President Joe Biden91裸聊视频檚 Democratic allies are launching an aggressive defense against a special counsel91裸聊视频檚 explosive claims that the 81-year-old president couldn91裸聊视频檛 remember major milestones in his life, trying to diminish the significance of the prosecutor91裸聊视频檚 allegations that Biden was too forgetful to be charged for mishandling classified material.
Biden set the angry tone hours after special counsel Robert Hur91裸聊视频檚 report was released, dismissing the report91裸聊视频檚 conclusions about his memory and insisting he hadn91裸聊视频檛 forgotten the year his son Beau died, as Hur claimed. Democrats on Capitol Hill and around the country quickly followed.
91裸聊视频淩epublicans saying that Biden is old is the least surprising thing in American politics,91裸聊视频� Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 all they91裸聊视频檝e got.91裸聊视频�
Democrats plan to answer the widespread questions about the 81-year-old president91裸聊视频檚 age and readiness by affirming that Biden is capable of being commander in chief and trying to discredit people who portray him as enfeebled. Key to that strategy is drawing a contrast with former President Donald Trump, the heavy Republican front-runner who is himself 77 and has also confused names and facts while also facing four indictments and multiple multimillion-dollar civil judgments.
The signs of support are crucial for Biden as he prepares for what could be a tight election against Trump. Even before the report91裸聊视频檚 release, fears were mounting that the coalition that helped elect Biden in 2020 was fraying, making it all the more important for Biden to keep as many supporters as possible firmly on his side.
The Biden campaign circulated talking points to allies that were obtained by The Associated Press. The talking points refer to Hur, a U.S. attorney during the Trump administration, as a 91裸聊视频淢AGA-appointed attorney who doesn91裸聊视频檛 have a case so he decided to lob personal attacks against the president.91裸聊视频� That91裸聊视频檚 a reference to 91裸聊视频淢ake America Great Again,91裸聊视频� Trump91裸聊视频檚 political movement.
The talking points also stressed that Hur is 91裸聊视频渁 lawyer 91裸聊视频� not a doctor 91裸聊视频� so people should take his legal conclusions and ignore his political opinions.91裸聊视频�
The White House has also noted Biden cooperated with Hur, who declined to charge him with unlawfully retaining classified documents, while Trump faces an indictment in Florida after the FBI seized records from his Mar-a-Lago residence.
91裸聊视频淭he way that the president91裸聊视频檚 demeanor in that report was characterized could not be more wrong on the facts and clearly politically motivated, gratuitous,91裸聊视频� Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday. 91裸聊视频淚 will say that when it comes to the role and responsibility of a prosecutor in a situation like that, we should expect that there would be a higher level of integrity than what we saw.91裸聊视频�
Indignation spread into South Carolina, where Biden scored a commanding victory in the first-in-the-nation Democratic primary on Feb. 3, which was designed by his campaign to project clear strength. Some saw Biden91裸聊视频檚 forceful response to the special counsel as a promising sign.
91裸聊视频淚 truly believe this is bringing the best out in the president. It91裸聊视频檚 showing that he91裸聊视频檚 a fighter,91裸聊视频� said LaJoia Broughton, a 42-year-old small-business owner in Columbia who voted for Biden in the primary.
Biden aides say they do not expect the president or his campaign to take on the age question more directly. They can91裸聊视频檛 make Biden any younger, and note that attacks on the president over his age were also persistent four years ago, when Trump labeled him 91裸聊视频淪leepy Joe.91裸聊视频�
Instead, they intend to draw on the blueprint of the 2020 campaign and argue many voters won91裸聊视频檛 want a repeat of Trump91裸聊视频檚 turbulent time in the White House. They also plan to highlight Biden91裸聊视频檚 accomplishments and an economy that continues to show strength.
