At Close Of A Brutal Campaign, Biden Campaign Urges A Return To Civility

Topline

In the final days of a presidential campaign defined by bitter attacks, the Biden campaign is asking Americans to believe that civility is still possible in a nation facing historic stratification along partisan lines.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

Biden invoked Roosevelt, who had a house in Warm Springs, telling the story of a man who collapsed in grief at the president’s funeral procession. “A neighbor asked ‘did you know the president?’ The response was ‘no… he knew me,’” Biden said. “Few words better describe the kind of president our nation needs right now.”

Chief Critic

“This is an incredibly dark and divisive speech from Joe Biden,” tweeted Trump campaign deputy communications director Matt Wolking, a sentiment echoed by other Trump campaign staffers. Trump campaign strategic response director Francis Brennan took aim at Biden for saying “our politics for too long has been bitter and divisive,” tweeting “FACT: Joe Biden has been in Washington for 47 years.”

Big Number

73%. That’s the share of voters in a YouGov poll released Monday who said bipartisanship has eroded in the last four years, including 65% of Republicans. 45% of voters in the poll said Biden would do a better job of bipartisanship, compared to 25% who said Trump. Biden leads Trump by 12 points in the survey of 1,500 registered voters, 51% to 39%.