Ex-Governor Chris Christie, who apparently enjoys dishing out debate advice almost as much as he relishes leaving presidential races, had some words of wisdom for President Joe Biden, reminiscent of those he once offered to Donald Trump in 2020. During his chat on the “Hacks on Tap” podcast with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy, Christie recalled urging Trump to just let Biden ramble on, expecting Biden to trip over his own words. Spoiler: Trump didn’t listen, and according to Christie, that’s where he fumbled the debate.
Christie, who exited the GOP presidential primary earlier in January, emphasized that this tactic, which Trump disregarded four years ago, should be adopted by Biden in the upcoming debates against Trump. Christie is essentially advising that Biden should let Trump dig his own grave with his rhetoric. Christie’s recipe for Biden involves a hefty dose of non-engagement, no matter how tempted Biden might be to jump into the fray over Trump’s inevitably outrageous claims about his record, family, or personal life.
He added that Biden should highlight the strongest achievements of his presidency and maintain a demeanor of calm detachment, almost as if he were having a casual conversation with the moderator rather than participating in a heated debate. It’s a masterclass in passive aggression: make Trump look like the town crank while you’re the picture of suburban chill.
Christie’s double-barreled strategy here? Highlight Trump’s tendency to go off the rails while protecting Biden from his own potential gaffes by doing, well, very little.
With upcoming debate showdowns set for June 27 and September, there is great anticipation to see if Biden will draw inspiration from Christie’s approach or choose not to follow the example of a man known for exiting races rather than winning them.
