Donald Trump may now see the “game” turning against him: With 81-year-old Joe Biden gone, the 78-year-old Republican is preparing to face a younger Democratic candidate. The tables may therefore be turning against Trump on issues of age and mental agility, which he often avoided when Joe Biden was his opponent.
The age gap between Trump and any of his potential Democratic opponents — Kamala Harris, 59; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 52; and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, 51 — could make him the sole focus of voters’ desire for a generational transition of power.
With Biden’s often-shortened public appearances — especially his disastrous debate — now a thing of the past, there is likely to be a new focus on Donald Trump’s mental acuity and his often disjointed and confusing campaign speeches, The Times reported Tuesday.
There’s no shortage of examples of Trump’s gaffes: Last month, for example, he got his doctor’s name wrong. Before, there’s already been a record of awkward moments, like when he seemed to think Barack Obama was still president or when he confused his Republican rival Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi.
Remember that nearly 60% of American voters said last month that Biden should “definitely” or “probably” be replaced, while Trump’s approval rating has risen to 40% since his conviction for bribery and attempted assassination in his lifetime — and Harris is a huge favorite at 39%.
Joe Biden’s departure from the scene changes several aspects of the Republican calculus, including that Trump, a “criminal,” may now have to debate Harris, a former attorney general, in September — if she gets the nomination.
The vice president demonstrated her skills in the 2019 debate when she took a very personal attack on Joe Biden over race, which he later called “damaging” and cooled relations between the Biden and Harris camps before she was appointed vice president.
Trump’s response to the recent assassination attempt on his life was full of energy, helping to unite his Republican Party and promising to run a “unity” campaign. But that promise was dissolved Saturday, when he again downplayed Biden, Harris and the Democratic agenda and delivered his usual campaign speeches, often laced with conspiracy theories and even a bizarre, recurring reference to a shark.
According to Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, Trump’s “less graceful” response to Joe Biden’s resignation is something Democrats hope will continue until an official successor emerges. With Biden’s successor in the bag, “Trump is getting back to his game,” he said. “Without Biden being an opponent, calling him ‘Sleepy Joe,’ who’s there to complain about? The way he attacks a woman is completely different, but you can already tell from the way he attacked Biden on Sunday that he’s not thinking clearly.”
“Democrats will be able to use Harris as a chess piece to attack suburbanism, women’s right to choose, and reproductive freedom, and hope that Trump will overreact so they can accuse him of being incapable of controlling himself because of his ‘age,’” Sheinkopf asserted. “And this will become a different race.”
Former Attorney General vs. Convicted Criminal: How the Next US Election Is Shaping Up and What “Weapons” Harris Has to Take on Trump
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