President Joe Biden will reportedly continue to portray former President Donald Trump as a threat to democracy following the assassination attempt that nearly killed him.
The Biden campaign paused attacks on Trump after Saturday’s assassination attempt but plans to resume them in Nevada on Tuesday, contradicting Biden’s calls for unity.
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Biden, returning to the campaign trail for the first time since the assassination attempt, is set to renew his attacks on Trump as a “threat to democracy.” The New York Times report:
While Biden is focused on the economy, his administration has made clear it will continue to portray Trump as a threat to democracy and the civil rights of Black and Latino people. But the attempted assassin’s bullet that grazed Trump’s ear at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday may push Biden into dangerous new territory.
The gunman is said to have had no particular political beliefs, but some Republican lawmakers have blamed Biden’s comments for contributing to the violence. Biden on Friday defended his comments about his rival, with Democrats pushing back against criticism from allies of the former president who warned of a “bloodbath” if he loses the November election.
Many political strategists have criticized the Biden campaign for making the case that Trump is a threat to democracy a central selling point to voters, an issue that has been eclipsed by rising costs, the economy and an open southern border, according to polls. A majority of independent voters see Biden as a greater threat to democracy than Trump, according to a May NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
The assassination attempt has deepened concerns about the viability of Biden’s claims. Politicians from both parties have called for a tone down on inflammatory rhetoric, but Biden’s repeated plans to renew the attacks run counter to his pledge to unite the country.
“Tonight, I want to talk about the need to lower the political temperature,” Biden said. Claimed Speaking Sunday at the White House, he said: “We are neighbors. We are friends. We are colleagues. We are citizens. And most importantly, we are fellow Americans and we must come together.”
“We cannot allow this violence to become a normal thing,” Biden added. “I believe politics should be a forum for peaceful debate.”
