Biden shouldn't focus on his White House successes at the debate because nobody cares, advisors say
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
- Biden needs to spend his debate time attacking Trump's economic policies, sources told CNN.
- The top Democrat sources told CNN that voters just don't care about what Biden has accomplished.
- Polls show more Americans trust Trump on the economy and inflation — the biggest issues for voters.
Joe Biden's advisors say he should spend more time at the debate attacking Donald Trump than focusing on his own White House successes, according to a report from CNN.
Several top Democrats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told CNN that they've been urging Biden's camp to take an offensive approach to Thursday's debate. They've been advising Biden to focus on criticizing Trump's economic policies and close relationship with corporate America, four sources close to the president told the outlet.
The Biden campaign didn't immediately respond to BI's request for comment.
Biden shouldn't talk so much about what he's accomplished during his time in office, because the voters don't really care, the sources told CNN.
"He wants the credit, but it's not working," one of the top Democrat sources told CNN. "He needs to stop."
Ron Klain, Biden's former chief of staff and longtime aide, has also said the president spends too much time discussing the improvements he's made to infrastructure.
"I think the president is out there too much talking about bridges," Klain said in April. "I think it's kind of a fool's errand."
Klain added that Biden needs to focus on issues people actually care about, like the cost of groceries, because bridges just aren't cutting it.
More than 80% of Americans listed the economy and inflation as the top two issues that will determine who they vote for this November, according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll in May. And more Americans trust Trump over Biden on these issues — 46% trust Trump on the economy while 32% trust Biden, and 44% trust Trump on inflation while 30% trust Biden, according to the poll.
The Biden campaign has been ramping up its attacks on Trump since the former president's felony conviction last month. Just last week, the president's campaign announced a $50 million ad blitz that includes a searing TV ad railing into Trump's "criminal" character.