Biden reportedly still expected to use Trump as foil for 'foreseeable future'


President Biden mostly stayed out of former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Tim Miller, of the moderate conservative site The Bulwark, praised him for "tonally ... living up to his campaign promise" to not "inflame divisions" during the proceedings, even though he had "ample opportunity to do so." In his response to Trump's acquittal, Biden, though critical of his predecessor's role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, did seem to focus less on the verdict and more on how to move forward, again calling for "an end to this uncivil war" and the healing of "the very soul of our nation." That said, Politico reports, don't expect Biden and his administration to stop talking about Trump anytime soon.
Three people familiar with the situation told Politico the Biden White House will continue to use Trump as a foil "for the foreseeable future" in the hopes of building support for the president's agenda. The strategy reportedly stems from 2009, when Biden, then vice president, and former President Barack Obama came to believe they didn't defend their policies forcefully enough from Republican criticism, which they viewed as a major factor in the GOP's big victory in the 2010 midterm elections.
"You have to make sure you are making it clear that you are contrasting the person and the policies," a longtime Biden adviser told Politico. "In some ways, American voters picked Biden to be the opposite of Trump."
Subscribe to 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.
That doesn't necessarily mean Biden will launch many personal attacks at Trump, however. "They're trying to draw a governmental contrast, a moral contrast, a values contrast," Robert Gibbs, Obama's former White House press secretary, told Politico. "Yet at the same time, they'll try to keep themselves above the day-to-day Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump." Read more at Politico.
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.
-
Helsinki's year of zero road fatalities
Under the Radar Finland's 'Vision Zero' safety strategy 'shifts responsibility for crashes from road users to the designers of the road system'
-
Critics' choice: Outstanding new Japanese restaurants
Feature An all-women sushi team, a 15-seat listening bar, and more
-
Why do Dana White and Donald Trump keep pushing for a White House UFC match?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The president and the sports mogul each have their own reasons for wanting a White House spectacle
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summit
Speed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
-
US, China extend trade war truce for 90 days
Speed Read The triple-digit tariff threat is postponed for another three months
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeover
Speed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war