By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
President Biden and his campaign have launched a fierce attack on Donald Trump, portraying him as a criminal and a racist who was found liable for sexual assault and is now increasingly "unhinged" due to his 2020 election loss. This portrayal is among the most severe ever made by an incumbent president about his opponent and aims to depict Trump as entirely unfit to return to the office he left under disgrace in 2021. With two impeachments, a criminal conviction, and an attempt to overturn the last election, Trump has provided Biden with substantial material for criticism.
However, Biden's aggressive strategy also hints at a reelection campaign facing significant challenges. Biden is contending with low approval ratings across various segments of the electorate and a narrow path to securing the 270 electoral votes needed to win in November. Recent fundraising figures reveal that Trump and his team have outraised Biden for the second consecutive month, nearly erasing the financial advantage Biden had maintained for much of the campaign cycle.
For months, Biden's team has argued that voters, once fully aware of the stark choice between the president and his predecessor, would shift the political dynamics in Biden's favor. The theory suggested that voters needed reminders of the chaos and discord during Trump’s first term, which ended with the worst assault on democracy in generations.
However, with the election now less than five months away, it appears that the race is shaping up to be more of a referendum on Biden himself, reflecting a public that feels economically insecure. Consequently, Biden’s campaign is intensifying efforts to highlight the potential consequences of a Trump return to power. Trump has vowed to use presidential power for personal retribution and overhaul various policies, including those related to bureaucracy, energy, and the economy.
The Biden campaign is trying to frame this confrontation by launching daily attacks on Trump to appeal to key demographic groups. Although some polling indicates small shifts towards Biden since Trump’s recent criminal conviction in New York, the race remains closely contested, which is concerning for Biden as he seeks a new term.
In this upcoming debate, Biden will aim to counter Trump's portrayal of him as an incompetent leader. Despite the exaggeration, polls indicate that many Americans worry about Biden's age and capacity, given his noticeable physical decline in recent years. Trump, who is also older, would be the oldest president at the start of a second term if he wins.
Biden has been honing his criticisms of Trump at fundraising events and is now increasingly echoed by campaign officials. At a recent fundraiser attended by former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Biden warned that Trump’s inability to accept his 2020 loss has made him “unhinged” and obsessed with his defeat.
The Biden campaign has been preparing for the debate by launching a hard hitting ad campaign. One new ad, part of a $50 million buy, contrasts Biden’s efforts to lower healthcare costs and challenge corporations with Trump’s criminal convictions and liabilities for sexual assault and financial fraud. This ad aims to solidify a stark contrast between Biden and Trump in voter's minds.
Additionally, Biden's campaign has been addressing key components of his coalition that show signs of wavering support. For example, on Juneteenth, the campaign issued a strong statement condemning Trump’s lifetime of racism to reinforce Biden’s support among Black voters. Recent opinion polls suggest Trump currently has around 20% of the Black vote, compared to 12% in 2020, which could impact Biden’s margins in swing states.
The campaign also targeted Hispanic voters with a new ad aired during the Copa América soccer tournament, aiming to remind them of Trump’s chaotic leadership during the COVID 19 pandemic. Biden’s campaign hopes to regain support from Hispanic voters, a group he won significantly in 2020, but recent polls show a tighter race among this demographic.
Biden’s strategy of attacking Trump’s character aims to remind voters of the critical nature of their choice in the upcoming election. However, with both candidates well known, the race's close contest raises a crucial question for Democrats, what if persuadable voters, fully aware of Trump’s past and the chaos of his presidency, still aren't ready to support Biden?