'Not time to walk on eggshells': Progressive groups want Biden to go on the offensive

In the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday, the criticism of the Republican presidential candidate’s record has been muffled.

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign pulled broadcast advertisements against his opponent on Saturday and hadn’t resumed them as of Tuesday.

But this is "not the time to walk on eggshells" around Trump’s record, said Adam Green, co-founder, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, an influential progressive group.

As the Republican convention gets underway, it’s time for Democratic ads and robust campaigning to re-start, say progressive Democratic groups and Never-Trumpers.

“We’re on the clock and we are behind,” said Green. “Democrats must get back to reminding voters that Trump fostered a violent insurrection, took away women’s freedoms, gave tax cuts to billionaires while trying to slash Social Security, and allowed corporations to price gouge consumers on everything from groceries to prescriptions.”

Green said the ads should be back on the air and that it was important for Democrats to keep drawing contrasts.

Tory Gavito, co-founder and president of Way to Win, whose members are rich Democratic donors, agrees.

"With just over 100 days to Election Day, now is not the time for Democrats to sit on the sidelines," said Gavito. “We need to do everything in our power to let voters know about the very real danger MAGA rule poses to their lives."

And it’s not just Democratic-leaning groups saying it’s time to go on the offensive.

Rick Wilson, a former Republican political strategist and co-founder of the Lincoln Project an anti-Trump Republican organization, said while the group paused the advertisements on Saturday, they were going ahead with their regularly scheduled programming. The Lincoln Project is known for particularly cutting and sarcastic anti-Trump ads. One released in January is called "God Made A Dictator."

“I need a man who failed in everything but theft and broken promises to live in a golden palace and convince the poor he serves their needs," are among the ad's lines.

“We believe that Donald Trump remains a threat to democracy and the American Republic,” said Wilson. “And will continue to make the strongest possible case against him.”

Republicans blame Biden

Biden was also blamed by some Republicans for saying in a call to donors that Trump was running from his record and that it was “time to put Trump in a bullseye.”

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., for instance, shared part of the Biden quote on X and claimed without evidence that “Joe Biden sent the orders.”

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was a registered Republican and described as politically conservative by some classmates. Law enforcement has not identified a motive.

The president on Sunday called on Americans to "lower the temperature in our politics" in an address from the Oval Office.

Trump was injured in the right ear after a sniper opened fire at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally, and blood could be seen dripping on his face as he was escorted off stage by Secret Service agents.

Crooks, 20, was killed by authorities moments after shots were fired.

Corey Comperatore a Sarver, Pennsylvania, firefighter who had two daughters and was an avid Trump supporter, was killed in the shooting. Two other men were injured in the shooting – a 57-year-old New Kensington, Pennsylvania, resident and a 74-year-old resident of Moon Township. They were in stable condition on Sunday, according to an update from Pennsylvania State Police.

Biden stays on message

Green of PCCC said he was heartened to see Biden speak out during the interview with NBC's Lester Holt on Monday, in which he clarified his use of the phrase “bull-eye,” saying he meant on focus on Trump’s record.

Biden used Trump’s own words to convey what he meant: “I’m not the guy that said, ‘I want to be a dictator on day one.’ I’m not the guy that refused to accept the outcome of the election. I’m not the guy who said he won’t accept the outcome of this election automatically. You can’t only love your country when you win."

Jen O'Malley Dillon, Biden’s campaign chair on press call Monday said Biden will continue to make his agenda and vision clear.

“The president has a lot of opportunities over the next couple days to do so,” without addressing when the ads will be back.

A source familiar with the campaign's thinking on Tuesday said that the Biden campaign will resume its ads as soon as this week.

Green said Biden’s interview with Holt showed that Biden would not be intimidated by Republicans who want Democrats to be “mute on the democracy issue.”

“There's zero reason that ads and other campaign tactics shouldn't be back in full throttle mode at this point while Republicans are having a super high profile political convention,” he said.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @SwapnaVenugopal

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pushing Biden to attack, progressives encourage anti-Trump offensive