Ahead of presidential debate, Biden accuses Trump of ignoring middle class in new ad

Joey Garrison and David Jackson, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read

WASHINGTON ― Ahead of this week's first presidential debate, President Joe Biden's reelection campaign is hitting Donald Trump over the economy, releasing a new television ad Tuesday that paints Biden as a champion of the middle class and Trump as "only out for himself."

In the 30-second ad, which will air in the battleground states of Georgia and Pennsylvania, a narrator says, "Donald Trump loves to attack Joe Biden because he's focused on revenge and he has no plan to help the middle class. He'd just give more tax cuts to the wealthy."

The ad goes on to say that "Joe Biden is working every day to make your life more affordable," pointing to policies capping the price of insulin for seniors at $35, lowering health care costs and backing higher taxes for corporations so they "pay their fair share."

"Here's the difference: Donald Trump is only out for himself. Joe Biden is fighting for your family," the ad concludes.

The ad's release comes before Biden is set to square off against Trump on Thursday in a debate hosted by CNN in Atlanta. Biden has been preparing for the debate with top White House aides at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.

Trump has made the economy a major issue in his campaign against Biden, blaming the president for stubborn inflation that remains high despite dropping significantly over the past year and increased interest rates.

"I will end the Biden inflation nightmare," Trump said in a speech Saturday to the Faith & Freedom Coalition in Washington.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks at an event marking the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the East Room at the White House on June 18, 2024 in Washington, DC.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks at an event marking the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the East Room at the White House on June 18, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said “the true benchmark for Thursday’s debate should be whether or not Joe Biden can defend his disastrous record on inflation and the out-of-control border invasion versus President Trump’s unquestioned first-term record of success.”

In an appeal to the middle class, Biden has repeatedly slammed the 2017 tax cuts that Trump pushed through Congress as president to reduce the tax rate for large corporations and high-income earners. The cuts expire at the end of 2025. Biden has said the corporate taxes should be returned to its higher rate while Trump wants to extend the cuts.

Watch the presidential debate live: CNN Presidential Debate Simulcast Thursday 9PM EST

The new Biden ad is part of a $50 million paid media campaign that also includes a television ad the campaign released last week attacking Trump over his recent conviction in his hush-money trial in New York.

Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump greets supporters at sandwich stop Tony and Nick's steaks on June 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump greets supporters at sandwich stop Tony and Nick's steaks on June 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Despite a booming jobs market, low unemployment and and a record-high stock market, Biden has struggled to find credit for an improving economy because of inflation. But a new poll released last week by Fox News, which found Biden leading Trump 50%-48% in a head-to-head matchup, shows the tide could be turning in Biden's favor when it comes to Americans' outlook on the economy.

The poll found more Americans still trust Trump over Biden on the economy, but by a narrower 51%-46 margin compared to Trump's 55%-42% advantage on the economy in the same poll last month. And while only 30% of respondents last month said the economy is "getting better," the latest Fox News poll found 41% are optimistic about the economy.

“When Americans tune into the debate Thursday night, they’ll only see one candidate in this race fighting to make life better and more affordable for working families, and that’s Joe Biden," Biden campaign director Michael Tyler said in a statement.

"We’ve already seen Donald Trump’s economic vision in action: massive handouts for his billionaire friends, incentivizing companies to ship jobs overseas, and going after your hard-earned health care and Social Security," Tyler said.

To push an economic contrast with Trump, the Biden campaign on Tuesday is holding an event in Atlanta with more than a dozen small-business owners to highlight the administration's efforts to assist minority-owned businesses. The campaign is hosting similar events in Pennsylvania and Nevada.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden hits Trump over economy in new ad before CNN debate

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Opinion: The real loser in Thursday’s debate

    CNN Opinion asked political contributors to weigh in on the first presidential debate of the 2024 race.

  • Biden addresses poor debate performance, attacks Trump at Raleigh rally

    President Joe Biden on Friday addressed his poor performance in Thursday's presidential debate, just hours after he faltered on stage in his matchup against former President Donald Trump. During the rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, a more energetic-appearing Biden acknowledged that he's not a young man, but contended that his morals and history prove that he's still fit for the job. Biden spent much of the rally pointing out what he called Trump's false claims during the debate about the economy, immigration and crime.

  • Exasperated Kamala Harris Spars With Anderson Cooper Over Joe Biden’s Debate Performance | Video

    "The point has to be performance in terms of what a president does," the vice president told the CNN anchor The post Exasperated Kamala Harris Spars With Anderson Cooper Over Joe Biden’s Debate Performance | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

  • The Question on Democrats’ Minds: How to Replace Biden

    (Bloomberg) -- An alarmingly poor debate performance by President Joe Biden is raising new questions about whether Democrats have alternatives to retaining the 81-year-old incumbent as their candidate in the November presidential election.Most Read from BloombergGavin Newsom Is Ready for the Biden EmergencyThe Question on Democrats’ Minds: How to Replace Biden?Biden’s Disastrous Debate Accelerates Doubts Over CandidacyPanicked Emails, Gallows Humor: The Aftermath of Biden's Debate DisasterSuprem

  • Trump's NJ golf club liquor licenses are in Jr.'s name. Hiding behind his son isn't helping as the state moves to revoke.

    The liquor licenses for Trump's 3 New Jersey golf clubs are all in his eldest son's name. But hiding behind Jr. isn't helping as NJ moves to revoke.

