The single most important thing for Biden was and is to make the election a referendum on Trump. By running a low key campaign that is heavy on empathy and light on policy, he has done that. There is no reason to believe the approach will change between now and November.
Is there anything he could do to lose the election at this point? Here are some possibilities:
- BOTCH THE DEBATES: There is nothing in his performance over the last year which suggests that will happen. In any event, Trump is hardly a formidable debater; all he can do is tell outrageous lies and bluster. In addition, by talking about Biden’s supposed lack of mental acuity, Trump has created a very low bar for him, which can only help.
- DEPRESS THE LEFT: Trump will drive turnout no matter what he does. He made deals with Sanders and Warren and embraced some of their ideas. They are working hard for him. He is in much better shape with the left than Hillary was in 2016.
- FRIGHTEN THE RIGHT: The emphasis on empathy and personality rather than policy is designed to address the concerns of moderate swing voters.
The bottom line is that, while we may see a few gaffes between now and November, it is highly unlikely that Biden will do anything to change the fundamentals of the race in Trump’s favor. If he loses, it is far more likely to be the result of events outside his control, including, but not limited to, massive vote suppression.