ANALYSIS — President Joe Biden’s surprise and emotional appearance Thursday evening at the White House offered many clues about the 2024 campaign.
In some ways, Biden’s remarks were effective on a the special prosecutor chose not to charge him for his handling of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency. He was clear and forceful about special prosecutor Robert Hur’s findings, saying the Justice Department investigator had reached a “firm conclusion that no charges should be filed against me in this matter.”
“This was a thorough investigation,” Biden said from behind the blue presidential lectern bearing the seal of the office of the presidency. And he spoke from the ornate Diplomatic Reception Room, using the intimidating pulpit of the incumbent to get his point across.
But there were also times when Biden’s prime-time plan seemed to backfire, raising new questions about the 81-year-old’s mental acuity.
One of the president’s goals was to keep the criminal charges against Donald Trump for his handling of classified documents — and his refusal to return them — as a campaign issue. Biden probably succeeded, but his off-the-cuff and sometimes angry remarks also showed an impulsiveness that ran counter to the methodical chief executive image he has cultivated since taking office.
Here are four takeaways that offer telling clues about his expected rematch with Trump.
‘Old man’
Biden’s age and Trump’s age, 77, were an issue before Thursday night. But it’s probably a bigger problem now.
Hur wrote in his report, based on five hours of interviews with Biden, that the president was an “older, well-meaning man with a poor memory.” Biden confirmed this during his appearance and added: “I know what I’m doing. »
Then it happened. Biden has confounded world leaders once again – and it wasn’t the first time this week.
“As you know, the President of Mexico, Sissi, did not want to open the door to allow humanitarian materials in,” Biden said in response to a question about Israel’s war against Hamas. “I talked to him. I convinced him to open the door. Only Abdel Fatah El-Sisi is the president of Egypt, not of Mexico.
But there’s also Trump, who recently repeatedly confused his only primary GOP foe, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Downvote Concerns
Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who is challenging Biden in the Democratic presidential primary, has raised concerns about Biden’s age and mental acuity. He was not alone.
“I’m extremely concerned,” Mayor Van Johnson of Savannah, Ga., told the New York Times in late December. “President Biden is a man of great character. He is certainly a president of great accomplishments. But that doesn’t apply to southeast Georgia.
In recent weeks, senior Democrats in Congress have expressed concerns about Biden’s re-election campaign. His criticism of a CNN reporter Thursday night for bringing up a series of polling data showing voters worry about his age and acuity will likely only intensify those concerns. “It’s your judgment,” Biden replied. “This is not the judgment (for) the press.”
The exchange evoked memories of then-President Trump’s often difficult relationship with the White House press corps — a relationship often criticized by Democrats.
Seventy-five percent of voters have major or moderate concerns about Biden’s mental and physical health, according to a NBC News Poll released this week. (This compares to 61% who said the same about Trump.)
The Beau factor
As Biden spoke about the anecdote in Hur’s report that the president had been murky during his testimony on the death of his son Beau Biden, his anger was palpable.
“There’s even (a) reference that I don’t remember when my son died,” Biden said Thursday evening. “How the hell dare he bring that up?” …I don’t need anyone to remind me of his passing.
Hur clearly brought out something in the president that voters haven’t seen very often since he took office. This is exactly the kind of personal detail Trump could use to touch a nerve and destabilize an opponent.
Clarity dilemma
Yet Biden showed a clear command of what was contained in Hur’s report and delivered a compelling assessment of the Israeli military operation in Gaza.
The “conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been exaggerated. …and I insist very strongly now to end this hostage-related ceasefire,” he said. “I have worked tirelessly on this agreement… because I think if we can get the delay, the initial delay – I think we would be able to extend it in order to increase the chances that the fighting in Gaza will change . »
“I have worked very hard to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza,” the president said. “Many innocent people are dying of starvation. Many innocent people are struggling and dying – and it must stop.
There was no mix-up or confusion in what was a very commander-in-chief assessment. More mixed signals for voters.
