[Lee Jong-gil's Autumn Return] Biden and Trump Like 'Two Sides of the Same Coin'

Hong Jang-won Analyzes Biden's Popularity Amid Frequent Gaffes and Controversies
"Outwardly Biden, Inwardly Trump... Both Candidates Represent America"

Joe Biden is full of weaknesses. When he entered the Democratic primary last year, sexual harassment scandals followed one after another. Starting with Lucy Flores, who ran for lieutenant governor of Nevada, writer D.J. Hill, college student Caitlin Caruso, and Democratic party official Ellie Cole all rose up saying, "I was also a victim." In April, allegations of sexual assault were also raised. Tara Reid, who worked in Biden's office, claimed that she was kissed when she went to hand over a bag at the Senate building in 1993. Biden strongly denied it. He appeared on MSNBC and repeatedly emphasized, "That is not true. Such a thing has never happened." He added, "I don't know why something from 27 years ago is being brought up, but I will not question her motives."

Biden also frequently makes verbal slips. A representative example is the speech known as the 'strange leg color story.' In June 2017, speaking next to young Black students, he said, "I have hairy legs, and they change. To blonde. When the sun shines. Then the kids come up and stroke my legs. (...) I learned about cockroaches, kids jumping on my knees. I like kids jumping on my knees." The rambling and the use of the word 'cockroach' sparked controversy. Some white people use 'cockroach' as a racist term for Black people. The media criticized him, asking, "Are you out of your mind?"

Despite all the setbacks, Biden became the Democratic presidential candidate this year by defeating Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bloomberg, and others in the Democratic primary. He also shows an advantage in the upcoming U.S. presidential election just two days away. Why do Americans support Biden, who often makes verbal slips and is involved in controversies? The book The Biden Effect by Hong Jang-won focuses on the Democratic National Convention held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from August 17 to 20. This event officially selects the U.S. presidential candidate. Biden took the stage and gave his acceptance speech. Famous figures showed their support through speeches, including former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, and former President Bill Clinton. They spared no effort in portraying Biden as a beloved leader of the American people.

According to Why Do People Vote? by Yale professor Allen Gerber and others, whether voters cast their ballots is directly influenced by how favorably they view a particular candidate. Although there are various voting theories such as rational choice and party choice, the candidate's likability has a very significant impact. The Biden Effect states that the Biden campaign focused more on maximizing likability than on introducing pledges or policy strategies. It points to the Democratic National Convention as the peak and enumerates promotional activities emphasizing character.

This aligns with Biden's appeal to "restore the American spirit." He repeatedly insists that Donald Trump's racism, discrimination, low-level attitude, and isolationist views are ruining America. Trump is criticized for lacking the "dignity" that an American president should have. The book says this strategy created a clear differentiation. "Biden clearly embodies the image of a president who best fits 'American values.' He is family-oriented, warm to neighbors, intolerant of injustice, and hates discrimination and exclusion," it says, adding, "He is the candidate who best fits the 'political correctness' America pursues." "Trump stands in almost complete opposition to Biden in this regard," it states.

However, the author does not guarantee Biden's victory. This is because people have dual natures. Outwardly, they want to appear similar to Biden. They want to be perceived by others with that image. Support for Biden can be interpreted as a message that "I am also a person with Biden's warm character." However, people also have traits that look down on those less fortunate, despise those different from themselves, and disregard neighbors' harm for small gains. Even now, many discriminatory messages that cannot be openly spoken appear and are read with support in numerous internet communities. Trump's 2016 election victory with hateful and exclusionary messages like "building a wall on the Mexican border" and "deporting immigrants" is evidence that the unconsciousness of many Americans resonated with Trump's message.

The author sees Biden and Trump as figures showing the psychology America currently holds as "two sides of the same coin." "Outwardly, people want to appear dignified like Biden, but inwardly, they can sympathize with the harsh words Trump utters," he says, adding, "Both candidates represent America." "If you overlap the two candidates, you see the image of America," he says. "Voting is strictly 'secret.' Therefore, the election results are difficult to predict until the end."