Former New Jersey Governor and GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie has offered some unconventional advice to President Joe Biden on how to handle former President Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential debates.
According to a report by The Hill on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, Christie shared his insights during an appearance on the “Hacks on Tap” podcast, hosted by former senior advisor to President Obama, David Axelrod, and Republican consultant, Mike Murphy.
Christie’s advice was straightforward, urging Biden to let Trump talk. He recalled giving similar counsel to Trump during the 2020 presidential debates, advice that reportedly went unheeded.
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“It’s the same advice I gave to Trump four years ago that he did not follow,” Christie said. “And I said, ‘Let Biden talk. If you let him talk, he will hang himself.’ And of course, he did the exact opposite and lost the debate.”
Christie suggested that Biden should adopt this approach in the forthcoming debates.
“I don’t care how angry you get about how absolutely incorrect the stuff he’s saying about your record is, about your family, about you personally. Don’t engage, because you will lose that fight,” Christie emphasized.
He argued that the key is to let Trump’s verbosity work against him. By allowing Trump to dominate the conversation, Christie believes that voters will tire of his incessant interruptions and aggressive demeanor.
Christie claimed that if Biden lets Trump talk, voters will ask, “Can’t he shut up?”
The upcoming debates, set for June 27 and September 2024, will be the first face-offs between Biden and Trump since the contentious 2020 election.
These debates are expected to be pivotal moments in the 2024 election cycle, especially given the heightened political tensions and the close race projected by analysts.
Christie also advised Biden to focus on highlighting a few key achievements from his presidency and to emphasize these points repeatedly. By doing so, Biden can control the narrative and reinforce his successes to the electorate.
The former GOP presidential candidate painted a vivid picture to illustrate his strategy.
He said, “Let Trump look like the angry guy standing at the fence, yelling at his neighbor, and you’d be the guy on your lawn mower, with your AirPods in, driving around and every once in a while, just wave as you go by and not even paying attention.”
Christie suggested that Biden should treat the debate as if he were having a conversation with the moderator rather than directly confronting Trump.
This tactic, according to Christie, would help Biden maintain his composure and avoid being drawn into unproductive clashes.
“It’s two reasons why. One, you want to emphasize how crazy Trump is. And two, you’re Biden. You don’t want to be … trying to do too much, because you will screw it up,” he reportedly said.
These remarks come at a particularly fraught time for both candidates. Trump is embroiled in a criminal hush money trial, and his legal troubles could culminate in the historic conviction of a former U.S. president.
On the other hand, Biden is facing criticism from within his own party for his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, leading to a dip in support among his base.
