Jimmy Carter described his run for the White House as a marathon. In actually, Presidential politics is more akin to a horserace. The lead shifts when a candidate is positioned to take advantage of an opponent. Maximizing that advantage requires vision, strategy and focus. The last thing you want is to say or do something that erases that edge.
For most of the two weeks following Joe Biden’s “bad night,” the Biden campaign and his supporters had been playing defense. Trump seized that advantage, until the Biden folks, and at last the media, decided to focus on Project 2025. In response Trump did the only thing he could to accelerate this momentary shift in attention from Biden’s fitness to serve for another four years. He tried to distance himself from the Heritage Foundation’s manifesto for an imperial presidency. More importantly, of course he lied, posting on Truth Social, “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it.” A laughable response considering so many members of his post-2020 brain trust and likely second term officials are listed as authors and contributors to the 940 page document.
Yesterday, everything changed. But not for the reason you think. Of course, Trump and his team will take advantage of the fortunately bad marksmanship of a wannabe assassin. Since January 6, 2021, Biden and Democrats had an ace in hole. Trump peppered his speeches with dog whistles which not only incited violence, but actually produced violence. January 6th. El Paso. Buffalo. The Tree of Life Synagogue. In contrast, most Democrats told voters the only way to defeat Trump and MAGA was at the ballot box.
This was the one issue that clearly differentiated Democrats from MAGA. Of course, that did not stop Trump supporters such as Senator Marsha Blackburn (TN) and Representatives Mike Collins (GA) and Lauren Boebert (CO) from connecting Biden rhetoric to the gunman’s attempt to kill Trump. When I first heard this, I chalked it up to MAGA propaganda. Calling Trump and his plans for a second term an existential threat to America is not on the same level as telling the Proud Boys “to stand down and stand by.”
Except this time they brought the receipts. On July 7, Politico reported that, during a “private” call with donors, Biden included the following in his remarks.
I have one job, and that’s to beat Donald Trump. I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that. So, we’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.
It does not matter if the timing of Biden’s words and Thomas Matthew Crooks’ failed assassination is causal or mere correlation. In an environment of heightened political tension, uttering phrases like “it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye,” is unacceptable, exactly the way it was when Sarah Palin posted a map of vulnerable Democrats in Congress with a cross-hairs superimposed over their districts. Just ask Gabby Giffords.
There are a lot of things about Joe Biden I could forgive. His verbal gaffes. An inability to prosecute the case against a second Trump term in a 90-minute debate. His inability to sway to the music. His agonizingly slow pace when he walks. His occasional goofy smile. But this is different. His lack of self-awareness to understand, first. there is no such thing as a “private” conference call, and second, that he cannot, under any circumstances, use a metaphor involving lethal force to describe a political campaign. Forget the issues of age and mental acuity, this is the line in the sand that must convince a consensus among Democratic leaders, donors and voters that Biden is no longer a viable candidate for president.
We all have good days and bad days. The “Good Joe” was on full display yesterday. He told the nation, “There is no place in America for this kind of violence.” And he placed a phone call to Trump last night, wishing him a speedy recovery. Too bad THAT Biden was not on the July 7 phone call with donors.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP