I listened to a Pod Save America episode that discussed some of the highlights of this post-debate rally. It sounds like Biden was in much better form than he was during the debate, and delivered the lines with more confidence and energy, but still could be doing a better job at emphasizing the importance of this election and talking about what really matters. Specifically, he’s continuing to focus too much on who Trump is rather than what he’s going to do. For example, Biden repeated his “he’s got the morals of an alley cat!” line from the debate, so apparently Biden thinks that’s a good line. But it isn’t super effective because
- Everyone, including the undecided voters, already knows that Trump is not the moral candidate. For a lot of people that’s apparently not a deal killer if they think he’ll run the economy better or whatever.
- What’s infinitely more important than his personal failings as a human being is the existential threat he poses to our Democracy. There are countless former Trump administration officials (including his own V.P.!) who think that it’s not safe to hand Trump power again. Maybe focus on that a little more?
- Why pick on unhoused cats? What makes them any more or less “moral” than the cats that are doted upon by loving owners? Seems pretty judgmental and bigoted, especially in the wake of that new Supreme Court ruling that criminalizes homeless.
