by A. Altieri D’Angelo
“Go for broke” is defined as ” taking the most extreme or risky of the possible courses of action to try and achieve success”.
And this is what President Joe Biden must do to win the 2024 Presidential election.
The current Biden communication strategy is not generating the support needed to win in November 2024. It is a flawed approach that does the opposite. Many Democratic Party supporters and independent voters are beginning to wonder if Biden will be capable of being President in 2025. Voters’ concerns can be mollified, but only with a dramatic shift in approach and immediate implementation.
The essence of the problem is that Biden’s team and the President himself appear to have lost confidence in his (the President’s) ability to speak in a public setting. It is readily apparent that he is minimizing his public appearances to the greatest extent possible out of fear that he may misspeak. American voters are not stupid; they see what he is doing. (Biden made a grave mistake by not agreeing to an interview on Super Bowl Sunday. His decision created even more anxiety among supporters).
Biden’s age is the issue. The general view is that the President is slowing down and weakening. The fact that Trump is only four years younger and has embarrassing speaking moments does not affect people’s view of the former President’s mental capacity. But Biden has a more significant burden of proof. (Voters should be concerned about both candidates.)
Biden must convince voters that his age should not be a critical issue in the run-up to the November election. He and his team need to develop a new communication strategy (the Plan) focused on four themes:
Biden is mentally and physically capable of being President;
Biden has created a successful governing platform that delivered multiple benefits to Americans;
his team has a track record of success;
Biden’s vision of a future based on democratic principles will make American’s lives better.
The new strategy should highlight that Biden is always in charge and capable and that the Cabinet and White House staff include many experienced and talented professionals who can develop and implement policies that support Biden’s platform. The goal of the new strategy is to make Americans realize that in the end, it is not Biden’s age that is the issue, but the choice voters must make.
The people must decide to re-elect a President (and indirectly his team) who believes in democracy (both in the U.S. and the world), successfully implemented several legislative initiatives that impacted the lives of Americans favorably, and has a plan for the future. Or, choose Trump, a man who offers chaos and an autocratic rule.
Biden and his team can make a compelling case for competence, dependability, and achievement. They can point to the passage of bills, including but not limited to the American Rescue Plan, Inflation Reduction Act, Chips Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, and Gun Safety Law.
Biden’s handling of foreign affairs has been effective; he has strengthened NATO, led the charge on Ukraine, and built stronger relationships in East Asia and other countries (but his support for Israel has upset the liberal wing of his party). The President’s economic policies have created 14.5 million new jobs. The Inflation rate has dropped from 7% in 2021 to 3.1% in January 2024. The unemployment rate has been below 4% for 23 months; the January 2024 rate was 3.4%.
But no administration is perfect. Although Biden’s policies have caused the inflation rate to decline, the increase in the cost of goods and services in 2021/2022 has not been eliminated. The Afghanistan withdrawal is a black mark on the Administration. The problems at the U.S./Mexico border are seen as Biden’s failures.
Biden must speak directly and frequently to voters for the Plan to succeed. The team must contrast the Administration’s approach to governing and policies with Trump’s. The President must constantly remind voters of what the Administration has done for them (locally), acknowledge their concerns, offer solutions, and concede failure. He must ensure that the people hear from Cabinet members and other Administration officials regularly.
Voters need to be reminded that the Administration is not a one-person band. An essential part of this approach is to have Kamela Harris go public on various issues. Harris has yet to distinguish herself as Vice President; that must change. She must be allowed to step up (if she can).
The age issue should become less of a concern to voters if Americans accept that Biden has delivered on most of his promises, built an effective team, and Kamala Harris has rehabilitated her image.
However, this new strategy may not work for several reasons. At this point, it does not matter. Despite achieving excellent results in his first term, Biden will likely lose the election unless he adopts the Plan or something similar. The President must go for broke!
LEGGI ANCHE: Gli italo-americani e le elezioni presidenziali negli Usa del 2024. Come voteranno?
