Trump's Non-Stop Campaign Schedule Versus Biden's Basement Strategy Is Paying Off
Where’s Joe? If you’re a reporter on the Joe Biden for President beat for election 2020, how could you not notice that there’s nothing to report? Politico, McClatchy, The Daily Beast, OAN, Fox News, and PBS have all noticed that President Trump is everywhere and Joe Biden … where is Joe Biden, anyway?
This is what President Trump’s schedule looked like for this past Saturday.
- 7 a.m. — Met with reporters
- 9:25 a.m. — Voted in Florida, traveled to North Carolina
- 12:30 p.m. — Presidential event
- 2:00 p.m. — Traveled to Columbus, Ohio
- 4:00 p.m. — Make America Great Again rally
- 7:25 p.m. — Traveled to Wisconsin
- 8:00 p.m. — Addressed Make America Great Again rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin
- 10:00 p.m. — Pool reporter call
- 11:50 p.m. — Traveled to the White House
On Sunday Trump traveled to Maine, held one rally and one event at a local business, and noted the pre-recorded “60 Minutes” interview.
Trump has stepped up his schedule, grinding out three rallies per day.
But where was Joe?
On Saturday, Joe Biden held a car rally at which there were reportedly more Trump fans than Biden supporters. One supporter had the problem many of us have had trying to figure out Joe’s schedule. She can’t find it.
“I would have driven to Bristol to hear him in person for my car. I never seem to know when they’re here in Philly until I see them on TV.”
Biden held an online concert event Sunday night hosted by former Republican and Bush operative Ana Navarro and former comedian George Lopez, featuring an impressive bunch of A-list musical talent, and Cher.
It was at this virtual “I Will Vote” concert that Biden let his wife Jill relate the story of their first date— when she was still married to someone else. Joe’s role was to laugh and guffaw while she shared the story.
When Joe got a chance to speak, he forgot the name of his opponent, the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump.
He called Donald Trump “George.”
Twice.
See the video for yourself in the following tweet.
Maybe that’s why he’s still in the basement.
In his weekly column in The Wall Street Journal, Karl Rove noted that this year’s election schedule has been transformed by the coronavirus. Under ordinary circumstances, Biden would have been on a “nonstop whirlwind tour to make his case in every hamlet in every up-for-grabs state.” But, “Mr. Biden retreated to his Wilmington, Del., basement, leaving the spotlight on President Trump. Even now, Mr. Biden is off the trail almost more than he’s on it. His campaign declared a “lid,” meaning no activity, starting Monday morning and continuing all the way until Thursday night’s debate, ostensibly so he can prepare. The lack of campaigning has left voters with less information about Mr. Biden, while they’re inundated with coverage of Mr. Trump.”
Rove indicates that this may not hurt Biden very much because the election is a referendum on Trump, but there is something to be said for showing people from whom you’re seeking support that you’re willing to grind it out with them on the campaign trail.
Biden has outraised Trump and used it for a blitzkrieg on the airwaves in swing states while Trump has spent money on ” television, digital and text-message advertising, and the type of campaign events that paid off for Mr. Trump four years ago.”
Trump’s in-person strategy has always excited his voters and kept them enthusiastic and he’s moving the needle in the polls. Rasmussen Reports shows Trump slightly ahead in a poll of 1,500 likely voters for the first time in the race.
National polls don’t mean much because the real story is told in state polls, but this is the first time Trump has led a national poll recently with Biden. It also shows Trump with a 52% approval rating, higher than both George Bush and Barack Obama when they won reelection, but that’s a rosier outlook than most other polls.
It seems like now would be the time for Joe’s campaign to schedule him somewhere else besides his basement.
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