Politics
In Role Swap, Trump Runs as an Outsider, Biden Plays Incumbent
The president blames others for the pandemic and unrest, while Biden enjoys familiarity from his two terms as Obama’s vice president.
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Over the past several months, a presidential race already upended by a global pandemic and historic recession has developed an odd characteristic that’s making it even more unusual: President Donald Trump, the incumbent, and Senator Joe Biden, his challenger, have effectively swapped roles.
The sitting president is campaigning like an outsider, lobbing incendiary tweets and blaming others for the failures of the government he himself presides over. Biden, meanwhile, is acting like a traditional incumbent, running on his record and the promise of familiarity.