Who Really Believes Biden Can Beat Trump?

“Good Ole Joe” isn’t what he used to be, and probably never was.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama famously became so frustrated by his running mate’s logorrhea that he asked an aide, “How many times is Biden going to say something stupid?” According to authors Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, the VP’s stock had dropped so low by late 2011 that the Obama reelection team considered replacing Biden with Hillary Clinton on the 2012 ticket. And, as his busing blunder clearly demonstrated, Biden still has the old gift for gaffes. According to a new Washington Post-ABC poll, however, if the 2020 election were held today, Biden would beat President Trump by 10 points.

If this inspires skepticism, it won’t be ameliorated by the finding in the same survey that Trump’s approval rating is at the highest point of his presidency. The new poll found that 47 percent of registered voters say they approve of Trump compared to 42 percent in April. Meanwhile, Biden’s lead among the contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination is dwindling. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, for example, Biden’s support has slipped from 30 to 22 percent. This is obviously the result of his flaccid response to the attack leveled on him by Kamala Harris during the June 27 Dem debate. Good Ole Joe just isn’t a brawler.

The former VP has since tried to regain the momentum he lost during that debate, but he has inevitably continued to indulge his affinity for imprudent remarks. He struck again during his recent CNN interview, when asked by Chris Cuomo if his health-care plan would include the reinstatement of Obamacare’s fine for failing to buy health insurance. Biden brayed, “Yes, I’d bring back the individual mandate.” This answer secures Biden a place in history alongside such political virtuosos as Walter Mondale, who promised to raise taxes during the 1984 election, and Hillary Clinton, whose 2016 strategy included insulting 30 million voters.

The mandate was the most reviled of Obamacare’s provisions. The concept was so politically toxic in 2008 that Biden opposed the idea and Obama repeatedly denounced it. Both executed post-election pirouettes on the issue, of course, which contributed to the subsequent decimation of the Democrats at the ballot box in 2010 and 2014. The mandate won’t be any more popular this time around. Trump will doubtless be delighted to call Biden out on his pledge to reinstate it. And, if Biden can’t handle Harris in a debate, Trump will crush him. This brings us to his excuses for the Harris debacle, as he phrased them in the CNN interview:

CUOMO: Here’s the tough question for Democrats, they need a warrior, OK, because not to aggrandize, not to lionize, but this president knows how to fight in the ring one on one. Kamala Harris is friendly fire … How can Democrats have confidence that you can take the biggest and the baddest when you’re having trouble sparring in-party?

BIDEN: I don’t think I’m having trouble sparring; it’s how you want to spar. Look, I’m the guy at the time everybody talks about things that have changed. I took on same-sex marriage. I took on a whole range of issues … I’m — this is ironic, I’ve never been accused of being not being able to spar. I’ve been accused of being too aggressive.

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