Joe Biden’s strategy of hiding out, sitting on his lead, and running out the clock only works if the public fails to notice what he’s doing. I think they’re starting to notice.
Over the past three months, I’ve made no secret of my disgust with the way President Trump has behaved and how that behavior damages his re-election campaign. The polls reflect this (let’s not forget the national polls were dead-on in 2016) and Joe Biden’s campaign reflects this with a rope-a-dope strategy of laying back while Trump knocks himself out.
Well, that was last month. Over the past few weeks, and except for a forehead-smacking tweet about delaying the presidential election, Trump appears to have regained some of his footing. Instead of complaining and nursing grudges and making everything all about him, he’s starting to lead again.
Regardless of what the media want you to believe, decent Americans (and most of us are decent) are disgusted with the ongoing violence at the hands of the domestic terrorists in Antifa and Black Lives Matter. Trump sending federal law enforcement to protect federal property was exactly the right decision. What’s more, he stuck to that decision, even as Democrats and the corporate media lied about “secret troops.” That was a tough decision and the right one.
On the coronavirus front, Trump renewed the White House briefings, but now they’re more disciplined. No more unending, all-about-me grudge matches with a media determined to destroy the briefings; no more off-the-cuff speculating that give the media an excuse to claim Trump wants people to drink bleach.
On the violent crime front, Trump’s done a solid job (with the media bloodying him for his effort) of reminding voters that this violence is happening exclusively in cities that have been run by Democrats for decades. The failure of Democrat-run cities, not just with respect to crime, but schools, housing, the homeless, poorly-trained police, etc., is a vital one. That truth must get out.
Agree or disagree, Trump is also taking firm stands on the debacle of vote-by-mail, he’s demanding the reopening of schools, standing up for energy exploration, and opposing the removal of historical monuments and the erasing of our history by changing the names of military bases. He’s also speaking out against the madness of the fascist cancel culture and Big Tech’s blacklisting.
You see, 2020 now comes down to this…
America is in the middle of four crises: the China Virus, a paralyzed economy, a wave of left-wing terrorism, and an explosion of urban violent crime. The American people want a return to normalcy, they want a president who will lead this return to normalcy, they do not want a president who adds to the chaos and confusion. For the past few weeks, Trump has moved closer to being that president, and after a steep, months-long dive, his numbers are finally turning around — even against Biden.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of room for Trump to improve, and if the election were held today, Trump would probably lose, probably in a blowout. But the election is still a million news cycles away, and with Trump headed in the right direction, Biden’s rope-a-dope is looking less like a brilliant strategy and more like cowardice and dissembling.
Between April and last week, Biden’s strategy of standing back and projecting calm, steady leadership while Trump beat himself was exactly the right move. When the public is eager to replace a president, your only job is to remain the acceptable alternative. However, that dynamic is changing, and not to the benefit of Biden.
While an imperfect Trump takes tough stands and makes some tough decisions, Biden is not only refusing to take questions from anyone in the media unwilling to slobber all over him, he’s not saying much of anything — unless you count pandering to aggrieved groups saying something. Here’s some examples:
- Join us as we host a roundtable with Congresswoman Veronica Escobar to commemorate the anniversary of the El Paso Massacre.
- It’s not enough to just go back to the way things were before these crises — we need to build back better than ever. We have to create a new American economy where everyone gets a fair return for their work and an equal chance to get ahead.
- This pandemic has put a bright light on the disparities that have plagued our nation for too long. We’ve got to make sure these communities get the help they need now — and root out the systemic racism that created these inequalities in the first place.
- To the millions of people who get up every single day and make this country run: I see you, and I promise I will never stop fighting for you. You are the backbone of America.
- @DrBiden and I wish all our Muslim friends and neighbors a blessed #EidAlAdha. May your sacrifices on this day be accepted and strengthen you during these challenging times. Eid Mubarak!
- America has never lived up to our founding promise — and we can’t rest until we finally do. My new plan will advance racial equity across the American economy and bring us closer to reaching our highest ideals.
- To support more Black and Brown small businesses, my administration will launch a new Small Business Opportunity Initiative. We’re going to make sure that those with the best ideas are not denied the venture capital or financing they need because of their race or zip code.
- In good times, communities of color still lag. In bad times, they get hit first and the hardest. And in recovery, they take the longest to bounce back.
- We can’t build this nation back better without tackling the systemic racism and disparities that have plagued our country for far too long. That’s why today, I’m releasing my new plan to advance racial economic equity across the American economy.
- The hard truth is women — and particularly women of color — have never had a fair shot to get ahead in this country. That’s why today, I’m releasing my plan to make sure women can fully participate in our economy and country.
That’s just over the past week. It’s all blah, blah, pander, blah, blah, platitude, blah, blah, send me money, blah…
Biden is running as Deepak Chopra, not a man ready and eager to lead America out of its current mess.
There’s no leadership coming from Biden, there’s no plan, there’s no roadmap, there’s no there there to lead us out of this mess except “America is racist” and “I’m not Donald Trump,” which did not work out very well for Hillary Clinton.
And because Biden is trying to be everything to everyone, we have no idea what he will do as president. One day he opposes fracking, the next he doesn’t. He promises to raise our taxes, then he doesn’t. He’s kinda-sorta in favor of removing Confederate monuments, but says nothing to condemn the rioting, looting, and vandalism — all of which is coming from his own voters.
He heckles Trump over his coronavirus response, but offers only platitudes about how we need more tests… Fine, how would President Biden make that happen?
With the media’s abiding help, Biden’s successfully avoided tough questions, choices, and decisions, and in this environment — and especially at his age (he’ll be 947-years-old next year), what had looked like a clever strategy now looks weak, timid, and like he is taking the presidency for granted. This is fine, until the public starts to notice. We’re 91 days away, where the hell is this guy?
Worse still for Biden, most voters know why he’s hiding. His cognitive decline is real, and he was never all that sharp to begin with. Every time he strays off script, this becomes even more apparent. Were it not for the coronavirus, were he in the middle of a grueling public campaign, this race would be much closer.
Nevertheless, this election, like all presidential elections, is ultimately going to be decided by independent voters and the future and who’s the alpha male… I can’t speak for the Independents, but Biden’s view of the future is a deliberate muddle, and the alpha male doesn’t hide in his basement, he leads with a vision, energy, and passion.
For all his flaws, right now Trump is the one with vision, energy, and passion.
This matters.
Biden knows it matters and so does his campaign. But Biden is too feeble, too desperate to protect his far-left flank, and too scared to do anything other than hope to run out the clock.
Let’s just hope it matters enough.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.
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