The Biden Campaign Can't Resist Trump's Legal Cases, But Why? | Vanity Fair
Written by Chris Smith
Former President Donald Trump has a knack for staying in the headlines, and the start of this New Year is no exception. With four prosecutors pursuing five cases against him, Trump is facing an unprecedented 91 federal and state criminal charges. These include obstruction, falsification of business records, civil fraud allegations, and potentially being removed from Colorado's 2024 primary ballot. These issues don't even encompass additional legal proceedings, like the continuing legal troubles of Rudy Giuliani. Nevertheless, the media finds these proceedings irresistible to report and the public is eager to consume.
Interestingly, one group that seems to dismiss the flurry of the "Trump Trouble" headlines is the one that stands to benefit the most if Trump is convicted. While keeping their eyes on what goes on in the courtroom, President Joe Biden's reelection campaign is careful not to let the legal drama eclipse their narrative. According to sources in the campaign, Trump should be treated as a political rival rather than a criminal defendant.
From another side's viewpoint, the legal proceedings against Trump are out of the hands of Biden's team, regardless of speculation by figures like Kentucky Republican Congressman James Comer. With the trial outcomes for Trump's cases in New York, Florida, Georgia, and Washington DC being unpredictable, interest remains high. Trump has pleaded not guilty to every charge he's faced so far.
The court timetable is also uncertain. Trump is attempting to delay any trial proceedings until after next November. However, last week, a surprising twist was introduced into the situation, when an application was made to the Supreme Court to bypass a lower court and rule on Trump's claim of executive immunity. A leading national democratic strategist highlights the importance of timing, hinting that if Trump were acquitted in October it would boost his political momentum.
Optimistic Democrats hope that one or more convictions could sway swing voters, even if not in favor of Biden then at least against Trump. A late-October New York Times poll of registered voters in six battleground states showed a potential nine-point decrease in support for Trump if he were found guilty. Additional polls have indicated varying levels of damage to Trump's reputation.
Biden's strategy never centered on Trump's legal vulnerabilities but as time goes by and the election approaches, those vulnerabilities have lost significance. Instead, the focus is on attacking Trump, who they believe will be the Republican candidate. To make such criticism effective, the campaign will need to craft emotionally and materially relevant messaging for voters. Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher, who worked on both of Barack Obama’s successful presidential campaigns, emphasized that Trump's unethical behavior is already well-known among voters.
The right-wing project 2025, a blueprint for a Trump presidency, presents ample opportunities for Democrats to push back. Trump's own remarks, such as calling his political adversaries "vermin," praising authoritarian leaders like Hungary's Viktor Orbán and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and recently promising to act like a dictator, are equally problematic. Ahead of the 2024 general election, Biden and his allies are expected to remind voters of the Republicans' desire to further limit access to abortion, deport large numbers of migrants, and overhaul major government branches. While continuous prosecution of Trump could tangentially help Biden, it may also overshadow positive Biden news and distract voters from the potential dangers of a second Trump term.
