The president sees the former vice president as his biggest threat in 2020, a Republican strategist says.
Hours after Joe Biden posted an online video announcing his 2020 White House bid, President Donald Trump responded on Twitter. “Welcome to the race Sleepy Joe,” Trump taunted the former vice president on Thursday. “I only hope you have the intelligence, long in doubt, to wage a successful primary campaign.”
Trump’s insults were actually masking respect — and genuine concern about Biden’s potential to win, Trump advisers say.
As early as last fall, Trump was talking privately with aides about the threat Biden posed: “How are we gonna beat Biden?” he would ask. When reassured that the moderate Biden would never defeat several of his more liberal rivals, Trump has pushed back: “But what if he does?”
The conversations, relayed by a Republican strategist with direct knowledge of the interactions, reflect the president’s assessment that Biden poses the biggest threat to his re-election, uniquely capable of competing with him in the Rust Belt states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania that carried him to victory in 2016.
That may also be because, of the 20 Democrats running for president, none has quite as much in common with Trump as Joe Biden.
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The two share some defining traits. Trump is 72, and Biden is 76. They are generational peers who have appealed to voters with a raw, unscripted approach to politics. Both have a proven ability to win over blue-collar voters without a college education — Americans who were once solid Democrats but who have increasingly migrated to the GOP.
They share some weaknesses, too. Both are famous for talking far more often and for much longer than their aides would like. Both are prone to remarks that induce cringes even among their supporters.
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- Discussion
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According to Trump's advisers, Trump’s insults were actually masking respect — and genuine concern about Biden’s potential to win https://t.co/tiSMrTsekn
— POLITICO (@politico) April 26, 2019
I think Trump may have some reason to fear Biden. Was reading that Biden is enormously popular in some states like my own (Pennsylvania) which went for Trump in a big way in 2016. Biden is popular with union people and unions have the monopoly over the big cities in PA. Trump mostly was popular in flyover country and that’s what helped him carry Pennsylvania. He can’t count on that kind of support in 2020.
So I guess Trump will do what he did to Ted Cruz — beat him down with lies,conspiracy theories, phony stories and vicious attacks. I sure hope Biden is ready for this. It’s going to get ugly.
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