Following Thursday’s debate, Joe Biden will likely remain front-runner for the Democratic nomination. But whatever you think of their particular views, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg were impressive. They’ll give Biden a run for it — especially Warren, who is already tied with him in one national poll.
Thus, at the next debate just over a month from now, Biden needs to do three things to shore up his own position:
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First, be more optimistic and bold.
Biden was pretty confident on Thursday. He generally spoke well and pushed back against his critics. He needs to keep doing so. But as the presumed nominee for president, Biden must also inspire his party and the rest of the nation. That requires more assertions toward curing cancer. It requires more references to Kennedy and the moon shot. But it also requires Biden’s offering of a vision particular to him.
What might that entail?
Perhaps a more explicit pledge, with more detail and appropriated funding, toward curing cancer. Or perhaps a pledge to send Americans back to Mars or beyond. Or perhaps a promise to address the desperate need for entitlement reform so that younger Americans have social security and medicare.
But whatever Biden chooses, he needs to show that he can inspire a base beyond that which he currently retains. If not, he opens himself up to a coalescence of Warren and Sanders voters. Unchallenged, the polls suggest that voters will rally behind one candidate who will outmatch Biden and see him defeated in the coming 2020 primaries.
Second, don’t bite for moderator questions.
ABC News’ moderators on Thursday were understandably keen to throw Biden off-balance. They want to show any insecurities Biden might have and to open the former vice president up to serious challenge.
But Biden shouldn’t rise to that challenge. Instead, he should presume a sense of ready, albeit not arrogant, entitlement to his position as front-runner. Remember, Americans want a president who is confident and unfazed. They will accept a little perceived arrogance (as Trump’s presidency well attests). If Biden gets angry, he risks a moment of chaos.
Finally, break into the debate more often.
This final point is slightly unfair. After all, the Democratic primary debaters were pretty well behaved on Thursday.
Still, Biden needs to show that he is the front-runner and able to take on Trump. And that means showing a Democratic primary field that he is ready to hit back hard against Trump when Trump is, well, Trump. What I mean here is that Trump is obviously going to interrupt and insult whoever secures the Democratic nomination. And Trump is obviously going to do so when that candidate faces off against him in the September-October 2020 presidential debates.
But with Biden viewed by some Democrats as too old, too unsteady, or too frail, he has a special reason to show that he has the vigor to take on Trump a year from now. If he comes into the October 2019 debate with ruthless confidence, Biden will encourage Democrats to get behind him as their best chance to retake the White House.
We’re just getting started, but Biden must escalate. After all, this is the greatest contest in the history of the world.
