Trump’s fear mongering about a migrant caravan is a perfect example of how politicians’ exploit lastminute news stories to try to distract voters before a big election.

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October is a tense month in American in politics. The closer a political campaign gets to election day, the more vulnerable it is to an “October Surprise” a latebreaking scandal or controversy that influences voters in the final days of an election.

“October Surprises” are typically thought of as unexpected events that surprise both sides of an election natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc.. But more recently, it's come to describe an intentional campaign strategy, wherein political operatives exploit latebreaking news stories to try to damage their opponents at the lastminute.

Trump’s fixation on the migrant caravan traveling to the United States is a clear example of that strategy an attempt to shift the media’s attention away from issues like health care by fear mongering about immigrants.

It’s a cheap political ploy, and many news networks have recognized it as such. The problem is: there’s no great way to fight it.

On Strikethrough, Vox producer Carlos Maza explores the challenges facing the news media in the age of Trump. Follow Carlos on Facebook for more:   / carlosmazavox  

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