The Campaign Moment: Trump rides the wave of Biden turmoil
Jul 12, 2024
auto_awesome
Senior political reporter Aaron Blake and co-host Martine Powers discuss the turmoil in Biden's campaign, with over half of Democrats wanting him to drop out. They analyze Trump's quiet strategy, the upcoming Republican National Convention, and the divisions within both parties leading up to the election.
Concerns arise over Biden's candidacy viability from mixed Democratic reactions.
Speculation swirls around Trump's potential VP picks, emphasizing loyalty, compatibility, and advancing his interests.
Deep dives
Biden's Press Conference Performance Review
President Biden's recent press conference aimed to quell doubts about his candidacy, featuring both moments of clarity on foreign policy goals and cringeworthy gaffes like confusing Vice President Trump's identity. Democrats' reactions have been mixed, with concerns raised about his viability. Notable figures like George Clooney and Ashley Judd have publicly called for Biden to step down, citing doubts about his capabilities and proposing alternatives like Michelle Obama.
Republican National Convention Preview
The upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Donald Trump will receive the nomination, poses questions about the GOP's direction post-Trump. The event is anticipated to showcase the party's stance post-Trump era, potential rising stars, and the challenges of aligning with Trump's legacy. The GOP's platform dynamics around abortion and the Project 2025 initiative reflect internal debates on future policy directions and Trump's influence.
Vice Presidential Potential Picks for Trump
Speculation surrounds Trump's potential vice presidential picks, with Senator Marco Rubio, Senator JD Vance, and Governor Doug Burgum emerging as front-runners. Rubio represents an establishment-oriented choice to broaden ticket appeal, Vance embodies a steadfastly pro-Trump approach, and Burgum signifies a safer selection. Considerations of loyalty, compatibility, and advancing Trump's interests play key roles in the decision-making process amid uncertainties.
This week, Biden vowed in his high-stakes press conference on Thursday night to remain in the race, but it’s unclear if his message satisfied voters.
His speech followed new polling this week that suggests that more than half of Democrats want Biden to drop out of the race. It also found that the overall race hasn’t changed much, and that Trump and Biden are locked in a dead heat.
Post Reports co-host Martine Powers talks with senior political reporter Aaron Blake and national politics reporter Hannah Knowles about how Democratic voters and politicians feel about Biden, and why Trump has been so quiet during a tumultuous moment in his opponent’s campaign. They also dig into what to expect at next week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy.
Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.