On Thursday, the Joe Biden Campaign again “called a lid” on campaign activities early in the morning, meaning that the 77-year-old candidate would not be doing any campaign events and would be unavailable for reporters. Yesterday’s “lid” marks the ninth time in September that Biden has taken a full day off from campaigning or seeing reporters.
The AP’s Zeke Miller announced yesterday’s halt to campaign activities on Twitter.
Biden has called a lid for the day.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) September 24, 2020
Biden had hinted on Wednesday that he would be beginning serious debate preparation on Thursday, with the first presidential debate scheduled for Tuesday, September 29. “I’ve started to prepare, but I haven’t gotten into it really heavily,” Biden told reporters. “I will beginning tomorrow.”
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That may or may not explain Thursday’s absence from the campaign trail — but what about the other eight days in the month of September? The Biden Campaign has been silent on September 1, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 19 , 22, and yesterday.
Perhaps the most telling date was Saturday, September 19, the day after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Biden gave a short, disjointed speech on the Friday night, remarking that Ginsburg had died. But shouldn’t he have been giving impassioned speeches about the justice and firing up his base about the coming nomination that entire weekend?
As Steven Miller, the host of the Vs Media Podcast, pointed out, “This is where the Democrat nominee goes out. Gives a speech on her legacy and the need to push forward etc.etc, etc…. No nominee until after the election etc…. Every network would carry it. Instead … nothing. Again, bizarre.”
President Trump — Biden’s debate opponent — is seemingly not at all worried by the coming debate on Tuesday, as he continues to hold nearly daily campaign events as well as managing his presidential duties. Trump couldn’t resist a dig at Biden’s decision to stay off the campaign trail for yet another day, tweeting: “Sleepy Joe Biden just closed down his campaign for the day (Again). Wants to rest! He is a very LOW ENERGY INDIVIDUAL and our Country cannot make it in these exciting, but complex and competitive times, with a Low Energy President!!!”
It’s far from the first time the president has criticized his opponent’s propensity to lay low. At his Tuesday rally in Pennsylvania, the president also called out Biden’s lack of availability and his campaign’s practice of calling a “lid” on activities early in the morning. “Lid means he’s not going anywhere today. I’m working my a*s off. I’m in Ohio, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin,” Trump said.
Typically, the press is only notified of these “lids” on the morning which they occur. As Dilbert creator and cartoonist Scott Adams points out, “I’m no political campaign expert, but wouldn’t a presidential candidate generally know tomorrow’s schedule a day in advance? Calling a lid first thing in the morning seems … unplanned. Almost as if you need to see how the candidate is doing that day.”
Indeed. And since the mainstream press is essentially an ally for the Biden campaign, wouldn’t it be in everyone’s best interest to keep them informed of his plans at least a day ahead?
When questioned about the former vice-president’s seemingly increasing need for days off, a senior aide for Biden has been reported as saying, “We’ve been through some high pressure times before and we’re always deliberate about how we respond…. People will question our tactics and we’ll do our thing.”
Biden has always been gaffe-prone. The decision to limit his appearances could be connected to that, as he has a tendency to get himself in trouble when he speaks. But in the past, he’s always been an effective campaigner — his four decades in the Senate and his eight years as Barack Obama’s vice-president are a testament to that.
This year seems different. Instead of randomly spouting something offensive off the cuff, Biden seems to be struggling to say anything at all. Without his teleprompter, Biden seems lost. While campaign surrogates and the media do their best to prop him up, Biden seems unable to stay on message, at times unable to remember words or even complete a sentence.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Biden has maintained an extremely low profile for a presidential candidate, often going for days without speaking to the public. If it’s a strategy, it seems to be working, as apparently less Joe is best Joe from a polling standpoint, at least. But it calls into serious question Biden’s stamina. If he can’t face the rigors of the campaign season, how will he be able to face his daily presidential duties should he win in November?
Photo: AP Images
James Murphy is a freelance journalist who writes on a variety of subjects. He can be reached at [email protected].
