In politics, there are usually two strategies to counter negative narratives about a candidate. On the one hand, a campaign can play defense and explain why a narrative is false. On the other hand, they can lean into the criticism and attempt to turn the tables by claiming it’s actually a good thing.
The problem with the latter strategy is that people have eyes and ears, and unless the situation is exceptionally unique, leaning into criticism usually only highlights the criticism further. Guess which path the Biden campaign has adopted to combat the fact that he’s old and senile?
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Jill Biden is currently doing a “Seniors for Biden-Harris” tour through several swing states, including Nevada, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Her message? That her husband is “healthy” and “wise,” not hampered by being 81 years old, but helped by it.
“We can’t wake up on November 6 like we did in 2016 terrified of the future ahead of us,” Jill Biden told a crowd of seniors at a Reno, Nevada, pep rally.
“This election is about the character of the person leading our country,” the first lady said.
We’ll get to the age thing, but as political messaging goes, this opener is worth commenting on because it’s so spectacularly ineffective. Regardless of how many people woke up on November 6th, 2016, and were “terrified of the future,” what ultimately happened was mundane at best. Trump’s tenure was marked by sustained economic success and an unusual calm abroad. Only the COVID-19 pandemic, an exceptionally rare and uncontrollable event, managed to throw the former for a loop temporarily.
So what’s the message to seniors? Vote Biden lest inflation remains low and Russia doesn’t invade Europe? Never mind how laughable the plea to “character” is. Biden still disowns one of his own grandchildren, and numerous reports from military families have painted him as a cold, callous, and exceptionally self-serving man. I’m not going to pretend Trump is a man of high character, and I won’t begrudge those who take that into account, but to pretend Biden is the counter to that? Ludicrous.
Moving on, Jill Biden then had this to say about recent criticism that her husband is senile.
“Joe Biden is a healthy, wise, 81-year-old, ready and willing to get to work every day to make our future better,” Jill Biden, 73, told the Reno audience, echoing similar stump speech remarks in Duluth.
She said, “Joe isn’t just one of the most effective presidents of our lives, in spite of his age, but because of it.”
Joe Biden is healthy like a panda is smart. How do we know? Because we can all see and listen to him when he appears in public.
BIDEN: “She know long! She knew suhlongasuhijeruhhnied, our freedom can never be secured” pic.twitter.com/Ip44EUEVZt
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 11, 2024
Why isn’t Biden moving? pic.twitter.com/DA78820xcd
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 11, 2024
As to the claim that Biden is “one of the most effective presidents of our lives,” I mean, come on. Remember, she’s talking to a bunch of people who are 70+, and we are supposed to believe Biden’s presidency has been one of the best in their lifetimes? They lived through Reagan, Eisenhower, and even Clinton. They saw what good times looked like, and the current combination of domestic and foreign chaos coupled with sky-high prices isn’t it. On the contrary, Biden’s tenure makes him the worst president in their lifetimes.
So yeah, good luck turning the tables regarding Biden’s age.
