President Joe Biden is visiting South Florida as the 2024 presidential election shifts into gear and lawmakers in Tallahassee are poised to tackle AI in political ads.
Biden makes two stops in South Florida
President Joe Biden will be in Florida tomorrow for two campaign events.
Biden is campaigning in the sunshine state, despite there not even being a Democratic presidential primary in March. Florida’s Democratic party only submitted Biden’s name as a candidate, which is not unusual when an incumbent runs for re-election.
The Republicans did this when former President Donald Trump ran for re-election in 2020.
However, come November, Florida’s electoral votes will be up for grabs, and that’s why Biden coming.
Biden is visiting Palm Beach and Miami Tuesday for at least two campaign events. Political analysts say the president and his political team likely have two goals they want to accomplish.
“Raise money, and put issues on the agenda,” George Washington University Professor Todd Belt said.
Belt, who teaches political science, notes that Biden faces an uphill battle to win Florida. The last Democratic president to win the state was Barack Obama in 2012 when Democrats led in registered voters.
But now, republicans have about 780,000 more registered voters than Democrats. Florida also is now home to Trump, who won the state in 2016 and 2020.
“Florida used to be a swing state, used to be very close and used to be one of those who would go back and forth between republicans and democrats. It’s not really that way anymore,” Belt said.
But, the White House and other Democrats have often made Florida an example on the national stage when it comes to issues like legislation that restricts abortion in the state.
“Florida has a statewide initiative on the ballot regarding abortion. And, he really wants to highlight that because Democrats have been very successful using that issue,” Belt said.
The group Floridians Protecting Freedom received enough signatures to put an abortion referendum on the November ballot, though it is pending a review from the Florida Supreme Court due to a legal challenge from Attorney General Ashley Moody.
It would appear as amendment 4 and allow women to get abortions “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.”
This will be Biden’s sixth visit to Florida as president.
Over the weekend, first lady Jill Biden was also in Florida for a political finance event for the Biden victory fund in Palm Harbor.
In her remarks, she criticized “state Republicans” for “banning books.”
Nikki Fried is the chair of the Florida Democratic Party. With Biden just hours away from arriving in Florida, she shares her perspective on the visit.
Lawmakers tackle AI in political ads
Artificial Intelligence is one of those things that is quickly appearing in seemingly all facets of life.
From media to the classroom, lawmakers in Tallassee are working to get ahead of it. Part of that discussion is how might AI affect future elections.
This is a political ad by the Republican National Committee published last year that attacks Biden.
Look closely, though, the ad shows the southern border and even spotlights crime on American streets.
But, here’s the thing, this ad was created completely using Artificial Intelligence.
Under a bill, moving forward in Tallahassee, ads like this would require a public disclaimer.
“We as a government and we as people just need to take a real look at what is acceptable. What can we do to put in some guardrails so that it isn’t as misleading or as misrepresenting as a nefarious party might want?” State Rep. Alex Rizo said.
Thus far, House Bill 919 is enjoying bipartisan support. Campaigns under the bill must inform the public if AI is used at all. What’s more, failure to do so could result in fines and fees.
Republicans and Democrats agree that it’s harder than ever to tell fact from fiction.
“Artificial Intelligence is here. It’s here to stay and we have to be thoughtful and intentional about how we deal with it,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said.
Part of the discussion gets into what exactly a disclaimer should look like.
Lawmakers are still through some details, like when and where they notice should appear.
They’re even discussing the font size..
Trump to decide VP pick
Turning now to the Republican race for president-
Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley had some company as they battled on the campaign trail last week.
Top Republicans appear to be auditioning to get on the GOP ticket in the number two spot under Trump.
After securing wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, Trump is already looking ahead to the general election.
In a town hall meeting even before Iowa caucuses, Trump hinted that he already had a pick in mind to be his running mate.
“I mean, I know who it’s going to be,” Trump said.
His campaign quickly walked back the comment, but the speculation has begun about Trump’s potential understudy should he become the republican nominee, which now seems likely.
“Usually you look at someone who broadens the party’s electorate or speaks to a segment of the party that might be worried about the candidate,” Todd Belt from George Washington University said. “what Donald Trump cares about is that you’re not a drag on the ticket. He cares about three things: loyalty, loyalty, and loyalty.”
Belt says he believes upstate New York Rep. Elise Stefanik has the inside track. Once a Trump skeptic, she has become one of his fiercest supporters in congress.
“She changed her tune on Donald Trump. Donald Trump loves that,” Belt said.
Stefanik joined Trump on the campaign trail in New Hampshire in the days before the primary
When asked if she’d consider a spot on his ticket, Stefanik said she’d be honored to serve in a future Trump administration in any capacity.
She’s not the only potential Trump running mate who’s changed their tune about the former president.
Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance was once an outspoken Trump critic, but now he says the two are very close.
Vance hasn’t ruled out a VP role, but has said he would serve Trump best as an advocate in the senate.
Sen. Tim Scott’s stock in the veep-stakes surged higher this past week when he endorsed Trump and joined him at his election night victory party in New Hampshire.
“I want to invite you to my home state starting tomorrow, where this election is over,” Scott said.
Kari Lake, who’s running for Senate in Arizona, and Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, are also seen as potential Trump running mates. Both joined Trump at campaign events in Iowa.
One person who likely will not be on the list is Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence. The two had a falling out after Pence resisted Trump’s efforts to overturn Biden’s victory in 2020.
After suspending his own White House bid, Pence has yet to endorse Trump’s candidacy.
And what about Florida Sen. Marco Rubio?
He shot that idea down on Fox News this week, saying it would probably be difficult, with him and the former president both calling Florida home.
