McClatchy: “Republican lawmakers are struggling to define him. The conservative base is more agitated about ‘cancel culture.’ And even former President Donald Trump is turning his attention elsewhere. Right now, nobody inside the GOP knows quite what to do with President Joe Biden. In the nearly 100 days since Biden took office, Republicans have not yet mounted a sustained, vigorous opposition to the new White House, slowed by a president who has avoided being villainized thanks – at least in part – to a low-key style that stands in stark contrast with his immediate predecessor. It was a problem that plagued the GOP during the last presidential election, and party leaders say they’re still grappling with it as Biden marches onward with an aggressive agenda in the months ahead. ‘He’s very difficult to pin down one negative thing on him,” said Robert Blizzard, a Republican pollster. ‘That is an ongoing challenge for Republicans.'”
“The struggle has many GOP operatives already predicting the party will begin to shift their lines of attack to other prominent Democrats who are more polarizing, such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, ahead of the 2022 midterm elections – though many of them remain confident that Biden’s approval will eventually erode as his presidency wears on. As they’ve struggled to consistently label Biden, influential Republicans have often directed their attention to other matters. Trump sought to attach derogatory nicknames to some of his opponents during his presidential campaigns, but has avoided directing much of his ire at Biden alone since leaving office. For instance, Trump has mentioned Biden in less than 20 percent of the written statements he’s issued since the inauguration, according to a review of emails sent from his political action committee and personal office. Since Friday, Trump has issued six statements about a GOP-led election recount in Arizona, while mentioning the Biden administration in just one statement.”