Democratic strategist David Axelrod weighed-in Thursday on Joe Biden’s potentially reduced campaign schedule; saying “this is bad advice” and claiming the former Vice President can “either cut it or he can’t.”
“This is bad advice. You can’t cloister the candidate and win. He either can cut it or he can’t, and the only way he can prove he can is to be an active and vigorous candidate. He’s running for president of the United States, for God’s sake!” posted Axelrod on social media.
This is bad advice. You can’t cloister the candidate and win.
He either can cut it or he can’t, and the only way he can prove he can is to be an active and vigorous candidate.
He’s running for president of the United States, for God’s sake!https://t.co/SCZmqVYapF— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) August 15, 2019
Allies and political insiders close to Joe Biden are reportedly telling the former Vice President to scale back his campaign stops and speaking events; hoping the reduced schedule will minimize future speaking gaffes.
“Allies to Joe Biden have been floating the idea of altering the former vice president’s schedule in an effort to reduce the gaffes he has made in recent days,” reports The Hill. “The allies, growing increasingly nervous about Biden’s verbal flubs, have said it’s an approach that’s been suggested to campaign officials on the heels of the former vice president’s stumbles.”
“He needs to be a strong force on the campaign trail, but he also has to pace himself,” said one insider.
“I think you’ll see the same schedule and maybe even more Joe Biden,” one ally said. “Everyone wants to see Joe Biden be Joe Biden. If he’s held back in any way, that’s almost the antithesis of who he is.”
“I think it’s the wrong approach,” they added.
“Joe Biden has spoken his mind his entire life, which voters know and love about him,” said Biden’s deputy campaign manager. “He’s a real person, he’s authentic, and that will never change. He’s going to keep taking on Trump and making the case to voters about the stakes we face in this election, regardless of how the press chooses to cover him.”
President Trump routinely refers to Biden as “sleepy Joe.”