COVID Infects Trump’s Chances
President Donald J. Trump is one of the most polarizing presidents in United States history but one thing that was indisputable, pre-COVID, was the resounding success of the U.S. economy. The stock market was routinely breaking records and unemployment sank to 3.6 percent in April of 2019, which was the lowest unemployment rate in nearly 50 years. It also marked the 14th consecutive month that the unemployment rate was at or below four percent.
Ah, it was a simpler time then. Little did we know what was in store for us a year later. A global pandemic followed by social inequality protests, rioting in the streets, as well as civil strife and unrest in our neighborhoods. All of those glorious economic gains vanished but it turned out to be a boon for Joe Biden’s chances to defeat Trump and hand the White House to the Democrats.
It’s not surprising then that Biden overtook Trump as the favorite to win the White House shortly after the onset of the global pandemic. Until that point, Trump had been the oddsmakers’ choice to win the election, via the electoral college, although, much like the last go-round in 2016, his odds were not nearly as sound in the popular vote.
However, with the advent of spiraling shootings and sharply increased crime in major metropolitan cities, many of which are governed by Democrats who have given an ear to calls for defunding the police, President Donald Trump has improved to even money odds at many of the online sportsbooks taking action on this general election.
Moderates Will Determine Outcome
President Trump has strong support among his base. A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed 66 percent of Trump supporters say they support him strongly, while only 46 percent of Biden supporters say the same.
Many believe the biggest issue Trump has is that he relentlessly panders to his base by feeding their insatiable appetite for the unapologetic, middle finger to the liberals, rhetoric he delights in extolling. It would be ludicrous to believe that his campaign advisors haven’t already suggested that his cult-like base would brave a hurricane to get to the polls, therefore, there is no reason to assiduously court a vote that is already in the bag.
What Trump needs to do is begin appealing to the moderates and nothing would help him more than to stop doing what he loves the most – praising himself. Even a pinch of humility and a dash of decorum would do wonders for his campaign. Yet, he seems incapable of such a transition despite the fact it would go a long way towards clinching the best job he’s ever had for another four years.
Joe Biden, on the other hand, appeals much more to moderates despite his recent embrace of the radical left. Biden is savvy enough to distance himself from the AOC radicals when the audience is in the heartland of America.
Biden is friendly, affable, amenable, but also – forgetful. His memory lapses and public gaffes have been picked up by the voting public with many questioning his mental acuity. The presidential debates will allow him the opportunity to quell those insinuations and even propel him to a convincing lead over the incumbent if he does so with aplomb.
Pollster, David Winston, stated, “The two central issues are defeating the virus and getting America working again — not only getting the economy going but getting kids back in school. Voters want to hear solutions to those problems.”
But safety is becoming another concern for working-class Americans and while many white voters support the Black Lives Matter initiatives, their support will wane if the protests continue to morph into riots. That would obviously bode well for the law-and-order president currently in the White House.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, an American conservative nonprofit organization., stated recently: “This election is a choice between preserving America as we know it and eliminating everything we love…Trump is the bodyguard of western civilization. The American way of life means… you honor God… it is being dismantled by a group of deceitful activists—who are releasing violent criminals from prison… we will build monuments to heroes, not burn down our cities.”
Ultimately, moderates will tell the tale and if they can’t stand Trump more than they can’t stand the radical left, there will be a new man in the White House come January.
