Sanders adviser cautions Biden against trying to 'outhawk the GOP' on China


For the first time since 1960, China could play a leading role in the 2020 presidential election, Ben Jacobs writes for New York magazine. Polls show Americans have increasingly viewed Beijing's government in an unfavorable light, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But there's a sense among Democrats that their candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden, should leave the more bellicose rhetoric to President Trump.
Matt Duss, a senior foreign policy adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), told New York that trying to "out nationalize and outhawk the GOP is a race to the bottom. You are not going to be a more ridiculous hawk than Ted Cruz or Donald Trump because they will always double down."
New York also obtained modeling from top Republican data firm WPA Intelligence, which indicates taking a tougher stance on China could be a hit or miss strategy in some key Midwestern swing states. In Michigan, for example, 16 percent of voters would apparently respond well to such a message, but 12 percent would potentially scatter. In Pennsylvania, the numbers are even tighter at 29 and 28 percent, respectively. So while it's probably unwise for the Biden campaign to ignore Beijing, they may want to save criticism for the right spots. Read more at New York.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats