Biden’s grip on campaign lead faces questions
WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party is in no mood for a coronation.
Joe Biden stepped onto the debate stage Thursday night as a frontrunner by default more than depth of support, and walked away with a more fragile standing atop the sprawling Democratic field. His rivals showed little deference to the former vice president and longtime senator — a Democratic elder statesman who has cast himself as the rightful heir to the legacy of Barack Obama, the president he spent eight years serving alongside.
The questions surrounding Biden’s viability are a proxy for the broader debate among Democrats about the best path to defeat President Trump, and about the future of a party that has been trying to reconcile for a generation the role that government should play in American life.
Can a moderate like Biden attract some of the white, working class voters who abandoned Democrats for Trump in 2016 or should the party embrace the energy of its left flank and tap a progressive, like Sens. Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, who are pressing for sweeping government intervention in the economy? Are Biden’s decades of experience in Washington an antidote to Trump, who took office having never served in government, or would a fresher face, such as California Sen. Kamala Harris, help Democrats ramp up general election turnout among young voters and minorities?
This week’s backtoback debates did little to answer which course Democratic voters will take when primary contests begin early next year. But the faceoffs did thrust the divisions within the party into the spotlight, as candidates swapped many of the niceties that have governed the primary’s early months for pointed and sometimes personal attacks.
It’s no surprise that Biden, who has led early polling since jumping into the race in April, found himself a frequent target. Yet the breadth of the critiques — taking aim at his age, his style of governing, his policy positions and his views on race — were at times breathtaking. Biden alternated between forceful defenses of his record and stumbling answers that suggested he wasn’t fully prepared for the intensity of the attacks.
The debate’s enduring exchange came when Harris challenged Biden over his past opposition to school busing and recent statements about working with segregationists. Harris wove her own personal history into her blistering critique of Biden’s words and actions.
Candidates also challenged Biden's record as a dealmaker during his tenure as vice president, jabbing at both a source of pride for Biden and one of his stated qualifications for the presidency. Rep. Eric Swalwell, DDublin, one of the youngest candidates in the race, repeatedly called on the 76yearold to “pass the torch” to a new generation.
To some Democrats, Biden still remains a safe choice to take on Trump. With his centrist policy positions and everyman stylings, Biden is seen as a candidate who can win back some of the working class voters who were drawn to Trump and helped tip Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in his favor in 2016. He also has deep ties with black voters, a crucial Democratic constituency.