Trump and Biden lose sight of path to the silent majority

Joe Biden spent too much of his time attacking Trump in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Picture: AP

Listening to the political dialogue this past week, you’d think the US consists of two rival tribes.

One America is focused on the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a white Minneapolis cop while three of his fellow officers stood by. This America knows Floyd’s death is the latest, lethal example of systemic injustice.

The other America is focused on the mindless violence in its cities as stores are looted and vandalised, shopkeepers and bystanders beaten and police assaulted and even killed. This America knows lives are being destroyed by purposeless brutality.

But it’s worth remembering there is a third tribe, the largest of them all. These are Americans who believe that Floyd’s death was a terrible wrong and that violence isn’t justified as a response; that it sullies Floyd’s memory and subverts the cause of those protesting peacefully against injustice.

Polls show this third camp represents a clear majority. A Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Tuesday found 73 per cent support “the peaceful protests and demonstrations that have taken place”, while 79 per cent believe looting and vandalism “undermine the original protest’s case for justice”.

These numbers suggest the American people want to hear from their leaders a call to unity to confront the injustice that caused Floyd’s death and reject the violence threatening lives and property in cities, often in communities of colour that have already suffered disproportionately.

As is often the case, President Donald Trump’s rhetoric has been mixed. He has said things that inflamed the situation unnecessarily, but his critics can never seem to acknowledge the flip side.

For example, following the SpaceX Dragon Capsule launch on Saturday, the President spent the first 10 minutes of his remarks on the killing. He called Floyd’s death “a grave tragedy” that filled Americans “with horror, anger and grief”. He pledged to be “a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace”.

While saying “we support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas”, he also promised “firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack and menace”. This behaviour “dishonoured” Floyd’s memory, he said. Further, by “devastating the life’s work of good people and destroying their dreams”, it left as victims ordinary Americans “who live in these once lovely communities”, many of them citizens of colour.

More than half of this section of his speech was devoted to challenges exposed by Floyd’s death, and just under half to threats to life and property from “a small group of criminals and vandals” operating under cover of peaceful protest. But it was Saturday afternoon and the nation wasn’t watching, so his words went largely unheard.

Similarly, Joe Biden had his moment on Tuesday with a speech in Philadelphia. The former vice-president hit some grace notes, describing Floyd’s dying words — “I can’t breathe”— as a “a wake-up call to our nation”. He said: “It’s time to listen to those words, to try to understand them, to respond to them.” Biden declared the country “is crying out for leadership” that can “recognise pain and deep grief of communities that have had a knee on their neck for a long time”. He also said there’s “no place for looting or destroying property or burning churches or destroying businesses”.

Still, Biden spent too much of his time attacking Trump. Americans want to hear healing words, not partisan heat. Biden blew it.

The candidate who understands what most Americans desperately want to hear — words that unite rather than divide, and righteous anger at Floyd’s death as well as the spreading violence — will gain the advantage.

Transcending partisan politics is the best way to succeed in politics right now.

Karl Rove twice masterminded the election of George W. Bush

The Wall Street Journal