Pritzker is among the Democrats calling for Biden in Iowa

All the political action in Iowa may be among Republicans, but President Biden's campaign on Monday tried to grab a piece of the action by sending three top surrogates to Des Moines to promote his agenda and destroy his potential opponents.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota and Jeffrey Katzenberg, a Hollywood megadonor and campaign co-chairman, all made the case for Biden's reelection in front of a dozen TV cameras and a gaggle of reporters in a conference room. at the Iowa Events Center.

Mr. Pritzker said there was no difference between former President Donald J. Trump and his Republican rivals, Ms. Smith warned that Republicans would ban abortion nationwide if they won back the White House, and Mr. Katzenberg rode a victory lap during the last election campaign. fundraising announcement.

“Tonight's contest is simply a contest of whether you like MAGA in its original packaging or in high heels or with lifters in their boots,” Mr. Pritzker said, joking at Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who joked about wearing heels during a debate, and at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has also been suspected of wearing lifts in his shoes.

Aside from rumors about the Republican candidates' footwear, the Biden surrogates didn't share much new information about the reelection campaign or the president's thinking. Mr. Pritzker deflected questions about immigration policy and the Supreme Court case on Mr. Trump's eligibility to appear on the ballot, while Mr. Katzenberg declined to participate in a debate about whether the Biden campaign focuses too much on coastal supporters.

Instead, they tried to convey their argument that the future of the nation would be in jeopardy if Trump were re-elected.

“The campaign is running an operation as if our democracy depends on it,” Mr. Katzenberg said. “Because in some ways it is.”