Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumTrump's plan to make Biden into Clinton
President Trump is reviving his 2016 playbook, trying to sully or smear the Biden family reputation, like he did with the Clintons during his last campaign.
The big picture: When Trump was running against Hillary Clinton, he seized on her email servers and past scandals. He hammered her on the issue, and used it to define her with many voters. Clinton couldn't put it to rest early, and it dragged her down through the end.
Axios
Now, Trump wants to use questions about Hunter Biden's work in Ukraine, and any alleged involvement by his father, Joe Biden, as the 2020 sequel to the email servers. In both cases, he twists reality to make it seem like everyones dirty.
Once again, Trump is trying to paint his opponent as shady, hoping it will be an early, definitional wound.
Here's Trump's six-part playbook to make Ukraine 2016's sequel:
- Argue that your opponent is guilty of something as bad or worse than the accusations against you.
- Create constant fog, amplified by Twitter. Allege the media is guilty, too.
- Convince party leaders and Fox News to fall instantly in line, focused solely on your opponent's supposed transgressions.
- Demand documents and testimony, fostering an "everyone's dirty and hiding something" atmosphere.
- Stymie anyone on your side who's thinking of dissenting by torching them on Twitter, like he did to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah).
- Bet that your own standing, while getting no better, gets no worse.
What's next: Biden, learning the lessons of 2016, seems determined not to let Trump pin him into a corner.
- He put out a statement saying Congress should do its thing, and he will focus on campaigning. He tried to go after Trump on health care, to shift back to a policy argument.
- Biden said last night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!": "It's such a blatant abuse of power that I don't think it can stand. Based on the material that they acknowledged today, it seems to me it's awfully hard to avoid the conclusion that it is an impeachable offense and a violation of constitutional responsibility."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
still_one
(92,136 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,552 posts)you are the GOP
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
still_one
(92,136 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,552 posts)Although Trump has fascist leanings and is perfectly capable of jailing and/or executing his political enemies. He is trying to prosecute McCabe and Comey as we speak.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
blue-wave
(4,351 posts)And for me I will add if you help divide the Democratic Party you are dead to me now and in the future.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,552 posts)EC...if she in fact did lose...close elections are easy to steal.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
oldsoftie
(12,531 posts)And the election has been over for almost 3 yrs
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueMississippi
(776 posts)by making ridiculous claims against Biden. It all comes from operatives of one candidate in particular.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
DownriverDem
(6,228 posts)yes. It's like they don't understand how politics work. It's like they only want their "like" and don't care about the Dems winning. I don't understand where they are coming from.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
DownriverDem
(6,228 posts)left leaners need to not let trump do it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,129 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
treestar
(82,383 posts)So far nothing the equivalent of the emails seems to be there. The emails were a mistake. I think it may be a lot harder in this case.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
onetexan
(13,036 posts)real POTUS. Hillary should have been the rightful president. Otherwise we will not be in the dire straits we are now.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
highplainsdem
(48,968 posts)up, or it's guaranteed Trump will do something similar to any other Democrat he feels threatens his re-election.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
peggysue2
(10,828 posts)This isn't simply an attack against Joe Biden. It's an attack against all Democrats, particularly those running for 2020.
An attack on one is an attack on all, period. We need a united front to fight this barrage of propaganda and lies.
Or we all lose.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,129 posts)Link to tweet
From the perspective of Ukrainian legislation, he did not violate anything, former Ukrainian prosecutor general Yuri Lutsenko told The Washington Post in his first interview since the disclosure of a whistleblower complaint alleging pressure by President Trump on Ukraines president, Volodymr Zelensky.
Lutsenkos comments about Hunter Biden which echo what he told Bloomberg News in May were significant, because Trump and his personal attorney Giuliani have sought to stir up suspicions about both Hunter and former vice president Joe Bidens conduct in Ukraine in recent weeks. Joe Biden is leading Trump in many opinion polls ahead of the 2020 election.
Hunter Biden has denied any wrongdoing, and there is no evidence he was involved in any lawbreaking in his work in Ukraine with the countrys largest private gas company.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden