Unrest demonstrates Biden's challenge in showing leadership

 President Donald Trump spent much of Sunday using Twitter as a bullhorn to urge “law and order” and tougher action by police against protestors around country. Joe Biden quietly visited site of protests in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and talked to some of demonstrators. Earlier, he wrote a post on Medium expressing empathy for those despairing about killing of George Floyd.

That low-key, high-touch day may be a prelude to how presumptive Democratic minee presents himself in five months before presidential election, emphasizing calm and competence as a contrast to a mercurial president.

It is an approach that carries risk of being drowned out by much louder, more persistent voice of Trump. On one of most profound weekends nation has seen, with violence in dozens of cities, Biden was out of wide public view.

“He’s t in office, and he certainly does t have megaphone like person currently occupying White House does, but I do think our people are looking for someone who can make m feel better during se extremely tough times,” said Rep. Val Demings of Florida, whom Biden is considering as a running mate. “America just needs to be reassured that re’s someone who’s understanding, someone who’s willing to say, ‘Yes, we do have some issues,’ and someone who’s willing to address it.”

Reassurance requires presence, though, and that has been a hurdle for former vice president, driven inside by coronavirus pandemic, still working to adapt to power of social media as a substitute and without natural platform of a public office.

Demings suggested campaign will be doing more soon.

Biden released a criminal justice reform plan last July, but has t issued an updated or more specific proposal since n. In early May, he released his “Plan for Black America,” an ecomic- and education-focused nda that included marijuana decriminalization.

congresswoman said she planned to work with or members of Congressional Black Caucus and or Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill to try to help craft reforms, though she would t confirm or deny any conversations she had with Biden campaign about push.

“What I have done is offer my service to campaign and, and anyone else, to look at what we can do working toger moving forward. And so we’ll see. We have a lot of work to do,” she said. “We’re going to discuss ideas and make recommendations.”

Demings said she would push for a major Justice Department review of law enforcement ncies throughout country, and said she saw a role for federal government in implementing standard policies that govern hiring, training, retention and pay and benefits for law enforcement officers.

So far, however, Democrats are banking that time and nation's political mood are on ir side. y te that while Biden didn't appear on television all weekend, he spoke about Floyd's death before Trump addressed it and has shown compassion for protesters. Trump has alternated between expressing alarm over Floyd's death and sympathy for his family and issuing tweets antagonizing protesters and disparaging his political enemies.

Some Biden aides who aren't authorized to discuss strategy privately say campaign thinks best plan may be to let Trump do himself in.

Some Democrats who have criticized Biden in past for t being more visible during onset of coronavirus said he is making right moves w.

“I’m sure y have some reluctance, understandably, right w to politicize it. That's t who he is," said Democratic strategist James Carville. “re might be a time for eloquence, but I think that simplicity is eloquence right w.”