Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not yet their parties’ official presidential candidates, so voters haven’t had the opportunity to see them face off in a debate or interview like they did in 2020. But on Thursday, as both visited the U.S.-Mexico border to address the immigration issue, the two were as close to a face-off as they have been since the last election – even if they were 300 miles apart.
The result was a picture not only of different styles of politics and presentation but also of political positioning that had little to do with actual border conditions and more to do with the general election.
Both men were clearly in costume for this. It certainly wasn’t for a stroll along the dusty banks of the Rio Grande.
Neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Biden even bothered to take off his jacket or roll up his shirt sleeves, the common fashion signal of “I’m pitching in” to do something else.
Rather, Mr. Trump seemed to put his own twist on the saying “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want,” while Mr. Biden seemed to dress to give everyone the job showed that he wants to have to understand what he is doing.
Note that Mr. Trump was not wearing the khakis, windbreaker, and white MAGA hat that he wore while visiting the Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, in 2019 (and that he prefers to play golf), but what has become his campaign staple is uniform.
That is, the blue suit, white shirt and bright red tie that were his trademarks when he was in office and that drape him in both the colors of patriotism and the trappings of aspiration, however much that combination appeals reminiscent of the stereotype of a businessman.
That identity could be in jeopardy after a New York court ruled that Mr. Trump fraudulently inflated his financial success, fined him $355 million plus interest and banned him from doing business in the state for three years. But Mr. Trump’s appearance in Texas suggested that he will not abandon the cover that his base recognizes and responds to.
Instead, he doubles his bet. He draws boundaries when it comes to politics and he draws boundaries when it comes to his wardrobe. He even wore shiny dress shoes rather than his recently unveiled “Never Surrender” sneakers by Trump, missing out on an important marketing moment to complete the look.
In contrast, Mr. Biden ditched the suit and tie in favor of a navy blazer, a striped button-up shirt, gray trousers and seemingly his new favorite black Hoka Transports, sustainably designed, comfortable sneakers that, unlike the others, at least the Formal trousers and jackets seemed to acknowledge the requirements of the landscape. They are promoted by the brand as being “designed at the intersection of lifestyle and performance.”
In other words, they are the embodiment of compromise, just like Mr. Biden’s border speech to Congress and just like the rest of his force, which seemed more awkward and casual than the Oval Office on Friday. To top it off, he wore a dark blue baseball cap that looked like it had the presidential seal on the front. Just in case anyone doubts who the actual POTUS is.
Why does this all matter? Because as the photos of the men travel through the media ether, they penetrate the popular consciousness, whether anyone scrolling or browsing past the images notices it or not. The images become an opinion-forming data point. That’s partly why neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Biden simply played to a home crowd. They played in front of a national audience, in front of an illustrious backdrop and with every means of communication at their disposal – including shoes.
In fact, at the end of the day, it seemed as if the only thing Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden had in common was the tiny American flag pin on their lapel. And of course a keen sense of the nuances of the photo shoot.
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2024-03-02 06:46:53
www.nytimes.com