The strategy is to scoop up more right wing voters who traditionally voted republican. I know I’m saying nothing new here, but I think this is just another intentional lurch in that direction.

With Trump mired in legal battles, it’s easy to say “Look, the republican candidate is a criminal! I’m the law and order candidate. If you actually care about LaW aNd OrDeR, you vote for Joe.” Which is what the republicans always used to say. We talk sometimes about how crazy it is that the republicans are outflanking the democrats on the left (like with the Ukraine war hesitation). But the democrats are outflanking the republicans from the right.

Dems are finally even giving up the pretense that they represent left-leaning (ie young) voters, they’ve literally said as much. Sure, they’ll still pay lip service, but they’re only going to do the song part of the song and dance with respect to the left side of the already far-right overton window from now on. They think they’re playing 5D chess, and what’s sickening is that such a strategy might work. I’m sure it does work for a lot of people, like all the “respectable republicans™.” Why court the youth vote when you can court the right wing, who everyone knows is more motivated to vote anyway. It’s the same strategy the dems have already been using for years, just taken yet another step. They want to win, they just want to do so by being better right wingers than the republicans, like always, only this time they’re ok with the mask slipping and everyone seeing. They’re betting on the slipped mask being a smart play.

(edit: sorry, I can’t type.)