Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz on Friday complimented Joe Biden’s Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, saying the former vice president managed to change the story and draw the line between his party’s ideological factions.
“The Democrats are trying to make this a referendum on Donald Trump, not on his policies, not on the issues, but on Donald Trump himself,” Luntz said on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
Luntz said Biden’s fourth-day convention, which closes Thursday night, is in a strong position compared to President Donald Trump, who will officially accept the GOP nomination at the Republican National Convention next week.
“I believe Joe Biden is ahead, and I believe the challenges for Donald Trump are important,” said Luntz, noting that public opinion polls show some attraction between the two candidates. Biden has a 7.6 percentage point lead over Trump, based on an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.
Specifically, Luntz said Trump will have to focus on the details of Biden’s views on issues such as taxes, although it was not an area of emphasis throughout the Democratic convention. Luntz said he was “a little surprised that it was relatively light on issues and substance and very strong on unity.”
“[Trump] should make it a referendum on Joe Biden’s policies, because his persona is very positive, “Luntz said.
However, Trump will have to pay close attention to Biden’s views, according to Luntz. There is a risk of going too far with “too-caffeine rhetoric,” he said.
“Biden toned it down, and maybe the ‘Bernie Sanders’ bros’ didn’t like it because he wasn’t progressive enough,” Luntz said, referring to the furious supporters of the far-left Vermont senator who twice unsuccessfully the Democrat sought presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020. Sanders has endorsed Biden.
“Trump, if he talks to his base, will lose the center,” Luntz added. “When he talks to the people who are really strong against him, he loses that essential six or seven percent right in the middle, that does not like Donald Trump personally, does not like Joe Biden’s policies. That they should choose between Trump, with whom they agree on issues but disagree with his personality, as Joe Biden, whom they like, but disagree with what he wants to do. ”
“That’s a very difficult choice,” Luntz said.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on Luntz’s interview.
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