Washington
CNN
—
Last month, a handful of Democratic governors broke through a gathering of their colleagues to directly tell President Joe Biden what they've been emphasizing behind the scenes: “He needs to fight harder.”
Democrats need to show Biden more of the flames shown in a closed-door meeting with governors when Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte handed Biden a letter calling for more action on the southern border He said there is. Biden smiled, according to two of the governors who were standing there.
“State of the Union,” Biden said teasingly.
That fighting stance is expected to be on display Thursday in a prime-time address in which the president is expected to sharpen ever more attacks on companies that seek to profit off of consumers. But with anger over rising prices driving much of the negative impact surrounding the economy, even the Cookie Monster In order to change something, I am trying to go where I have resisted for many years. Anger that has weighed on him in the polls.
Democratic Party leaders say the time has passed.
The 20 Democratic Party officials and operatives who spoke to CNN said they had read articles in which the president was talking abusively behind closed doors in the Oval Office about Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Vladimir. He said he was tired of hearing reports that he told donors: Putin is a “crazy SOB” and MAGA Republicans are worse than racists. They hope to see that passion and fire play out in public as evidence fades that the president's behind-the-scenes behavior does not match the public's perception of the 81-year-old commander-in-chief.
“A lot of times we need to hear from the candidates,” said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is keen to be one of the president's most vocal defenders. “Joe Biden is a good guy. People understand that. One of the things people wonder is, 'Is he tough enough to take on these things?' .”
01:24 – Source: CNN
Axelrod said this is what Biden needs to do to appeal to voters at the State of the Union
Walz also said it would negate concerns that Biden is too old.
“I think it helps. He's still going to be at his age, but I think it helps make a case for this,” Walz said. “punch [Trump] Slightly. he won it. ”
Several Democratic Party officials told CNN that they were unsure about how much to say, considering the risk that Biden's announcement would draw more attention to what he has not done.
But many privately aspire to more passion and pride – political theater, to be sure, but that's important, they argue – and widespread exhaustion with the process. Now, the Democratic Party's concerns about the second Trump administration are increasing. Biden's efforts to protect democracy shouldn't end with a quick dig on Seth Meyers' late-night show, they argue. They argue that he should not give a powerful speech to commemorate the anniversary of the January 6, 2021, riots, which they assume will fill more than two months of energetic quotas.
“People want to know that he's a fighter, which he is. Anything that shows a contrast, I think that helps, so I'd be in favor of that,” said Biden's longtime friend. said his friend, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
Biden and his aides will likely draw their largest audience nationwide outside of the summer conventions, with polls showing a majority of Democrats don't think Biden should run for re-election. are very aware of the importance of Thursday's speech. . They know that like any policy proposal, every word, stutter and shuffle will be picked up, and drafting continues late into the night in the West Wing.
Biden's senior advisers say their favorite moment from last year's speech — getting Republicans to boo his cuts to Social Security and Medicare, punctuated by the words “enjoying proselytism” — was completely unplanned. He claims that he did not.
This time around, aides are weighing options to avoid leaving Biden's fate to another improvisation due to political pressure, and are hoping he will once again provide a smooth and immediate response. He admits that he is.
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said he's not sure the State of the Union is the right place for Biden to make a real appearance, “but after that, I think the gloves have to come off.” think”.
Mr. Biden's aides love to reprimand and shame reporters for reporting they think is unfair or excessive. Schatz said the president and his aides need to overcome these issues to get Biden to take the lead and address the negative stories about Trump.
“We don't have time to rewrite the rules of engagement in journalism. We just need to work with what we have,” Schatz said. “He would have to make that case personally and should not think that people would be infected naturally by surrogate animals or by osmosis.”
Biden campaign aides have been discussing the need for reinforcements in recent months and the clear benefits Biden would see in doing so. You look strong when you pick a fight, one senior Biden campaign official summed up the idea to CNN in January, saying they need the president to appear stronger than he actually is. know.
