Biden is the latest example of a candidate who was wise to follow his own instincts rather than his advisers’. He was seen as dead in the water in early 2020 following poor performances in the first caucus in Iowa and the first primary in New Hampshire. But he didn’t spend too much time flitting around looking for new messages and staffers. He kept citing his message of unity, which played into his long experience and his relationship to the most popular Democrat in the country, former President Barack Obama.
Then and now, Biden’s strategy — one that has also guided Trump and many other successful politicians — is to exude authenticity. Making off-the-cuff comments and occasional gaffes is a feature of this authenticity, not a bug, and too much managing by outside handlers can be seen as negative.
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