Joe Biden is the familiar favorite in a stacked primary field, but he could easily lose his lead if he relies on personality and caves on policy.
Along with nine other candidates, the former vice president will take the stage during tonight’s second Democratic primary debate. This is an important chance for Biden to introduce a cohesive policy platform that can compete with his opponents’.
Thus far, Biden’s campaign has relied on his national prominence and opposition to President Trump. According to former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile, Biden is leading the Democratic pack because he’s “familiar” and “people know him,” she said at a Washington Post Live event on Wednesday.
Further, Biden is the moderate alternative when placed side-by-side Trump. He’s likable, dogmatic but not rigid, and unpresuming compared to Trump’s self-assuredness. But “being better” than Trump isn’t enough to win, Brazile said. And right now, that’s all Biden is running on.
Unlike several of the other Democratic candidates, Biden hasn’t appeared in a televised town hall to talk about the issues, and on the occasions he has been asked about specific policies, he’s given unclear, vague answers.
On healthcare, Biden is running on President Barack Obama’s legacy, touting the Affordable Care Act as the only option that “will give every American the right to choose.” Other than that, he has said little about health care, which is one of Democrats’ top issues this election. His campaign has reportedly been working on an official proposal but has yet to release details about what it would entail. Biden’s opponents, on the other hand, have taken strong stances on healthcare, many of them endorsing Medicare for All and introducing their own expansive policies.
Biden has weighed in on immigration, another top issue for Democratic voters, long enough to criticize the Trump administration for its hardline policies. In an op-ed last week, Biden said Trump’s tactics don’t address “the real challenges facing our hemisphere.” Biden’s alternative? He would “institute effective immigration reform while restoring regional policies grounded in respect” — a proposal so vague it could mean anything. Biden also vowed to improve technology at the southern border and recognize the “Dreamers,” illegal immigrants brought into the country as children, as legal citizens. Again, these aren’t original or substantive solutions to complex problems that require bipartisan support.
On social issues, Biden’s opinions are confusing. He recently flip-flop-flipped on the Hyde Amendment, a law that prohibits the direct federal funding of abortion. A Catholic Democrat, Biden had supported the provision for years, but after being confronted by progressives in his party and campaign, he changed his mind and came out against the amendment. This kind of uncertainty drives voters away.
To win the nomination, Biden must appear strong and decisive, and so far he’s been anything but that. He’s the middle-of-the-road, familiar face that reminds voters of the Obama years. But without substantive positions to put grit behind the personable appeal, “Uncle Joe” risks sinking his campaign. Tonight is his chance to change that.