91裸聊视频淭he president has said that age is a fair question on voters91裸聊视频� minds, but if you91裸聊视频檙e an independent or pursuable voter across this country and you91裸聊视频檙e worried about your kid facing gun violence while going to school, the prospect a national abortion ban, or the future of our democracy, you may think about the president91裸聊视频檚 age, but at the end of the day the choice is easy,91裸聊视频� said Kate Berner, a former deputy communications director in the Biden White House. 91裸聊视频淒onald Trump is on the wrong side of all of those issues.91裸聊视频�
Some Democrats weren91裸聊视频檛 so optimistic.
91裸聊视频淭his is a distraction. When you91裸聊视频檙e running a presidential campaign, you don91裸聊视频檛 like distractions,91裸聊视频� said Jim Messina, who led former President Barack Obama91裸聊视频檚 last campaign.
Messina compared the special counsel91裸聊视频檚 report to the announcement in October 2016 by then- FBI Director James Comey that he was further investigating Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton91裸聊视频檚 handling of classified emails when she was secretary of state. Comey91裸聊视频檚 announcement, which came 11 days before the election, has been blamed for helping Trump beat Clinton.
In this case, this week91裸聊视频檚 report comes more than nine months before Election Day.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 just so much time to get through all this,91裸聊视频� Messina said. 91裸聊视频淭rump has all the trials coming up. I91裸聊视频檇 be surprised if this was an issue in a month.91裸聊视频�
Still, Trump91裸聊视频檚 allies were emboldened this week.
Beyond celebrating the release of the special counsel91裸聊视频檚 embarrassing descriptions of Biden, Trump won a new trove of delegates in Nevada91裸聊视频檚 Thursday caucuses, where he ran unopposed.
91裸聊视频淲e all already know that Joe Biden is senile. What91裸聊视频檚 being lost is that Joe Biden is a criminal who put American national security at risk,91裸聊视频� Donald Trump Jr. wrote in one of many messages highlighting the new report.
Barry Goodman, a Biden fundraiser from Michigan, said he91裸聊视频檚 had some donors 91裸聊视频渢ake a wait and see approach91裸聊视频� about supporting Biden, even before the special counsel91裸聊视频檚 announcement.
91裸聊视频淭hey wanted to see if someone else would get in or whether Trump would drop out 91裸聊视频� but no one else is getting in,91裸聊视频� Goodman said. 91裸聊视频淥f everyone I talk to, some are more excited than others.91裸聊视频�
Still, Goodman said the report did nothing to shake his support for Biden.
Trav Robertson, a former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, described the report as an obvious political liability for Biden. But he directed blame squarely at Attorney General Merrick Garland for allowing the report to include comments about the president91裸聊视频檚 age, memory and cognitive function.
91裸聊视频淢errick Garland not doing his job only allowed a Trump appointee to feed a political narrative to deflect from Trump,91裸聊视频� Robertson said, adding, 91裸聊视频淒onald Trump can91裸聊视频檛 lift a glass of water to his lips without using both hands because he91裸聊视频檚 old.91裸聊视频�
Indeed, Biden91裸聊视频檚 allies were eager to highlight a perceived double standard as Biden91裸聊视频檚 gaffes get far more attention than those of other leading politicians.
Trump repeatedly confused former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Republican rival Nikki Haley in recent weeks. Biden didn91裸聊视频檛 help himself, of course, by referring to the Egyptian leader as the president of Mexico late Thursday.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a clear unfairness there that people feel,91裸聊视频� Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., a former U.S. attorney, said of the focus on Biden91裸聊视频檚 gaffes, describing the special counsel91裸聊视频檚 assessment of Biden91裸聊视频檚 mental health as 91裸聊视频渋mproper,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频渋nappropriate91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渟hameful.91裸聊视频�
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., noted that even House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also recently confused Iran with Israel.
91裸聊视频淲ho cares?91裸聊视频� Garcia said of the gaffes. 91裸聊视频淭he president is going to win. I91裸聊视频檓 very confident in that. Most importantly, he91裸聊视频檚 going to be running against a 91-time indicted criminal.91裸聊视频�
Steve Peoples, Zeke Miller And Seung Min Kim, The Associated Press
