Biden puts the focus on policy – not personality – in return to campaign trail after attempt on Trump’s life

Las Vegas CNN —

Returning to the campaign trail for the first time after an assassination attempt on his predecessor, President Joe Biden is expected to point to policies – not personality – to make the case against former President Donald Trump.

In advance of public events in Nevada on Tuesday, Biden unveiled new actions to lower housing costs, including a plan to cap rents charged by certain landlords. Officials say the moves are aimed at easing a significant financial burden felt by voters.

But it also allows Biden to sell voters on the substance of his proposals, instead of attacking his rival’s morals and bellicose personality.

The Biden campaign – and the president himself – have pledged to stay away from more divisive rhetoric in the wake of an assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally that took the life of one attendee and injured two others. Biden told NBC News that he meant to “focus on him, focus on what he’s doing” when he referenced putting Trump in a bullseye during a call with donors, even as he slammed Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election outcome and other campaign trail rhetoric.

During the interview with Lester Holt, Biden conceded that using the term “bullseye” was a mistake.

A senior adviser told CNN the campaign’s directive was to use discretion on all Trump-related matters “until further notice.” The Biden campaign and White House immediately took action after Trump was injured at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, pulling down TV ads, pausing outgoing political communications and postponing the president’s trip to Texas on Monday.

Biden on Tuesday will participate in an interview with BET, deliver remarks at the 115^th NAACP National Convention