Joe Biden campaign launches ‘250 Years’ ad blasting SCOTUS decision creating a ‘king above the law’

Image via Joe Biden campaign ad.

President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is out with a new ad spotlighting the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in former President Donald Trump’s case, where Trump argued he has immunity from prosecution.

The ad will air on general market TV in battleground states, as well as on networks that appeal to younger, more diverse audiences, such as ESPN, TNT, Bravo, FX, Freeform and Comedy Central. It will also air during sporting events and other large-viewership events, such as national news programs.

The ad, entitled “250 Years” in reference to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, opens with inspiring images of a sunrise and the Statue of Liberty, before turning ominous.

“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,” a gruff-voiced narrator begins.

The ad imagery then shifts to footage of Trump talking and an edited image of the six conservative Supreme Court Justices who made up the majority opinion in Trump’s immunity case — three of whom Trump appointed.

“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,” the narrator continues.

It then shows footage from the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, an incident for which Trump has been indicted over his role. The trial in that case will no almost certainly be postponed until after the November General Election due to the high court’s immunity ruling.

“He’s already led an insurrection, and threatened to be a dictator on Day 1. Donald Trump can never hold this office again,” the ad closes.

“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 basically anything he wants if he ever walks back into the Oval Office,” Biden campaign Communications Director Michael Tyler said in a prepared statement.

“Everything he’s pledged so far on the campaign trail — ‘termination’ of 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.”

Tyler continued that “democracy is on the ballot this November,” pleading with voters that saying so is “no platitude.”

“The American people deserve a President who fights for them — not a ‘king above the law’,” he said, referencing Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s scathing dissent. “If Monday’s decision showed us anything, it’s that the American people must reelect President Biden — for the survival of our country,” Tyler said.

The ad comes as Biden continues to face calls from both within his party and others to withdraw from the race. Biden has so far said that he has no intention of stepping down from the race, but confidence in his ability to win another term has been weakened since his debate performance last week, which saw the incumbent President often stumble over his words and lose his train of thought.

His campaign has been running a full-court press as they navigate damage control, including an all-staff memo on Wednesday morning seeking to assuage concerns about his viability, according to POLITICO. The memo includes polling showing a still-tight race between the President and former President even after the debate, with numbers that are comparable to pre-debate polling numbers.

But some in the party are expressing concern about the Biden campaign’s apparent move on quickly approach. The Hill reported Wednesday that some party leaders feel “gaslit” by the campaign’s response and continue to worry that Biden is no longer a viable candidate and, worse, that his appearance at the top of the ticket threatens down-ballot Democrats, potentially putting at risk Democrats’ slim majority in the U.S. Senate and any chance the party has of reclaiming a majority in the U.S. House.