Imaging for a national audience

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not yet their parties’ official presidential candidates, so voters have not had the opportunity to see them face off in a debate or interview like in 2016. But on Thursday, when both visited the U.S.-Mexico border to address the immigration issue, the two were as close to a confrontation as has been seen since the last election — even though they were 300 miles apart.

The result was a picture not only of different policy and presentation styles, but also of political positioning, which had little to do with actual border conditions and more to do with the general election.

In any case, that’s clearly what both men were costumed for. It certainly wasn’t for a walk along the dusty edges of the Rio Grande.

Neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Biden even bothered to take off his jacket or roll up the sleeves of his shirt, the universal sartorial signal for “I’m messing around,” to pretend otherwise.

On the contrary, Mr. Trump seemed to put his own spin on the adage, “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want,” while Mr. Biden appeared to dress to show off the job that he wants to give to everyone. to understand what he is doing.

Note that for Mr. Trump, instead of wearing the khaki pants, windbreaker and white MAGA hat he wore when he visited the Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, in 2019 (and which he preferred gives when playing golf), he carried what his campaign has become. uniform.

That is, the blue suit, white shirt and bright red tie that were his signature during his time in office and that envelop him in both the colors of patriotism and the trappings of aspiration, however redolent the combination is of the businessman stereotype.

That identity may be in jeopardy after a New York court ruled that Trump fraudulently inflated his financial success, fining him $355 million plus interest and banning him from doing business in the US for three years. stands. But Trump’s performance in Texas suggested that he is not letting go of the camouflage, the camouflage that his base recognizes and responds to.

Instead, he doubles down. He draws the line on policy, and he draws the line on his wardrobe. He even wore well-shined dress shoes, not his recently introduced Trump “Never Surrender” sneakers, giving up an excellent marketing moment to complete the look.

In contrast, Mr. Biden eschewed the suit and tie for a navy blazer, a striped button-up shirt, gray pants and what appeared to be his new favorite black pants. Hoka Transports, sustainably designed comfortable sneakers that, unlike the more formal trousers and jackets, at least seemed to acknowledge the demands of the landscape. They are advertised by the brand as “designed at the intersection of lifestyle and performance.”

In other words, they are the epitome of compromise, just like Biden’s borderline talk to Congress and just like the rest of his outfit, which was more awkward and informal than Oval Office on Friday. To top it all off, he wore a navy blue baseball cap that looked like it had the presidential seal on the front. Just in case anyone was in any doubt who the real POTUS was.

Why does all this matter? Because as the photos of the men make their way through the media ether, they filter into the public consciousness, whether anyone scrolling past the photos realizes it or not. By doing this, the images become a data point that shapes opinion. That’s partly why neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Biden were simply playing to the home crowd. They played in front of a national audience, against an illustrative backdrop and with all means of communication at their disposal – including shoes.

At the end of the day, it seemed the only thing Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden had in common was the small American flag pin on their lapels. And of course a keen awareness of the nuance of the photo.