Biden — and Trump — in no rush to prep for debate
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Ken Cedeno/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Joe Biden, busy being president, is leaving most of the prep sessions for his big debate against Donald Trump to the last minute.
- Trump's team says the ex-president doesn't need much practice.
Why it matters: Their June 27 showdown — two weeks from tonight on CNN — is one of the few opportunities either candidate will have to shake up a race that's been stubbornly static.
- But neither is indicating they're spending much time in debate camp.
- "The president will have less time for debate prep than four years ago given his day job, so prep will largely be confined to immediately prior," a Biden campaign official said.
- The message from Trump's campaign: Debate rehearsals are beneath us. We have nothing to worry about.
Driving the news: It's tempting to view both stances as an attempt to psych out the other guy, but Biden's jammed June schedule is crowding out the kind of live-fire debate prep many Democrats believe is crucial for the 81-year-old president.
- He landed in Italy late Wednesday, returning to Europe for the G7 summit after just being in France for four days last week to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
- From Italy, Biden will fly straight to Los Angeles — a nine-hour time change — for a Saturday night fundraiser with former President Obama and George Clooney.
- Three days later he'll be back on East Coast time, for a big-dollar Virginia event with former President Clinton and former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
- That basically leaves 1½ weeks for Biden to focus on his face-off with Trump, 77, in Atlanta.
What we're watching: Earlier this year, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients was given a friendly reminder by a bipartisan group of former chiefs of staff that incumbent presidents tend to do poorly in their first re-election debate.
- Their advice was unambiguous: Make time for debate prep or expect the worst. Remember those sluggish performances by Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama.
- Four years ago, Trump's just-had-COVID-19 performance was, like the debate itself, kind of a mess.
Zoom out: Over the last nine months — through the GOP primaries, Trump's trial and then his felony conviction — the contest between Biden and Trump remains essentially tied, according to several surveys.
- Biden's campaign has consistently been up with TV ads, defending his economic record and hammering Trump on abortion.
- Squint at the post-conviction polling and the national mood may have moved a percentage point in Biden's favor — but Trump is still polling better in swing states.
Zoom in: Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is leading Biden's debate prep.
- As the process becomes more formal, other senior campaign aides and longtime advisers also will be present, according to the campaign official.
- Biden, who seized upon one of his first opportunities to call Trump a "convicted felon," will take that aggressive approach into the debate, his campaign says.
- He also will look for ways to paint "himself as the wise and steady leader, in contrast to Trump's chaos and division," the official said.
The other side: Trump's campaign, as it did four years ago, is raising expectations about the Republican's debating skills.
- "President Trump takes on numerous tough interviews every single week and delivers lengthy rally speeches while standing, demonstrating elite stamina," Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said.
- "He does not need to be programmed by staff ... like Joe Biden does."
Go deeper: Last month, Biden challenged Trump to two debates, betting big on his ability to square off with a rival who regularly questions his mental acuity and physical stamina.
- Their second debate is scheduled for Sept. 10, also well before the traditional October debate season.
