US Election latest: Why Donald Trump needs more than mini-me to stand a chance against Hillary Clinton
It was intended to melt even the hardest of hearts. A beaming Donald Trump leaned forward and took a one-year-old mini version of himself into his arms, to the delight of thousands of screaming fans.
The nipper, wearing a suit and tie, a large 'VOTE' badge and sporting the Trumpenator's blonde mop complete with side parting, gazed at the camera as if he had been programmed by the human cloning gurus at some secret Trump compound.
Do you want to go back with mommy and daddy or do you want to stay with me? Trump asked him.
"Trump!" came the instant response.
The crowd roared, Trump grinned and millions of people all around the world slowly mouthed the letters: 'OMG'.
As publicity stunts go, the Trump mini-me experiment came across as confirmation that desperation has set in.
Trump is by no means the first politician to use the child-as-prop method in a bid to make himself look human, but his no doubt highly choreographed and stage managed effort was certainly one of the more peculiar attempts. At least the boy didn't break down in tears or poke Trump in the eye.
The stunt was the latest in a long line of bizarre moments in this increasingly fractious presidential campaign. The immediate aim for Team Trump is to give their man a boost in the polls before next week's final live debate in Las Vegas.
Incredibly Trump claimed victory in the last debate, citing polls from right wing outlets such as Breitbart News which put him way out in front of Clinton. But the pollsters saw it differently, giving Hillary a seemingly unassailable 11-point lead.
It's not quite Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, Leicester City winning the league or Mon Mome storming home to victory in the Grand National, but at this point a Trump win would still be considered something of a shock. If he is going to turn the tables on Clinton, a sharp showing in Vegas will be crucial.
And the setting could not be more perfect. A city where the outrageous has become the norm and all elements of good taste and decency were wiped out the moment they erected the first neon 'strip club' sign yonks ago. Hopefully Trump will enter the giant hall at the University of Nevada being towed along by a pair of white tigers, while Hillary looks on, hoping to finally find a sprinkle of magic dust to make him disappear.
Hubby Bill will probably be loitering around a dodgy wedding chapel in Sin City dressed as Elvis. One thing is for sure, it will take more than a cute kid in a suit for the Trump Train to get within a mile of the White House.
