By Arlette Saenz, CNN
(CNN) — The Biden campaign is releasing a new television ad in battleground states seizing on the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity, leveling pointed criticism toward the nation’s highest court and former President Donald Trump.
“Nearly 250 years ago, America was founded in defiance of a king, under the belief that no one is above the law, not even the president. Until now,” the narrator says as video of Trump flashes across the screen.
The 30-second TV spot then features an image of the six conservative Supreme Court justices as the narrator says, “The same Trump Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade ruled that the president can ignore the law even to commit a crime because Donald Trump asked them to.”
“He’s already led an insurrection and threatened to be a dictator on day one,” the narrator continues. “Donald Trump can never hold this office again.”
The ad, titled “250 Years,” is set to run in battleground states and will be part of a seven-figure buy, according to a campaign official who declined to provide an exact dollar amount. It will run on networks that “over-index” for younger and diverse audiences, including ESPN, TNT, Bravo, FX, Freeform, and Comedy Central, the official said. The spot will also air during sporting events and other “large-viewership moments like national news programs.”
The push comes as President Joe Biden seeks to refocus his campaign on one of the central arguments of his reelection bid – protecting and preserving democracy – as he grapples with the fallout from his halting debate performance that has led many in the Democratic party to question whether he should remain at the top of the Democratic ticket.
At least one member of Congress – Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas – has publicly called on Biden to step aside, and privately, a growing number of Democratic leaders say they want him to do so for the good of the party and the country. The president is expected to meet with Democratic governors and speak with congressional leaders Wednesday amid concerns about his debate performance.
In his first remarks at the White House after the debate, the president condemned the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling and urged the American people to “dissent” in November.
“For all practical purposes, there are virtually no limits on what the president can do,” the president said. “It’s a fundamentally new principle and it’s a dangerous precedent because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law even including the supreme court of the United States.”
Biden has become increasingly critical of the Supreme Court in recent months and has sought to warn that a Trump presidency could lead to the appointment of more conservative justices to the nation’s highest court.
“The thing about America is that we were founded in defiance of a king, but this week, Trump’s Supreme Court gave him carte blanche to do anything he wants if he ever walks back into the Oval Office,” Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler said of the new ad. “Everything he’s pledged so far on the campaign trail – ‘terminating’ the Constitution, imprisoning his political opponents, and yes, ruling as a dictator if he gets the chance – are up for grabs because of this decision. It’s that real.”
The-CNN-Wire
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