Heilemann: ‘If You Can Make This Race Be About Donald Trump, You Are Likely to Win’

EXCERPT:

HEILEMANN: “The Biden campaign, their central strategic objective throughout, before the pandemic and before the George Floyd moment that we’re going through, post-George Floyd moment, was to try to keep the focus on Donald Trump, make this a referendum on Trump. After COVID, or in the middle of COVID, in the moment we’re now living in, it’s all the more important, and I would say also easier, to try to keep the focus on Donald Trump. So you know, I think it’s the case — people make fun of Joe Biden and his basement strategy. I think it’s a little unfair for two reasons. One is that he comes out and he has made strategic interventions at various times to go out and hit Donald Trump at the right moments. The other thing is that this is the whole strategy — make this race be about Donald Trump. If you can make this race be about Donald Trump, you are likely to win this race. And so, the Biden campaign has been disciplined and has been focused and has had the moments when it has chosen to intercede in the campaign, have been wisely chosen, largely. He’s not going to be able to — I mean, Joe Biden’s going to — whether it’s in the debates, on the convention stage and other places, he’s going to have to step forward. There’s going to be a clear contrast.”

(h/t Contemptor)