Mark Halperin says he was pitched a story that could “end” Trump's campaign

Veteran political journalist Mark Halperin, who was one of the first to report that President Biden would withdraw from the race in July, revealed Tuesday that there is a “particular story” that has been pitched to major news outlets and – if true – Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign is in its final days.

On his “Morning Meeting” show on YouTube, Halperin said that while he doesn't believe the story is true, its implications, if so, would be the October surprise the political media has been waiting for.

“I know a story… I don't think it's true. But if it were true, it would end Donald Trump's campaign,” Halperin said, adding that he was aware of various attempts to influence the outcome of the race with less than two weeks until Election Day.

Halperin emphasized the nature of last-minute campaign tactics, likening them to trying to “outwit Comey.” He was referring to former FBI Director James Comey's actions during the 2016 election, when he sent a letter to Congress just 11 days before Election Day saying the FBI was reopening its investigation into Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton have recorded.

Clinton and many Democrats believe that the so-called “Comey letter” single-handedly cost her the election.

“What we're seeing in the last few days is actors wanting a certain outcome,” he said, suggesting that stories like this are aimed at influencing public opinion in the final stretch of the race.

While Halperin did not provide further details about the contents of the alleged story, he emphasized that its circulation alone was a sign of the tense atmosphere surrounding the election.

“There are people touting things and if that were true it would end his campaign,” he reiterated.

However, he said he was not pursuing the story himself, advised Trump supporters at Mar-a-Lago to “stay calm” and added that he had found no credible evidence to support the claims made.

According to Halperin and co-host Sean Spicer, who was Trump's first White House press secretary, the timing of these pitches is predictable as campaigns near their final stages and await dramatic revelations that could sway undecided voters at the last minute.

Halperin said he knows that certain journalists and media figures are trying to influence the outcome through various stories and claims, whether substantiated or not. He brought up a bombshell story The Atlantic, Published Tuesday, in which Trump is accused by his former chief of staff John Kelly of praising Adolf Hitler.

“In the case of The Atlantic“Jeffrey Goldberg himself is trying to influence the final leg of the race,” Halperin noted, referring to the magazine’s editor-in-chief and author of this story. “I'm not sure he can do it, but when a big network like CBS picks it up, it's something,” he added.

In The Atlantic In that article, Goldberg attributed the Hitler claim to “two people who heard him say it” and also quoted John Kelly, who made similar claims. Kelly told the New York Times On Tuesday, the former president said he expressed admiration for the loyalty of “Hitler's generals.”

For decades, presidential campaigns and their political players have been preparing for an “October Surprise” – a big, narrative-changing piece of news that could upend the race in the final stretch.

For Halperin, given a campaign season already full of surprises, any new revelation must be more than just a rumor.

“The bar for surprises in October is now very high given the nature of this campaign,” Halperin said.

“Everyone is on guard.”