Obama’s New Gig: Gleefully Needling Trump

In conversations with Mr. Biden’s staff, the previous president and his aides mapped out a broad endgame technique, consisting of on-line occasions and in-person appearances in crucial battleground states focusing on Black voters and younger individuals, the teams he believes are most receptive to his message. The main points of his schedule have remained in flux, depending on the severity of the pandemic and the shifting wants of the marketing campaign.

In these conversations, Mr. Obama outlined the position of “joyful warrior,” of attacking Mr. Trump straight in a approach he had by no means performed earlier than, however with the lacerating humor he employed throughout his two campaigns for president.

A few of his slaps are spontaneous, however many have been fastidiously workshopped — together with the “Beijing Barry” line, which was delivered the day earlier than the ultimate presidential debate and was deployed to defuse Mr. Trump’s assaults on enterprise offers in China pursued by Mr. Biden’s son Hunter, aides mentioned.

Mr. Obama’s bellicose strategy had one other profit that was not instantly evident till he started engaged on his remarks this month, based on Democratic aides.

The previous president, adjusting to the political wants of the marketing campaign, has step by step taken on the basic bodyguard position embraced by Mike Pence and former Democratic vice-presidential candidates, enabling Mr. Biden’s operating mate, Senator Kamala Harris, to keep away from having to make these assaults herself and stay largely above the fray.

But for all of his continued reputation with Democratic voters, Mr. Obama is just not on the ticket in 2020 — and his frenetic late campaigning on behalf of Mrs. Clinton didn’t show decisive 4 years in the past.

And his presence, particularly in a fancy state like Florida, is just not universally optimistic.

”Obama’s Cuba insurance policies have been deeply unpopular with many citizens in Southern Florida, and for all of his post-presidency reputation, he additionally carries some actual liabilities,” mentioned Alex Conant, a veteran political advisor who labored for Senator Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American Republican who opposed Mr. Obama’s try to normalize relations with the federal government in Havana.