The idea behind this topic is to play a little game in the run-up to U.S. elections in November 2024. The rules are simple: identify the election, choose a candidate in that election, and lay out what you think that candidate should do to win. It’s still a little early (we’re only in primary season so far) but it’s fun to start anyway.
I’ll go first.
In the Presidential election, a significant part of the Trump campaign should end the summer by ignoring Biden altogether and running against President Kamala Harris instead. This will invite speculation about and force attention on Biden’s health (and help to avoid direct personal attacks. Avoiding personal attacks on Biden could help Trump avoid turning off voters, although Trump is hardly a conventional politician. Trump supporters love his vicious attacks on Biden so this is unlikely to happen and that advantage is likely lost).
Running against Harris should force Biden’s health to front and center and help to keep it on the front page. This time Biden stays in his basement at his peril.
The idea’s a bit wobbly I think. Thoughts?
Maybe there’s a Senate race you fancy instead, or a House race, or a governorship. Put your campaign-manager hat on and tell us what candidate X should do to win.
It invites Biden to stay in the basement. The easy response is “Trump knows Biden has been a far more successful president, and Trump doesn’t have the ammunition or the courage to confront him directly. Now, who wants ice cream?”
Edit:
If I were advising Biden, I guess the first thing I’d suggest is he steps down for the good of the country (though I’m not sure who should take his place TBH). The second suggestion would be to ditch Kamala Harris. Where has she been the past 4 years? He should look for a VP that will help get votes he otherwise might not get. Maybe a manly man, or a Muslim?
Maybe the Trump campaign would have to make it obvious that Biden is hiding and that due to Biden’s health, Harris would likely become POTUS before 2028. I think this part is doable.
I think Trump could get away with starting campaign speeches with something like: “It’s day n in this glorious race, where’s the president?” Without using his name.
Yes, and part of the advantage of my idea is that it helps to force Biden to make a change; the longer he waits the worse it gets for his campaign. This could also help to help grow an idea in the collective public mind, that candidate Trump is calling the shots, not Biden.
That assumes he stays in the basement. Biden will probably have the cash and time for campaigning in a way that Trump does not. Covid was a factor in the last election, the answer to the question could be that Biden is busy crosscrossing the country making appearances and scarfing delicious ice cream
It doesn’t force anything. If anything, the sensible response would be to change nothing in order to not give the impression Trump is callijg shots
Well, I think that getting Harris off the ticket is best for the nation. I see this idea of running against Harris as good for the nation first (if it forces Harris off the ticket) and for candidate Trump second. I don’t think it’s an option for Biden, though. She would make a terrible president (given the way she’s ignored a big job Biden gave her, the Southern border).
The best way to keep her on the ticket is to run against her, I think. This is because the dems wouldn’t want to give the impression that Trump is right, or calling the shots. There’s probably some votes for having a black woman on the ticket.
And, at the same time, focusing on her still invites Biden to stay in the basement (asking where he is IMO is not ignoring him), and backfires if he is out stumping
The last polling I saw showed Harris losing by an even bigger margin than Biden. Keeping her on the ticket only hurts the Biden campaign, assuming that Trump keeps his lead and wins the general.
I think it would drive awareness of Biden and his basement, which will damage Biden. I think many Democrats, and possibly some independents, ignored Biden’s 2020 basement campaign due to Covid. Fatal damage? Maybe not, but Covid is no longer a thing. Given the nation’s division I think marginal advantages will be key, and I think focusing on Harris provides two (invites speculation on what a Harris presidency would be like, and increases concern over Biden’s health problems).
I don’t know how much the polls are worth at all, let alone this far out. As VP, maybe she has some value
Anyways, has Biden even announced that she will be the running mate? My suggestion was that he drops her, there is still time for that
This still assumes he’s in the basement. I’ve already said why i think that might not be the case.
Uh, yeah, I said that
As I said, if Biden is out stumping, and all Trump does is ignore him or ask where he is, when he’s out stumping, Trump is either a coward or an idiot. Not a hard sell with mr. Bonespurrs Covfefe
Oh sorry, I assume that Biden out campaigning yields both of the marginal advantages I mentioned above. I assume that Biden outside his basement will provide his own damage, i.e., today’s Biden is today’s bullet in the Biden campaign’s foot (apologies for the mangling).
If Biden is out campaigning, then yeah my advice is moot. But I do not think Biden will actively campaign because I don’t think Biden is capable of active campaigning.
Biden heads first to Los Angeles, where he will take part in a fundraiser. He’ll also make campaign stops in San Francisco and Los Altos Hills this week and deliver a policy speech near Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Biden made a quick visit to Los Angeles earlier this month for a meeting with supporters in the city’s upscale Bel Air neighborhood
This does mention Biden-Harris, so I guess she is on the ticket. Good news for Trump
I think that if Biden strays outside LA and the Bay Area, then it’s very good news for the Trump campaign. Campaigning in California is ahem not challenging for a Democrat, even for a weekend at Bernie’s candidate like Biden.
Let’s see how active he is in Texas, or in the swing states. Or away from either coast, for that matter.
