Biden’s 2024 Playbook | The Daily

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily,” the focus is on President Biden’s re-election campaign and the challenges it faces despite a strong economy and significant legislative accomplishments. The episode explores the difficulties in selling Biden’s record as a strength, the perception of the economy by voters, the impact of infrastructure projects and climate change initiatives, the role of democracy as a campaign issue, Biden’s age as a concern for voters, and the importance of abortion rights to Democrats. The episode also discusses the campaign’s strategy in contrast to the chaotic presence of Donald Trump and the emphasis on diversity and strength. Lastly, it covers other news stories before concluding with a reminder of the host’s name and a mention of the theme music creators.

Main Takeaways

Challenges in Selling Biden’s Record

• President Biden’s re-election campaign faces challenges despite a strong economy and significant legislative accomplishments.
• Biden’s attempts to sell his record as a strength have not been successful.
• The economy, despite positive indicators, is not perceived positively by voters.
• Biden’s advertising efforts have not improved his poll numbers.
• Legislative accomplishments on infrastructure and climate investments are not translating into perceived strengths for Biden’s campaign.

The Impact of Infrastructure and Climate Change Initiatives

• Infrastructure projects take time to show results and can be a point of contention for taking credit.
• The Inflation Reduction Act and climate change initiatives may appeal to Biden’s base but take time to have a real impact.
• Biden’s presidency is not easily defined by tangible accomplishments, making it challenging for his campaign.

The Role of Democracy as a Campaign Issue

• Biden’s focus on democracy and upholding democratic norms has not significantly swayed voters.
• Polling shows that voters are more interested in other issues, such as economic records, than democracy.
• Democrats found that attacking Ron Johnson’s economic record was more effective than focusing on his stance on democracy or misinformation.
• Democracy is not a significant factor for swing voters, as those who care about it already lean towards Democratic candidates.

Biden’s Age as a Concern

• Biden’s age is a concern for voters, and it’s a weakness that his campaign cannot change.
• Biden’s campaign has attempted to address his age by making jokes about it, but they haven’t fully leaned into the issue as a strength, leaving Biden vulnerable.
• Biden’s campaign strategy involves limiting his public appearances, shorter days, and fewer one-on-one interviews, relying on online packaging and surrogates to vouch for him in the press.
• Joe Biden’s surrogates, like Newsom, are playing a significant role in convincing voters to support Biden due to his low popularity and age.

The Importance of Abortion Rights to Democrats

• Abortion is a key issue for Democrats, energizing voters and turning swing voters to vote for Democrats.
• Biden’s campaign faces challenges due to his complex history with abortion rights, and supporters urge him to address the issue more frequently.
• Democrats aim to pass federal legislation to codify the right to abortion, and they use the issue to scare voters about potential Republican actions.
• The possibility of an abortion ban under a Trump presidency and Republican-controlled Congress is a key issue for the Biden campaign.
• Abortion has become an asset for Democrats and could potentially help President Biden in his campaign.

Summary

Challenges in Selling Biden’s Record

President Biden’s re-election campaign is facing challenges despite a strong economy and significant legislative accomplishments. Despite positive indicators in the economy, voters do not perceive it positively, and Biden’s attempts to sell his record as a strength have not been successful. His advertising efforts have not improved his poll numbers, and the legislative accomplishments on infrastructure and climate investments are not translating into perceived strengths for his campaign.

The Impact of Infrastructure and Climate Change Initiatives

Infrastructure projects take time to show results and can be a point of contention for taking credit. The Inflation Reduction Act and climate change initiatives may appeal to Biden’s base, but they take time to have a real impact. This makes it challenging for Biden’s campaign, as his presidency is not easily defined by tangible accomplishments.

The Role of Democracy as a Campaign Issue

Biden’s focus on democracy and upholding democratic norms has not significantly swayed voters. Polling shows that voters are more interested in other issues, such as economic records, than democracy. Democrats have found that attacking economic records is more effective than focusing on democracy or misinformation. Democracy is not a significant factor for swing voters, as those who care about it already lean towards Democratic candidates.

Biden’s Age as a Concern

Biden’s age is a concern for voters, and it’s a weakness that his campaign cannot change. Although his campaign has attempted to address his age by making jokes about it, they haven’t fully leaned into the issue as a strength, leaving Biden vulnerable. His campaign strategy involves limiting public appearances, shorter days, and fewer one-on-one interviews, relying on online packaging and surrogates to vouch for him in the press. Surrogates, like Newsom, play a significant role in convincing voters to support Biden due to his low popularity and age.

The Importance of Abortion Rights to Democrats

Abortion is a key issue for Democrats, energizing voters and turning swing voters to vote for Democrats. However, Biden’s campaign faces challenges due to his complex history with abortion rights, and supporters urge him to address the issue more frequently. Democrats aim to pass federal legislation to codify the right to abortion and use the issue to scare voters about potential Republican actions. The possibility of an abortion ban under a Trump presidency and Republican-controlled Congress is a significant concern for the Biden campaign, and it could potentially help President Biden in his re-election campaign.

Conclusion

Despite a strong economy and significant legislative accomplishments, President Biden’s re-election campaign faces challenges in selling his record and appealing to voters. The perception of the economy, the impact of infrastructure and climate change initiatives, the role of democracy as a campaign issue, Biden’s age as a concern, and the importance of abortion rights to Democrats all play a role in shaping the campaign’s strategy. The campaign aims to emphasize the choice between Biden and the chaos of the Trump era, while also focusing on diversity and strength. The podcast episode concludes with other news stories before reminding listeners of the host’s name and mentioning the theme music creators.