While campaigning never really ends, the rhetoric for the general election this November began ramping up last week as 2023 turned to 2024.
President Biden returned from 17 days worth of back-to-back vacations just long enough to remind us that “Donald Trump is a real threat to our Democracy.” Then he retreated to Delaware for the weekend.
The marketing geniuses that sold the Biden camp on “Bidenomics” thought it better to attack the presumptive opponent than to continue to yell down the well about the current state of the American economy. Smart.
If you don’t vote for me, America as you know it will end. More than a few old crotchety folks might welcome that.
The Donald responded by saying effectively, and effectively saying, “What else can he say, he can’t run on his accomplishments.”
You can expect to hear more, and more, and more about how bad Trump is. Never forget J6. Remember that he refuses to accept elections. Remember that he was twice impeached.
Forget for a moment that Nikki Haley polls way better v Biden than Trump does. Nikki has to win the semifinal to get to the finals. She’s a big underdog in the semis.
If it is Trump v Biden, Trump would be well served to listen to those who would want him to stay above the bare-knuckle personal attacks and simply compare his four years to Biden’s.
It’s the old “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” spiel. And, since he’s been there and done that he could ask,” Are you better off now than you were five, six, seven, and eight years ago when I was in office?” as well.
The big picture is very clear and the subject matter is very dear. The big three of the economy, the border, and foreign policy all tilt heavily Trump’s way in any poll taken.
People vote with their wallets. Bidenomics gets smashed in polling. Inflation in the grocery stores and interest rates at the bank are the kill shots. Under Trump, they were quite tame regardless of why.
People overwhelmingly disagree with the sieve that the southern border has become. Trump wanted and still wants to build the wall and deport the illegal migrants.
Unrest across the ponds to our east and west was mostly quiet from 2016 to 2020. Now? Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Taiwan, China, Palestine, and Israel are shouting at each other.
The contrasts are crystal clear.
So, who’s a bigger threat to our democracy? Is it election-denier Trump? Or is it incompetent and incoherent Biden?
It’s there for the taking if Trump stays on message and out of the mud.
Will he? Will his ego let him?
Can he? Will the courts let him?
The election is less than 10 months from today.
Buckle up.