Joe Biden Is the Big Winner of the Democrats’ Leftward Shift
After two nights of spirited debate in Detroit, many Democrats may be feeling anxious: Their 2020 front-runner didn’t entirely mollify concerns about his political skills, and his three major rivals positioned themselves in ways that could leave the party vulnerable in the general election.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, under fire from virtually every other candidate on the stage, delivered a more vigorous performance at last night’s debate than he did in Miami in June. With only a few exceptions, Biden also held to his moderate positioning on the major issues dividing the field. But he served up enough rhetorical stumbles and moments of uncertainty to sustain the concerns of those who worry about his capacity to handle a demanding general-election campaign against Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, over the two debate nights, the three candidates closest to Biden in the polls—Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Kamala Harris of California—reaffirmed their commitment to progressive positions, on face broad resistance from the overall electorate.
