Strategists Warn Against Biden Campaign’s New Nickname For Trump
The Biden campaign is adopting a familiar tactic from the playbook of former President Donald Trump as the 2024 race gains momentum.
In a communication to supporters on Thursday, the Biden-Harris campaign introduced the moniker “Broke Don” for Trump, mirroring the former president’s penchant for assigning nicknames to political rivals.
This move follows reports of the Democrat’s substantial fundraising lead over Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC).
The Biden campaign’s email to supporters didn’t mince words, labeling Trump’s financial state as “Not a Winning Campaign: Broke Don Hides in Basement,” and highlighting Trump’s apparent lack of fundraising efforts and reliance on controversial figures.
Not everyone is convinced that mimicking Trump’s tactics is a winning strategy, however. Some Democratic strategists caution against imitating Trump, arguing that it’s futile to try to out-Trump the former president. Instead, they advocate for a more innovative approach to effectively counter Trump’s influence.
“You can’t out-Trump Trump because he’s the original version. I would say they need to be more creative in producing their own original and unique strategy to bring him down a peg that shocks and awes,” remarked a Democratic strategist.
“The Biden team’s instinct to earn free media, to try to get under his skin and go on offense, is the right one. But mimicking Trump has been done before and has never really worked,” the strategist warns.
Bruce Mehlman, a former member of the George W. Bush administration, invoked the wisdom of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw to caution against employing such a tactic.
“George Bernard Shaw famously advised, ‘Never wrestle with a pig because you’ll both get dirty, and the pig likes it,’” Mehlman said.
Trump famously labeled Mr. Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” while his previous opponent, Hillary Clinton, was dubbed “Crooked Hillary,” and Elizabeth Warren faced the moniker “Pocahontas.”
Similarly, Trump bestowed nicknames upon his Republican rivals, including “Lying Ted” for Ted Cruz and “Little Marco” for Marco Rubio. Nikki Haley wasn’t spared either, receiving the mocking nickname “bird brain,” with a Trump campaign member even leaving a birdcage outside her hotel room to drive the point home.
Despite previously dismissing Trump’s name-calling as juvenile, the Biden team now sees it as an effective strategy for highlighting Trump’s vulnerabilities, particularly his financial situation.
According to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission, the Biden campaign ended February with a substantial war chest of $71 million cash on hand, bringing the combined total with the Democratic National Committee to $97.5 million. In contrast, the Trump campaign and the RNC reported $44.8 million on hand, painting a stark financial contrast that the Biden campaign didn’t hesitate to exploit.
Trump himself took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to assert his financial prowess ahead of looming legal challenges, claiming to have nearly $500 million cash on hand and intending to allocate it to his 2024 presidential campaign.
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