He is 80 years old. He has a demanding job. He was never the most electrifying campaigner in history. Joe Biden plans to tap a large group of friends and supporters to help him win reelection. They will go where he cannot, say what won’t and be who he will never be.
Surrogates for campaigns are not a new concept. William McKinley used 1,400 surrogates to campaign for the White House while he greeted his supporters mainly from the porch of his Ohio home.
Biden’s new re-election bid has already invested — even before it has a headquarters — and is ahead of what the former president Barack Obama did in 2012. Veteran operatives describe this as an unusually large operation, which taps into the star power that the Democratic Party has outside the White House.
“President Biden is very busy as president, as he proved this week,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del. ), a campaign cochair, who was one surrogate who made himself available to cable news bookers, and other journalists, while Biden went overseas last week. “Our president has assembled an impressive group of up-and coming leaders from all over the country.”
Surrogates can be a great way to get the most out of a campaign. They are powerful multipliers and validators, while also giving you access to your grassroots network. Surrogates get some cash, a little spotlight and important entrees.
Surrogates have their own agendas and tendencies, and they are known to be off script . A reliance on surrogates could lead to Biden being accused of repeating the “basement campaign” from 2020, because he is unable or unwilling himself to go out and campaign. Former President Donald Trump taunted Biden frequently for not campaigning more.
“Participating in a reelection campaign” means the president is actively running as president. This is the reality. To address the reality, I believe you need to use the networks and the other voices within the party.
The campaign has coordinated over 185 media interviews, both in English and Spanish. They hope that this multi-platform, broad spectrum approach will help them break through in the fractured media landscape.
The core surrogates of the campaign — the six co-chairs, the 50 members on its National Advisory Board and Vice President Kamala Harri — were selected not because of their loyalty, stature, or political need, but rather, they agreed to work and be available.
Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a 26-year old progressive freshman and rising star of the left, said, “We expect to be very active.” It’s more than just a list. I believe the president wants to create a list of individuals who are willing to work.
This will include attending fundraisers, in-person events and media interviews. It also includes posting on social media and tapping into their local support networks. Many others, including administration officials, will also be involved. For example Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg attended a recent Biden fundraising event in New York.
Jim Messina who ran Obama’s campaign for re-election said that surrogates were critical to fundraising and outside validation of an electorate growing cynical towards politics. He said that the sheer volume of social media and media platforms available today means the campaign will need a lot of help in order to reach everyone.
You can’t recycle the same talking points. This won’t get viral. It won’t make a splash. “You need people who can speak with their own voice,” Messina explained. “Will this work every time?” No. There will be times that someone says something and you wish they had not said it in the exact way. “But overall, it will be more authentic and real.”
Frost is among several members on Biden’s advisory council who are from different political wing or have criticised him at times. They include familiar names such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and Rep. Ro Kohna (D-Calif.).
Khanna said, “I still believe he’s the best candidate for winning Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin,” on NBC News “Meet the Press,” last month. Khanna has been visiting Iowa and New Hampshire in preparation for a possible future presidential run.
On the list, you’ll also find the two Democratic officials that seemed most likely to consider a primary challenge against Biden last season: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is following a Lyndon Johnson style philosophy that keeps enemies close. On the list are also future presidential candidates like Governors. Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan are on the list.
Chris Huntley is a Democratic strategist and speechwriter. He said that Huntley was making a concerted effort in bringing everyone into the party. “There’s nothing wrong with getting together the Avengers of surrogates, who all have different powers and different abilities…showcasing the present and future of our party.”
Republicans and Democrats both mocked Biden’s “basement campaign” during the pandemic, when he largely avoided in-person events and opted for Zoom meetings and video messages. He would not be the first president to run a “Rose Garden” campaign that emphasizes governing in the White House rather than going door-to-door in swing states.
Biden’s low profile campaign won in 2020, and the majority of presidents are re-elected. Trump is the exception to this rule, as he was the incumbent who ran the most campaigns.
Biden’s heavy use of surrogates will face similar criticisms this time, particularly as Trump and conservatives claim that Biden lacks physical and mental vitality to do the job.
Allies, however, say that the president should stay out of the campaign’s fray and let others handle the messy work of dealing with Trump and the other Republicans.
In an interview, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hollywood mogul, Democratic mega-donor, and Biden campaign cochair, said: “I believe you will see a team effort in order to support the President and be able convey his message to the world. So everything doesn’t depend on him alone.” “I believe that is the most important thing he can do for his reelection campaign — to continue doing what you have been doing.” “As opposed to the last person who occupied the White House.”
Even so, depending on others to take care of your work has its limits. This was highlighted this month, when New York City mayor Eric Adams was excluded from the Biden advisory panel after criticizing White House’s treatment of migrants. The campaign claims that he is still a supporter, and a surrogate, but he was removed.
Surrogates can have their own demands, particularly those who are political. Stacey Abrams, a Georgia Democrat, told the Biden 2020 campaign that she would only be a surrogate if it agreed to spend millions of dollars to try and win her state.
Frost has been lobbying for Florida to remain a campaign priority, despite some Democrats saying Biden should ignore the expensive state which has supported Republicans in recent times. He said that if you examine the statistics, Florida is one state you do not want to abandon. “I have made this case and many people have reassured me.”
He is happy to have the chance to present this case, even though it requires him to constantly talk about Florida Republican Governor. Ron DeSantis has just entered the race for president. Frost: “I talk about DeSantis every day and I expect that to continue.”