They say this is easier said than done and that it's simply possible that Biden will pass several pending bills in Congress, including avoiding a government shutdown and sending more aid to Israel and Ukraine. I realize that it's not just because I'm trying to maintain my .
“The real Joe Biden is, 'We're a red state, we're a blue state, but we're the United States of America,'” said Joe Biden, who has known Biden for decades and shares that sensibility with them. Governor John Carney said. Delaware roots. “But he's also brave.”
Manuel Balse Senator/AP
President Joe Biden spoke with Delaware Governor John Carney after a dinner reception for governors and their wives on February 11 in Washington, DC.
And while Biden has probably enjoyed hurting Trump knowing it will get a reaction, let's bring more civility into politics, like his statement of praise for Sen. Mitch McConnell, who forced him to make the announcement. In order to strive for this, his tendency is to display a calm demeanor. After the Kentucky Republican announced last week that he would step down as minority leader. Biden made no statement praising McConnell, citing his role in overturning Roe v. Wade by ensuring conservatives received Supreme Court seats for Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. , which infuriated many core Democrats.
“You have to wonder if Joe Biden would understand a statement like that,” one outraged Democratic official complained to CNN.
Most of the harshest statements to come out of the Biden campaign so far have come from staffers or were written primarily by others using his name. Aides say a fundamental consideration is pragmatic management of the president's time, saying a president too busy running the country to constantly berate Trump at the microphone.
“President Biden has been aggressive, showing whose side he is on, choosing wealthy special interests over middle-class families, and pushing extremes on basic reproductive health care over American freedoms.” “We are accusing Republican officials of choosing fentanyl traffickers over Border Patrol agents by choosing and opposing Border Patrol attacks, the toughest bipartisan border security legislation in modern history,” White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates said. said.
Biden campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt made a similar point, saying, “The president and vice president continue to absolutely hold Donald Trump accountable and continue to demonstrate how much is at stake in this election.” We will communicate this directly to voters.”
But Biden can't say much about some issues that have the greatest potential to sway voters.
Mr. Trump's kaleidoscopic indictment and trial is one of the former president's greatest political responsibilities and one of Nikki Haley's favorite vectors of attack. But Biden is committed to clarifying the independence of the Justice Department and the courts.
He has more to say about Prime Minister Netanyahu and the situation in the Gaza Strip that may be of interest to U.S. voters, but each of the president's words will be heard by both the Israeli government and the region's Arab leaders. White House aides are wary of how carefully it is being read.
Biden's habit of closing the curtain on these and other thoughts at fundraisers isn't just because he feels comfortable in front of friendly crowds. It's sometimes a tactical decision to try to get his comments into the media bloodstream while maintaining some plausible distance.
The hardline policy has inflamed Democrats already clinging to the race, and Trump hopes it will make Biden a satisfactory alternative just because it's playing well online. That doesn't mean it's the best strategy for winning over moderates and Republicans who are disgusted with the president. It's a long campaign that already feels like a lot of work, even though there are still eight months left.
For now, the campaign is relying on new video formats for TikTok and other social media accounts. Biden will be given an iPad and recorded as he watches and reacts to the latest Trump comments the campaign wants to highlight. This is what one campaign aide called “the digital equivalent of 'Let Biden be Biden.'” Biden's largely exasperated reaction to the video tends to be refreshing, but the comments he makes to sum it up are scripted.
And aides feel they have plenty of time to intensify their anger at those who complain that Biden looks like an old man sleepwalking on the job.
It still has its limits.
“There's no way he's going to be 11 out of 10 in terms of being alarmed for eight months in a row. So he's peaking at the right time and making these kinds of claims when he's reaching his maximum number of voters.” I understand the need to pay attention. ” Schatz said. “But often politicians are advised not to get too rough, because it can be harmful and can be counterproductive. In this case, people really knows what he thinks of Joe Biden as a person. So he's got a lot of runway here to be as tough as he needs to be.”
