Image Making for a National Audience

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not yet the official presidential nominees of their parties, so voters have not had the opportunity to watch them go head to head, as in 2016, in a debate or interview setting. But on Thursday, as each visited the U.S.-Mexican border to address the issue of immigration, the two were as close to a face-off as has been seen since the last election — even if they were 300 miles apart.

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

That’s clearly what both men were costumed for, anyway. It sure wasn’t for a stroll along the dusty edges of the Rio Grande.

Neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Biden even bothered to doff his jacket or roll up his shirt sleeves, the universal sartorial signal for “I’m mucking in,” to pretend differently.

Rather, Mr. Trump seemed to be putting his own twist on the adage, “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want,” while Mr. Biden seemed to be dressing to showcase the job he wants everyone to understand he is doing.

Note that for Mr. Trump, rather than wearing the khakis, windbreaker and white MAGA cap he wore to visit the Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, in 2019 (and which he favors for playing golf), he wore what has become his campaign uniform.