  • Secrets of How Dems Ditch Biden (Spoiler: Bad News, Kamala)

    Within President Joe Biden’s first few answers of Thursday night’s first 2024 presidential debate, speculation began ramping up among Democrats over the so-called nuclear option.For not just months, but much of the past two years, Democrats have privately discussed the possibility of Biden “pulling an LBJ,” as some operatives put it.Just as former President Lyndon B. Johnson did in March 1968, Biden could, theoretically, call it quits on his re-election campaign.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get

  • Ford kicks backbencher out of Ontario PC caucus after she met with far-right figure

    TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford kicked a backbencher out of the Progressive Conservative caucus on Friday after what he called repeated and serious lapses in judgment. Goldie Ghamari, who represents the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, recently took a virtual meeting with Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the far-right English Defence League. After Ghamari posted on social media about the meeting, the National Council of Canadian Muslims called Robinson an Islamophobe and urged Ford to rem

  • The first debate was a complete disaster for Joe Biden

    Biden seemed out of breath, hastily reciting facts while slurring and omitting words. At times, the president uttered nonsensical phrases.

  • Bette Midler and Barbra Streisand lead celebrity reactions to Trump Biden debate

    The divas, and others, took to their social media accounts to express their views after the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden ahead of this year's American federal election. Bette, 78, wrote on X/Twitter: "All my friends are taking their blood pressure medicine now, preparing for the debate. I wonder how many TV screens are going to be broken tonight?" As the televised debate took place, Bette called out 78-year-old Donald's remarks, writing: "My God, the way this f**ker lies. It's just astonishing.”

  • A grinding Russian assault appears telling about Putin's plan to defeat Ukraine

    ISW's conflict experts warned that the West must "challenge Putin's belief that he can gradually subsume Ukraine."

  • Jon Stewart Mocks Biden and Trump After First Debate: ‘Both of These Men Should Be Using Performance-Enhancing Drugs’ (Watch)

    With Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers all on vacation, all eyes were on Jon Stewart for his reaction to Thursday’s presidential debate. The Daily Show went live 30 minutes after President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump left the CNN stage following a 90-minute, audience-free melee moderated by Jake Tapper …

  • Donald Trump Will Try to Annihilate Jake Tapper at the Debate

    Donald Trump may be standing across from Joe Biden during Thursday‘s presidential debate on CNN—but it’ll be Jake Tapper who will be his true enemy.The moderator will likely be the target of repeated jabs from Trump which one network executive who organized previous debates involving the ex-president told the Beast would be impossible for Tapper and his co-moderator Dana Bash to stop.Trump and his allies have spent weeks signaling that they will go after CNN and particularly Jake Tapper, long a

  • Michelle Obama Hurt by Bidens for Freezing Out Hunter’s Ex

    Michelle Obama was not happy with the Biden family over the way they treated her good friend Kathleen Buhle following her divorce from Hunter Biden, according to a report.Two sources familiar with the relationship between the former first lady and the incumbent president’s family told Axios that Michelle has privately spoken about her frustrations at the manner in which the Biden clan mostly exiled Buhle when her marriage to Hunter ended. It’s partly why Michelle hasn’t been campaigning for Joe

  • ‘I really don’t know what he said – and I don’t think he does either’: Trump pulls no punches as Biden struggles in debate

    The first debate began with Biden spluttering and tripping over his own words, while Trump rambled

  • Joe Scarborough Issues Stark Warning After Biden Debate: ‘Unless Things Change’

    MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” host had some tough love and harsh truths for the president, who he said now must be the focus of “hard questions.”

  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Swiftly Takes Down Trump With Blunt Biden Comparison

    Walz stacked the two candidates against each other on the eve of the first presidential debate.

  • Marjorie Taylor Greene: Election Meddlers ‘Should Be Nowhere Near Public Office’

    Marjorie Taylor Greene made a startling comment on the House floor Wednesday when arguing that “a person who abuses her position in government to meddle in democratic elections should be nowhere near public office.”The Georgia congresswoman—who voted to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election win and has boosted Donald Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud—made the remark during a tirade against USAID Administrator Samantha Power. “Samantha Power is a globalist left-wing activist who us

  • Barrett breaks with conservatives over Jan. 6 obstruction charge ruling

    In a pointed dissent, Justice Amy Coney Barrett skewered her fellow justices over their decision to narrow an obstruction charge used to prosecute scores of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Supreme Court voted 6-3 on Friday to side with Joseph Fischer, a former police officer accused of partaking in the…

  • Jagmeet Singh makes his case to Alberta's new NDP leader amid party separation talks

    OTTAWA — Breaking up the federal and provincial arms of the New Democratic Party would be a mistake, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suggested on Thursday, as members in Alberta increasingly vocalize their desire for a separation.

  • Last-Minute Macron-Scholz Move Enrages EU Leaders at Summit

    (Bloomberg) -- France and Germany are used to getting their way on the EU stage. But when the bloc’s two biggest economies turned up at Thursday’s crucial European Union summit distracted by their own domestic troubles, they found it harder to throw their weight around. Most Read from BloombergGavin Newsom Is Ready for the Biden EmergencyThe Question on Democrats’ Minds: How to Replace Biden?Biden’s Disastrous Debate Accelerates Doubts Over CandidacyPanicked Emails, Gallows Humor: The Aftermath