Analysis: The Impact of Robert De Niro's Support for Biden

David Axelrod, a CNN senior political commentator and host of “The Axe Files,” was a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama and chief strategist for the 2008 and 2012 Obama presidential campaigns. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN.

Robert De Niro has had a successful acting career, portraying various roles. However, he may have regretted accepting the role he was given on Tuesday.

For over five weeks, President Joe Biden stayed away from getting involved in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial in Manhattan. Biden wanted to avoid giving Trump more attention and fueling his claims that Biden was behind his legal issues.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 28: Former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 28, 2024 in New York City. Closing arguments are set to begin in former U.S. President Trump's hush money trial. The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. (Photo by Julia Nikhinson-Pool/Getty Images)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is back in court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City. Closing arguments are about to start in this case where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. This is the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. The trial is ongoing and has garnered significant media attention.

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A parade of Republican hopefuls, supporters, and attention-seekers have been showing up at the criminal court building in lower Manhattan to show their loyalty to Trump. However, the White House has mostly stayed silent on the matter, and prominent Democrats have chosen to stay away. Meanwhile, Biden has been injecting humor into the conversation, making jokes about the trial. For example, at the White House Correspondents Dinner last month, he joked, "I've been doing well since the State of the Union, but Donald has been facing some challenges. You could say he's experiencing 'stormy weather.'"

Despite the intense political atmosphere, Biden and his campaign have mostly chosen to take a lighter approach rather than attacking aggressively.

On Tuesday, just before the jury would deliberate on Trump's fate, the Biden campaign brought out De Niro and two police officers who were attacked by a mob on January 6, 2021. They appeared outside the courthouse to face the media.

The goal was to showcase Trump's threats to democracy and his unsuitability for office. However, the event turned into a shouting match between De Niro and a small group of hecklers. They mocked him as he criticized Trump. It made for entertaining material for "Saturday Night Live," but may not have been the best move for the campaign.

When asked if he thought Trump is guilty of the 34 charges the jury would soon be considering, De Niro happily complied. He stated, "The fact is whether he’s acquitted, whether it’s a hung jury, whatever it is, he is guilty, and we all know it."

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The situation escalated between De Niro and the Trump supporters, with heated arguments and curse words being exchanged. The focus shifted to the images and De Niro's decision to get involved in the legal battle right before the case was to be decided by the jury.

Who even thought this was a wise decision?

I admire De Niro's work and agree with many of his comments. However, the White House's decision to keep a distance from the situation at 100 Centre Street seemed poorly timed. It was also surprising that Team Biden, who is trying to connect with younger voters, chose De Niro as its spokesperson. After all, young people may not relate to another older individual.

Dealing with Trump's legal challenges has been tough for Biden from the beginning. The strange event on Tuesday was a sudden shift from Biden's usual hands-off approach. This happened as the Biden campaign released a powerful ad, featuring De Niro, directly targeting Trump's trials, character, and authoritarian tendencies. This came at a time when nervous Democrats are concerned about battleground state polls showing a slight advantage for Trump.

Are these attacks trying to strengthen the resolve of those who already support him, or are they aiming to sway a few undecided voters that could make a difference?

It seems like Trump's legal troubles, undemocratic tendencies, and personal flaws are already well-known and may not change many people's opinions. Polls show that issues like the cost of living and abortion rights are more likely to drive voters who are undecided.

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Biden may have decided to focus on other issues after Trump's trial ends. However, there is not much time left for the campaign to create a clear, consistent, and impactful message that will shape the election based on the president's agenda.

The Trump campaign quickly responded to Tuesday's events by accusing the Biden campaign of desperation and jury tampering. Donald Trump Jr. criticized Biden, claiming he craves attention due to lack of recent accomplishments like the movie "Killers of the Flower Moon." Trump Jr. also suggested that holding a rally near the ongoing investigation shows it is a political persecution.

The Trump family needs to be consistent in their portrayal of Biden. They can't paint him as both a bumbling, senile incompetent and a mastermind behind numerous legal actions against his rival. Biden may not fit either description, but he can't be both at the same time.

That said, whoever at Biden HQ directed De Niro’s performance Tuesday probably should have left it on the cutting room floor.

Editor's P/S:

The article discusses the recent involvement of actor Robert De Niro in the ongoing criminal trial against former President Donald Trump. De Niro's appearance outside the courthouse, where he made strong statements against Trump, was seen as a departure from the Biden campaign's previous strategy of avoiding direct involvement in the trial. The author questions the wisdom of this move, arguing that it may have shifted the focus away from the campaign's message and potentially alienated some voters.

The author also highlights the challenges faced by President Biden in dealing with Trump's legal issues and the need for a clear and consistent campaign message. The article suggests that the Biden campaign may be trying to energize its base and sway undecided voters by using Trump's legal troubles as a point of attack. However, the author notes that polls show that issues like the cost of living and abortion rights are more likely to influence undecided voters.