If Trump wants to avoid embarassment he needs to run smarter. He has 40x%. His past approach has clearly not convinced 51%.
Will avoidance of distractions and avoidance of going off message improve his chances with the 51%? That is what both his friends and enemies are advising.
Going off message is the cardinal sin of professional consultants. Falling for the bait of the other candidate with distractions always ranks in the top 3 for consultants.
What are the alternative ways for Trump to avoid embarrassment by losing to a loser?
At this point there is no reason to believe Trump will run smarter if that means avoiding traps and not allowing himself to be baited. It’s a safe bet that his advisors and family have been telling him to avoid these things for months now, but still he proceeds as before. The Trump we are familiar with is the Trump that will win or lose.