Over the past 24 hours, signs have emerged that Democrats are turning their campaign back on.
By Tuesday afternoon, aides and surrogates for Joe Biden’s reelection campaign had repeatedly said that warning voters of a second Trump presidency was well within the limits of civil political conversation.
An aide told NOTUS that a message of unity and so-called “lowered temperature” slots into existing calls for voters to reject Donald Trump because of his extreme rhetoric — a forceful rejection of accusations that Democrats’ rhetoric is dangerous.
The Democratic National Committee announced eight new billboards in Milwaukee Tuesday morning, featuring “Dark Brandon” with messages about protecting abortion rights and democracy, among others.
“We’re making sure voters know it by bringing Dark Brandon to Milwaukee to outline a bold second term agenda that sharply contrasts with what Wisconsinites are seeing on the RNC stage this week — restoring Roe, lowering costs, protecting Social Security, and safeguarding our democracy,” DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman said in a statement.
Democratic efforts to counterprogram each day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee were canceled Monday to leave room for the president to take the lead in his NBC interview. Republicans promised a new, unifying tone at their convention, but the first night featured a lot of divisive rhetoric (at one point, Republicans insisted, because of a teleprompter fail). Democrats reached by NOTUS Monday night did not see much of a shift.
Counterprogramming was back on Tuesday, with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker headlining a press conference in the Wisconsin city hosting the Republicans. Booker and other speakers took on Trump over past rhetoric and abortion and warned Americans he is bad for democracy. It sounded a lot like the Biden campaign rhetoric has not changed.
“It hasn’t changed,” deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks told reporters. “As the president said, this is how democracy works. We’re going to continue to have a candid conversation about the stark contrast.”
Biden led the charge in a feisty interview with NBC News Monday night when he rejected out of hand the idea that the sharp contrasts he draws with Trump were responsible for inciting any political violence.
“How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like he says?” Biden said, referring to Trump. “Do you just not say anything ’cause it may incite somebody?”
Moments after the initial shock of the shooting cleared on Saturday, Republicans began an effort to blame Democrats and their approach to campaigning against Trump for the violence, led by now-Republican VP nominee JD Vance. There’s no evidence for that claim; authorities are still investigating the motive behind the shooting. Democrats were stung by the charge, but some also told NOTUS they weren’t sure what would be fair game after the shooting.
The idea of a both-sides “taking down of the temperature” took hold in the media, leading to Biden being asked if he has “done any soul-searching” when it comes to violent rhetoric.
“I have not engaged in that rhetoric,” Biden said. “Now, my opponent has engaged in that rhetoric.” The president pointed out that Trump mocked Rep. Nancy Pelosi after her husband was attacked by an unwell person reportedly steeped in the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy. He also critiqued him for his public support of some convicted Jan. 6 insurgents, who Trump has promised to help with his presidential powers if reelected. Biden also used a perennial Democratic talking point about Trump’s warning of a “bloodbath” if he is not elected, a claim that is tenuous when considered in the full context of Trump’s remarks.
The Biden campaign tried to ensure the president’s message to NBC was seen by as many voters as possible, posting clips to the campaign’s social feeds, including a TikTok post captioned “Dark Brandon calls out the media for ignoring Trump’s lies.”
Pressed by NBC’s Lester Holt, Biden did say he regretted reportedly saying, “We’re done talking about the debate; it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye,” on a call with donors upset about the state of his campaign before Saturday, but he said he meant “focus on him. Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies. Focus on the number of lies he told in the debate.”
Biden’s campaign is also urging a shift back to Trump’s policies. On a press call Monday after Vance’s announcement as the VP nominee, Democrats added his past statements to their list of Trump’s that they say prove abortion rights are at risk in a new Trump presidency. Project 2025 was mentioned and called “dangerous and harmful to Americans.” The call was not soft and cuddly by design.
“President Biden, Vice President Harris have never shied away from laying bare the stakes of this election,” campaign spokesperson TJ Ducklo told reporters. “And that, in our view, is not at odds with the effort that both are leading to sort of restore civility to our politics and to unite this country.”
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Evan McMorris-Santoro is a reporter at NOTUS.