The GOP/Russia alliance thinks there is exactly one route to winning in November. It’s the same strategy as always: try to stink up the water bad enough to keep some people of good will home on election day.
It’s becoming clear that the Tare Reade story will be a big part of their plan. As things heat up, tRump and his minions will double down on calling Biden “Creepy Joe” instead of “Sleepy Joe.” Don Jr’s Twitter fingers are already getting warmed up.
Supposedly, “new evidence” has emerged supporting Reade’s claim that she was assaulted by Biden in 1993. While reading through some of the comments in Politico’s latest on the subject, I see a large presence of supposed Bernie supporters supposedly outraged by Biden, the Democratic party, and the “complicit” media. While some of their accounts may be authentically from “Bernie Bros,” others are almost certainly from “Bernie Bots” seeding outrage over the hypocrisies and moral bankruptcy that they insist are endemic to the “Democratic establishment”:
“It's the Democrat version of the " blue wall of silence.” Business before morals. It's why the whole Democratic party needs to utterly fail, and be replace with a viable 3rd party, or completely re made with strong progressives, after the neoliberals are kicked out.”
“Rape apologists who utilize MRA talking points to promote a politician who brags about having a lack of empathy is incredibly Trumpian. Because it's the Democratic nominee doesn't change that and is further evidence that the Democratic Party isn't in any way, shape or form any sort of resistance to Trumpian fascism- it enables it.”
“I certainly will not be helping the Democrats or Trump with my vote and there are plenty more out there who feel the same and you cannot win an election with solely the vote blue crowd- the numbers just are not there.”
“No one here ever said Trump was not a rapist and philanderer. Where did anyone say that? what relevance does it have? only means we have two rapists in the runoff.”
“Watched every bit of film footage on Biden available. when that documentary comes out, it should bring down the establishment democrats and the DNC.”
“These are the new fascists to replace the old fascists. corporate corrupt immoral elitist neoliberal shills who keep losing to republicans.”
Etcetera.
First, most obviously, we Biden supporters should not take the bait. We should not attack die-hard Bernie supporters for the kind of nihilism expressed above. That kind of civil war is exactly what the trolls are trying to foment.
And, while there is plenty of low-hanging fruit to help Biden defend himself against these charges — including Reade’s professed adoration of Putin — we should not spend much time arguing the matter. Sadly, even when shown reality, swing voters are likely to just throw up their arms and say both sides are the same kind of bad.
So what’s the play?
Constant repetition of the one set of relevant facts that can’t be wished away by personal attacks. Every time the accusations fly, here’s what everyone needs to hear:
- In 1990, Biden wrote and spearheaded the groundbreaking Violence Against Women Act at a time when few in Washington cared about domestic violence and sexual assault.
- In 2011, the Obama-Biden White House sent important guidance to schools spelling out their responsibilities to prevent sexual violence.
- Biden pledges to champion improving women’s health and our access to health care, and reverse the Trump Administration and states’ all-out assault on women’s right to choose.
- Biden pledges to protect and support young people, Native Americans, military personnel, queer and trans people, and immigrants who are survivors of gender-based violence.
- He pledges to end the rape kit backlog, and ensure access to justice for survivors who often face a long and difficult journey within the criminal justice system.
- Biden will restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood, including through Medicaid and Title X.
- He will expand the safety net for survivors of gender-based violence so they have a safe place to live and can support themselves and their families.
- The Obama-Biden Administration fought for equal pay for women, debt relief for students and college graduates, and access to education so women could take their skills to the next level through training, community college, and four-year degrees.
- Biden pledges to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, ensuring that women – who make up the majority of minimum wage workers – earn a decent wage and don’t have to work multiple jobs to put food on the table or pay rent.
- He will work to codify Roe v. Wade.
- He pledges to reduce our unacceptably high maternal mortality rate, which disproportionately affects women of color.
- He pledges to ensure Americans have paid time off to take care of a newborn, elderly parent, or sick loved-one.
- He will invest in our children starting from birth, including universal pre-K for all.
- He plans to expand access to quality, affordable child care through a tax credit of up to $8,000 per family.
- A Biden Administration will also fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, so that gender equality is finally enshrined in our Constitution
- Biden has also pledged to choose a woman as his running mate.
These are just some of the facts that could make a difference to, say, suburban women trying to figure out if there really is a meaningful distinction between these two male candidates when it comes to women’s lives.
It’s an irrefutable portrait of just some of the ways in which today’s Democratic party is radically, genetically, dispositionally, philosophically, and strategically opposite to the Grim Reaper’s GOP.