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Democrats love Barack Obama. They enthusiastically voted him into office twice, he has a high approval rating amongst Democratic voters, and he has appeared in countless videos and interviews over the years. Because of this, pundits and newscasters think that Joe Biden, Obama’s VP, has a strong chance of securing the Democratic nomination for the 2020 election. Biden knows this and uses Obama’s popularity to increase his own appeal. But Biden’s strategy, as smart as it may seem, may not be the best. If Biden’s opponents can criticize Obama, they can dethrone Biden. Perhaps more importantly, Biden is not Obama, and sheer nostalgia can only go so far.
Obama’s legacy first came under attack during night two of the July Democratic Debates. Candidates like Bill de Blasio and Kirsten Gillibrand — both supporters for a single-payer healthcare system — criticized Obamacare for its high deductibles and the profit it provides for insurance companies. Biden spoke up saying, “My response is, Obamacare is working. The way to build this, and get to it immediately, is to build on Obamacare.”
This was not the only attack on the Obama administration. Another major attack involved immigration. Candidates such as Julián Castro and Cory Booker fight for the idea that crossing the border illegally should be a civil violation not a criminal offense. De Blasio and Booker took this time to question Biden on whether or not he supported the mass deportations during the Obama presidency. In response, he did not outwardly defend the deportations, but he bluntly stated his opposition to decriminalize border crossings: “If you cross the border illegally, you should be able to be sent back. It’s a crime.”
Trump, on the other hand, is able to use this to his advantage, and he has already begun to do so. “The Democrats spent more time attacking Barack Obama than they did attacking me, practically,” he said. “That wasn’t pretty.” Criticizing one of the most popular politicians of the party not only hurts the perception of the party but also helps the opposing party. Candidates think this is the way to take down Biden and therefore help their own campaigns. He continues to top polls, have high approval ratings amongst black voters, and be their biggest competition. Biden, however, continues to use the Obama administration as an advantage. He is focusing on all the positive aspects of it while also framing the negative aspects as “things to build upon” rather than broken, incorrect policies that need to be replaced.
While doing this, he also attacks Trump and his administration: “I hope the next debate we can talk about our answers to fix the things Trump has broken, not how Barack Obama made all of these mistakes.” By focusing on trying to build on Obama’s ideas rather than replace them, he can win the support of the Democrats who hate Trump and love Obama.
But, just because Biden is more than happy to reference his ties to Obama, it does not mean Obama does the same. Obama has yet to endorse Biden, and before Biden even entered the race, it is reported that Obama privately told him, “You don’t have to do this, Joe.” Since he cannot use an endorsement from Obama to his advantage, he uses these attacks as a means to defend and protect the legacy he was a part of as well.
One critical weakness of attempting to use Obama is that Biden simply is not Obama. One major reason Obama was able to rally support is he appears as a strong candidate. Republicans and Democrats alike agree that he is a good speaker, a solid debater, and knows how to appear likable and intelligent. He was under fifty when he took office, and Democrats loved his youthful, enthusiastic nature.
Biden, on the other hand, has been viewed as tired, old, and confused. He is seventy-six years old, and his age shows throughout debates and speeches. During each Democratic Debate, especially in June, he appeared very tired by the end. When Kamala Harris attacked Biden during the first debate, he, for a moment, attacked her confidently but almost immediately looked weak. He stopped mid-point to say his time was up, even though other candidates had no problem going over their allowed time.
To make matters worse, Biden continues to make mistakes in public appearances. Each day in the news, there appears to be a new Biden gaffe. For example, Biden was hyping up a crowd in Iowa explaining how, “We choose unity over division; we choose science over fiction.” With enthusiasm, he continued, “We choose truth over facts!” The crowd continued to cheer, but this was clearly a mistake, since facts should support truth. A little later, he opened up for questions and was asked who his favorite historical figure is, excluding U.S. Presidents, and his first answer was Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. Adding on to these, Biden accidentally said, “We have this notion that somehow if you’re poor, you cannot do it. Poor kids are just as bright, just as talented, as white kids.” Realizing what he had said, he quickly added, “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids, no I really mean it, but think how we think about it.” If Trump said something like this, the media would quickly say it is a statement reflecting inner racism. But since it is Biden, the left is hiding it and avoids commenting on it. Others include at the end of the July Democratic Debate him saying “go to Joe 30330” instead of “text Joe to 30330,” during a speech he mentioned that he was VP during the Parkland Shooting from 2018, and asked “what’s not to love about Vermont” while visiting New Hampshire.
Obama did not make mistakes such as these during his own campaign. He thrived on public appearances and inspired Democrats through strong speeches. Attempting to use Obama worked in the beginning, but people are starting to look past his association. He is not Obama, and he is going against Trump: a candidate who has been a strong President with a hard work ethic, the physical stamina to be president, and his clear intention with everything he says. If Biden is selected as the nominee, Trump’s lively nature, strong debating skills, and clever campaign strategies will all overcome him.
The 2020 Election, if Joe Biden wins the nomination, is simply him against Trump – not Obama and Biden against Trump. Using the former President can help his case, but it cannot win him the election. Biden’s weaknesses continue to come through, proving he is lacking the strengths that got Obama elected. President Donald Trump will use his own strengths at the expense of Biden’s weaknesses and serve another four years, much to the dismay of Democrats and the thrill of Republicans.