Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has published a commentary on the U.S. presidential election focusing on the strategies the Democratic candidate Joe Biden needs to adopt. In the commentary titled “What Biden Must Do,” published in the Daily Star, Riaz argues that the Democratic nominee must avoid the trap created by Republican nominee Donald Trump. Since the Republican convention, Trump has made “law and order” as the focus of his campaign and trying to portray the ongoing anti-racism social justice movement as violent and supported by Biden.
Trump intends to shift the discussion from the pandemic, particularly his failure to address the crisis. Riaz insists that Biden must avoid helping shift this focus. Instead, he should adopt a two-prong strategy: Make it clear that his campaign supports the demands for criminal system reform but does not condone violence and continue to press Trump’s failure on public health issues and to provide leadership. As for the second aspect of Biden’s campaign, it should work hard to win bank the three midwestern states which Trump won in 2016. The new battleground states such as Arizona and Georgia warrant attention, but it is imperative that Biden win back Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania to ensure the victory.
