What would it take for Biden to lose?

[Bomster]

Now I'm not saying that this election is Biden's to lose, but so far he's been in a decent to good position to defeat Donald Trump in the electoral college if polling is anything to go off of. However, one could argue that Donald Trump's best bet to win re-election is for his opponent to completely screw it up, much like how Hillary did. So, with that in mind, what kind of gaffe, mistake, strategy (or lack of), etc, would it take for Biden to completely screw up his chance at the White House?

[Xing]

There are some scenarios outside of Biden's control that could hurt his poll numbers, but among factors within his control, I'd say arrogance is the one he should absolutely avoid and that could do him in.

[LimoLiberal]

268 electoral votes or less.

[Reaganfan]

An economic resurgence, public tiring of coronavirus, masks, ect, Biden gaffes, stubbornness of white voters in midwest sticking to Trump.

Anything can happen in politics.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

A close election like in 2016, with PA coming back inconclusive,  and giving Trump a narrow victory.

Trump still insults reporters and refuses to wear a mask is still hurting him, in his press conferences.

Pence, said on 4/24 that the Pandemic will be over by Memorial Day and neither Pence nor his Admiral Jerome Adam's have been seen since then, talking about the Pandemic.

What helped Reagan was Nancy Reagan and what helped Bush W was Condi Rice was seen as non partisan during 911. Trump had Jerome Adam's, his only Minority in a major administrative role and he disappeared

That's why Biden will win

[T'Chenka]

A stroke that leaves Biden in a wheelchair for the rest of his life with half of his face paralysed which makes his speech sound abnormal. Heaven forbid it to actually happen.

[morgieb]

Big league economic recovery, complacency/arrogance, too many "old person" moments, a Tara Reade like situation actually sticking, China attacks actually cutting through.

Let's face it, quite a lot of situations.

[Don Vito Corleone]

Big league economic recovery, complacency/arrogance, too many "old person" moments, a Tara Reade like situation actually sticking, China attacks actually cutting through.

Let's face it, quite a lot of situations.

[John Dule]

He'd have to be put in a position where his folksy front-porch style of politics was useless and he didn't get a chance to interact much with voters. This would force him to adopt a media/tech campaign strategy, which would not energize his core demographic groups and would also not succeed in reaching young people due to his ineptitude at properly utilizing these platforms.

Fortunately, there's little chance of such a thing ever happening.

[Pericles]

268 269 electoral votes or less.

Ftfy, given Democrats are unlikely to achieve the majority of state delegations in the House necessary to make Biden President in a House vote (especially since a tied EC scenario presumably has a general worsening of the national environment for Democrats relative to 2018)

[Flo 2.0]

To add to what morgieb said, there's quite a few situations that could occur that would do Biden in -- especially because there's six months until election day so the amount of chaotic energy that is untapped is immense and seemingly never-ending.

I think one of the talking points is going to be "look at the economy rebounding" (if that is the state of affairs) and to counterpoint that I think about the thrashing Democrats took in 2010 due to the belief of the slow economic recovery -- jobless rates double that for months on end isn't going to help Trump/republicans and I think is going to erode some of their support among the swingy working class voters and solidify the already democratic-voting working class voters.

Honestly the Trump team is probably going to try to capitalize on the Tara Reade situation foremost and hope that lands, just like they successfully did with the republican base with Hillary Clinton's emails. If it is successful is to be seen ngl.

[Don Vito Corleone]

If you look at Trump's overall and especially his economic approvals, they haven't budged even in spite of the worst economy since the Depression, so I do think it's possible Biden loses.

[cris01us]

What would it take for Biden to lose?  Focusing on the wrong states and at the wrong times would be a big part of this.  i.e. if he failed to put enough time, effort, and money into flipping back some swing states, or showed up to late in the game.  I don't foresee the debates hurting him like some suspect.  He has to much experience and will be to well prepared and rehearsed to make a big gaff.  Saying something like "basket of deplorables" probably won't happen again either, at least not to the degree it will stick or have a lasting impact.  If he relies to much on Hollywood stars and personalities to sell him I think that that could back fire.  The general population doesn't really care for the "let me tell you who to vote for" mentality that often comes with celebrity endorsements.  If he fails to utilize Obama enough I think we will have missed an opportunity there, which not huge could still be significant. 

In the end though, pending some huge gaff/misstep or medical issue I really don't see anything stopping him. 

[jake_arlington]

His lead shrinking by under a point each month would be far more than enough for him to lose

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

In order for Trump to win, he won in 2016 based on NASAR dads and soccer moms on NRA and Scalia seat and to females, Benghazi and Hilary. Schools for females and bars and sports stadiums have to be fully operational by Nov, in order keep Trump from losing Southern states like NC

[dw93]

If you look at Trump's overall and especially his economic approvals, they haven't budged even in spite of the worst economy since the Depression, so I do think it's possible Biden loses.

IIRC, Romney had higher numbers on the "who do you trust on the economy poll" than Obama did in 2012 and Obama still won. I think even Kerry out pulled Bush in that respect to and Bush still won. While I think Biden could still lose this thing, it's far from over.

