Opinion: This Is How Biden Should Use Trump’s Conviction Against Him

The Trump verdict continues to send shockwaves across the American political landscape—and on Friday, at his rambling Trump Tower press conference, the convicted felon continued to complain, decrying (absurdly, falsely) a “rigged” court that had done him wrong. As Joe Biden said afterwards, “It is reckless, it is dangerous, it is irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don't like the verdict. The justice system should be respected and we should never allow anyone to tear it down.”

This, of course, is precisely what Trump and his supporters want to do to the rule of law, as revealed in the widely differing reactions of America’s two political parties to the verdict. The GOP offered a coordinated message condemning the verdict, amplifying its impact and making it clear that attacking the rule of law in America is now a platform plank of the party. Democrats from the White House on down largely offered measured responses praising the judge and jurors and celebrating that our system of justice worked as it should.

The word from the folks at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue immediately after te verdict was “we respect the rule of law, and have no additional comment.” The Biden campaign offered a terse “no one is above the law.” Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House leader asserted, according to the Huffington Post, that “responsible leadership ‘requires the verdict to be respected.” The article went on to quote a “Democratic aide” as saying, “What is the point of crowing? As an important fact, it makes its own point.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.