Why Biden is dialing up his mockery of Trump: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In today’s edition, White House correspondents Mike Memoli and Monica Alba note how Joe Biden is ramping up the personal attacks on Donald Trump. Plus, "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker interviews two governors about whether bipartisanship can still exist in these divided times.

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Biden's latest campaign goal: Get under Trump's skin

By Mike Memoli and Monica Alba

As President Joe Biden works to defeat Donald Trump, he’s increasingly focused on another goal he thinks will help him achieve that: getting under his skin.

In recent weeks, both in private and public settings, Biden has ramped up personal, biting and often sarcastic broadsides against his Republican opponent, targeting his financial challenges, his campaign tempo and even his weight.

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It’s a strategy largely driven by Biden himself, according to multiple aides and advisers familiar with the approach.

“This is him, and we’re following his lead,” one Biden aide said. “There’s just something about Joe Biden that gets under Donald Trump’s skin more than anybody, and I think Joe Biden knows that.”

At a star-studded fundraiser Thursday evening, Biden was asked what was at stake in the 2024 election. After giving an answer criticizing Trump’s positions broadly, he concluded: “All the things he’s doing are so old … a little old and out of shape.”

Biden also took a jab at the former president’s physical stamina while telling a story recounting a