Michael Steel, a former leading aide to Republicans such as House Speaker John Boehner and Jeb Bush, recently raised an observation about the 2020 presidential race that stood out for me.
“People disparage Joe Biden. People question Joe Biden’s judgment. People question Joe Biden’s acuity at this point. But no one hates Joe Biden,”. “And so the 2016 playbook that the president used successfully against Hillary Clinton just doesn’t work.” There are, of course, all kinds of relevant details, and I'd quibble with some of the nuances to Steel's analysis, but in broad strokes, there's something to this. Donald Trump knows there's a big chunk of the American electorate that hates him, and the president hoped that a larger chunk of voters would hate Biden. That was never wise, and it doesn't appear to be working.
And so, Team Trump appears to be adopting a new posture: Americans may not hate Biden, and they may never end up hating Biden, but plenty of voters may be open to hating the Democratic base, progressive activists, and the left's policy goals. It's this thinking that's behind the new Republican ad campaign.
MaddowBlog This is pretty funny, considering that Trump's closest associates are criminally charged and that his administration has had a turnover of more than 400 people.
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MaddowBlog Trump is the most corrupt President in American history!
MaddowBlog So sorry. I hate realDonaldTrump, I really do however JoeBiden doesn't understand where he is at any given moment much less what the people want. The DNC has once again ruined the Democratic choices. Hello PeteButtigieg, You should have been the nominee. Trump2020
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MaddowBlog Can we judge them by the hair they sniff?
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MaddowBlog I'm seriously concerned with Democratic overconfidence.
MaddowBlog WELL, realDonaldTrump WAS FREINDS WITH A SEX TRAFFICKER
MaddowBlog When is Biden going to give an interview with a hostile journalist? I mean, he can barely speak even reading a teleprompter. How would he do in such an interview?