(CNN) President Donald Trump is closing the 2018 campaign in a familiar key: Making barely-veiled racial attacks in hopes of driving a portion of his base to vote.

Three instances from the weekend stand out:

1. In Indianapolis over the weekend, Trump, describing his presidential predecessor, said "Barack," then paused, then drew the letter "H" (for Obama's middle name "Hussein") in the air. Trump has talked about Obama lots and lots of times over the past two years, but it's only the weekend before the election that he decides to note Obama's middle name -- or middle initial -- in this way. Ask yourself why. And then give me one reason other than to remind voters that Obama's middle name is "Hussein." And then explain to me how reminding people that that is Obama's middle name isn't playing on racial animus?

3. Trump has repeatedly insisted that Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who is black, is "not qualified" for the job which she is seeking. Trump didn't elaborate, but it's unclear what he objected to in Abrams' resume; she is a graduate of Yale Law School and was minority leader of the Georgia state House prior to this bid.