AGE FACTOR
Republicans will watch closely for signs of a diminished schedule to suggest that age has made Biden less fit for the campaign trail, and for the White House.
“It’s quite shocking that Biden thinks he would be able to fill a second term, let alone the rest of this term,” said Republican strategist Scott Reed.
Trump, the early front-runner for the Republican nomination, is himself 76 years old.
Biden’s reply to concerns about his age and running for re-election has been to say “watch me”, and the White House points to his record of legislative accomplishments as a sign of his effectiveness.
“An extensive travel schedule is not the measure of a candidate’s ability to do the job,” said Democratic strategist Karen Finney.
“There’s no scenario where the Republicans don’t try to make his age an issue. We know that. And so the focus has to be on … what is the most effective way to reach the American people. Some of that, yes, is going to be in-person events and travel, but there may be other innovations.”
CAMPAIGN REINVENTED
Biden campaign aides reinvented his 2020 campaign as COVID-19 spread across the country.
Some of the innovations were regarded as a success, including star-studded virtual fundraisers done without the need for expensive travel.
But other changes were more controversial, including a months-long prohibition on the use of door-knocking by campaign volunteers and the regular appearances by Biden in his home’s basement, which became a meme panned by right-wing voters.
Having to get out more than in 2020 could help Biden, said Meg Bostrom, co-founder of Topos Partnership, a strategic communications firm.
“Just look at the State of the Union (address). That was the best I’ve ever seen. When Republicans started heckling him, he just lit up,” she said. Biden sparred ably with Republicans during his speech to Congress in February.
But other issues may trip up the incumbent president on the campaign trail, including his handling of the economy.
“The allure for voting for Biden in 2020 was sort of the quaint notion of getting back to normal,” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell, referring to the chaos of Trump’s time in office.
“The problem for Biden is that he’s been in power … and things are anything but normal, especially when it comes to the economy and inflation.”
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