which is why the media have gone apoplectic about Trump's McDonald's visit. Trump's critics pointed out that the McDonald's was actually formally closed for his visit and claimed that the event was "staged" -- a peculiar critique given that Trump has been the victim of two assassination attempts, and presidential campaigns require places of business to be secured before candidates enter. The critics even went so far as to attack the local franchise for its health record years ago. The desperation comes from an obvious place: This was a Trump win.

And it was a Trump win because Trump wasn't pretending; he didn't don jeans and a T-shirt in order to cosplay as one of the boys, Tim Walz-style. Instead, he showed up in his traditional suit, put on an apron and started handing out fries and chit-chatting with the customers. It was a moment of authenticity, and it showed as such compared with the polyester joy presented by the Kamala campaign.