Former President Donald J. Trump goes on trial in Manhattan on Monday, but President Biden and his allies are not likely to say much.
For Democrats, the former president facing criminal charges for covering up a sex scandal surrounding his 2016 election campaign is telling. There will be constant media coverage, especially if Trump takes any of the positions that are being floated as a possibility. And while Mr. Trump faces up to eight weeks in court, Mr. Biden will adopt a “rose garden strategy” of campaigning and governing from the White House, in contrast to the president's aides. We hope that voters will respond positively to this.
This approach could be strengthened by the fact that Trump will appear in court over sordid details and questionable financial manipulation while Biden grapples with the Middle East conflict.
Biden and his campaign feared it would unduly influence the case or fuel Trump's repeated claims (made without evidence) that Biden orchestrated the accusations, Nothing has been said publicly about the criminal charges against him.
Many of the well-funded groups outside the Democratic Party supporting the Biden campaign are charting a similar path. Part of their calculation is that ads touting Biden's record or claiming Trump is a threat to democracy will attract more voters than highlighting Trump's legal problems. It is said that it has the effect of testing one's heart. Another thing to consider is that the Manhattan case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg cannot be easily explained with audio or a 30-second ad.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think that’s the strongest argument for voters,” said Steve Scheer, a Democratic strategist who runs Unite the Country, a pro-Biden super PAC. “Campaigns have limited resources, and they spend those resources in ways that move the most votes.”
Later this spring, Mr. Scheer's group plans to spend about $40 million on an ad campaign in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that highlights Mr. Biden's record and attacks Mr. Trump as anti-democratic.
The Biden campaign declined to comment on its strategy, and Future Forward, a major pro-Biden super PAC, did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Trump's campaign did the same.
When Trump goes to trial on Monday, he will become the first US president to face criminal charges. He is accused of falsifying his business records to hide hush money payments to former adult film star Stormy Daniels as part of an effort to influence the 2016 election. The case is one of four criminal charges he faces, but it could be the only one to go to trial before Election Day. Mr. Trump has denied all charges.
“Two days from now, the whole world will witness the beginning of Mr. Biden's first trial,” Trump said at a rally in eastern Pennsylvania on Saturday night, calling the president's baseless charges orchestrated. hinted at.
Another argument that the Biden campaign and its affiliates should focus on is that there doesn't seem to be much voter interest in this proceeding. According to a New York Times/Siena College poll, only a quarter of voters said they were paying “a lot” of attention to the Manhattan incident. Other polls show voters consider the case the least serious of the charges against Trump.
However, it is certain that Democratic groups will not ignore the trial. The company, which specializes in “rapid response” communications, plans to monitor Mr. Trump's actions inside the courtroom and at his frequent post-court press conferences, and to distribute messages on social media.
“Every time you see President Trump in court, he's one of the worst, most undisciplined versions of himself,” said Brandon Weathersby, a spokesman for the liberal opposition research group American Bridge. “He's combative with judges, prosecutors, members of the press. He'll go on a social media rant during the trial. So for us, our job in all of this is to make sure voters don't listen to the noise.” I think it's about emphasizing moments that can be interrupted.”
Meanwhile, with Trump in court this week, Biden will campaign in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, with stops in Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Philadelphia on Thursday. Democrats believe such a split screen is to their advantage.
Of course, there's no guarantee that Biden won't be tempted to jump on the case in his interactions with voters and the press. The president has never been considered the most disciplined campaigner.
And Democrats could change their calculus about whether it is wise to highlight Trump's legal problems if he is convicted in the Manhattan case. Some polls show that voters in battleground states may be swayed if Trump enters Election Day as a felon.
If the federal election interference case known as the January 6 incident involving Trump's efforts to stay in power goes to trial, it could change the way Democrats approach the issue. The incident is seen as the most direct demonstration of Democrats' argument that Trump is a threat to democracy.
But for now, many Democrats believe Trump's frequent appearances in Manhattan courtrooms will serve them well.
“Today's Republican Party is led by the most extreme member of the party, and that leader is Donald Trump,” said Rep. Susan DelBene of Washington, the House Democratic campaign director. “This trial confirms who is currently in charge of extremism and the Republican Party.”
lisa lerer, Ruth Igielnik and michael gold Contributed to the report.