Biden goes quiet as Trump grabs the spotlight

Former President Donald Trump has been all over the news lately, leaving President Joe Biden with no public events for a five-day stretch. The President’s last appearance was on Tuesday to address the dangers of artificial intelligence. He had no public appearances on Wednesday, and has left for Camp David where he will stay through Easter Sunday.

Meanwhile, The White House has refused to comment on Trump’s latest New York indictment. When asked whether it bothers President Biden when former presidents receive all the attention, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the President by pointing out his record and legislative victories. However, Jean-Pierre has been bombarded by the press in regards to the administration’s silence on Trump’s arrest. When asked if the indictment was politically divisive, Biden laughed and avoided answering the question.

Conversely, Trump’s latest indictment has given him an incredible amount of media attention and rallied Republicans to his cause. He has even boasted about an $8 million fundraising haul since the indictment. However, Biden is doing the right thing by keeping quiet and not giving Trump more attention. Democrats view Trump as the easier candidate for Biden to beat in 2024, despite recent polls indicating Trump may have the advantage currently.

Biden’s approval ratings have been stuck in the low 40s since the August 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, and they have taken a tumble of late, putting his reelection plans in jeopardy just as he prepares to launch his bid for a second term. Strategists predict that Governor Ron DeSantis will eventually emerge as the Republican candidate, proving to be a tougher opponent for Biden, but only time will tell.

It remains to be seen whether the Biden administration’s tactic of leaving Trump alone will be successful, but so far it has been part of their strategy since the 2022 midterm elections. Biden worked to shift the focus away from himself and put it more towards “MAGA Republicans” for the fall campaign. Only time will tell how this tactic will play out in the 2024 election.

Despite the recent media frenzy, the spotlight may not always work in Trump’s favor. Republicans should be wary of the idea that Trump as the GOP nominee will mean a second term for Biden. Democrats had similar thoughts about Ronald Reagan in 1979. In the end, Reagan won – proving that anything can happen in politics.

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