[SN2903]

If you look at Trump's overall and especially his economic approvals, they haven't budged even in spite of the worst economy since the Depression, so I do think it's possible Biden loses.

Because the public knows the virus is not his fault and Trump has been overall very strong for the economy despite what many say on here.

To answer the OP question many things:
- Economic recovery happening faster than anticipated (already some signs of that)
- Public sick of the coronavirus and associating the shutdown more with democrats and liberals.
- Biden making a big mistake or many mistakes adding up.
- Biden seeming too old and not up to the job.

[SN2903]

What would it take for Biden to lose?  Focusing on the wrong states and at the wrong times would be a big part of this.  i.e. if he failed to put enough time, effort, and money into flipping back some swing states, or showed up to late in the game.  I don't foresee the debates hurting him like some suspect.  He has to much experience and will be to well prepared and rehearsed to make a big gaff.  Saying something like "basket of deplorables" probably won't happen again either, at least not to the degree it will stick or have a lasting impact.  If he relies to much on Hollywood stars and personalities to sell him I think that that could back fire.  The general population doesn't really care for the "let me tell you who to vote for" mentality that often comes with celebrity endorsements.  If he fails to utilize Obama enough I think we will have missed an opportunity there, which not huge could still be significant. 

In the end though, pending some huge gaff/misstep or medical issue I really don't see anything stopping him. 

Because you live in a bubble. Biden is the weakest democratic nominee since Dukakis. His poll #s mean nothing. He is going to crumble in the late Summer/Fall.

[Ferguson97]

What would it take for Biden to lose?  Focusing on the wrong states and at the wrong times would be a big part of this.  i.e. if he failed to put enough time, effort, and money into flipping back some swing states, or showed up to late in the game.  I don't foresee the debates hurting him like some suspect.  He has to much experience and will be to well prepared and rehearsed to make a big gaff.  Saying something like "basket of deplorables" probably won't happen again either, at least not to the degree it will stick or have a lasting impact.  If he relies to much on Hollywood stars and personalities to sell him I think that that could back fire.  The general population doesn't really care for the "let me tell you who to vote for" mentality that often comes with celebrity endorsements.  If he fails to utilize Obama enough I think we will have missed an opportunity there, which not huge could still be significant. 

In the end though, pending some huge gaff/misstep or medical issue I really don't see anything stopping him. 

Because you live in a bubble. Biden is the weakest democratic nominee since Dukakis. His poll #s mean nothing. He is going to crumble in the late Summer/Fall.

Based on what? Your gut?

[Arizona Iced Tea]

What would it take for Biden to lose?  Focusing on the wrong states and at the wrong times would be a big part of this.  i.e. if he failed to put enough time, effort, and money into flipping back some swing states, or showed up to late in the game.  I don't foresee the debates hurting him like some suspect.  He has to much experience and will be to well prepared and rehearsed to make a big gaff.  Saying something like "basket of deplorables" probably won't happen again either, at least not to the degree it will stick or have a lasting impact.  If he relies to much on Hollywood stars and personalities to sell him I think that that could back fire.  The general population doesn't really care for the "let me tell you who to vote for" mentality that often comes with celebrity endorsements.  If he fails to utilize Obama enough I think we will have missed an opportunity there, which not huge could still be significant. 

In the end though, pending some huge gaff/misstep or medical issue I really don't see anything stopping him. 

Because you live in a bubble. Biden is the weakest democratic nominee since Dukakis. His poll #s mean nothing. He is going to crumble in the late Summer/Fall.

Based on what? Your gut?

Enthusiasm

[SN2903]

What would it take for Biden to lose?  Focusing on the wrong states and at the wrong times would be a big part of this.  i.e. if he failed to put enough time, effort, and money into flipping back some swing states, or showed up to late in the game.  I don't foresee the debates hurting him like some suspect.  He has to much experience and will be to well prepared and rehearsed to make a big gaff.  Saying something like "basket of deplorables" probably won't happen again either, at least not to the degree it will stick or have a lasting impact.  If he relies to much on Hollywood stars and personalities to sell him I think that that could back fire.  The general population doesn't really care for the "let me tell you who to vote for" mentality that often comes with celebrity endorsements.  If he fails to utilize Obama enough I think we will have missed an opportunity there, which not huge could still be significant.  

In the end though, pending some huge gaff/misstep or medical issue I really don't see anything stopping him.  

Because you live in a bubble. Biden is the weakest democratic nominee since Dukakis. His poll #s mean nothing. He is going to crumble in the late Summer/Fall.

Based on what? Your gut?

- Lack of enthusiasm
- Awful presentation.
- Appears to have early stage dementia.
- HW Bush and Carter were already lower at this point in 1980 and 1992. Incumbents win almost ALWAYS.

[ProudModerate2]

What would it take for Biden to lose?  Focusing on the wrong states and at the wrong times would be a big part of this.  i.e. if he failed to put enough time, effort, and money into flipping back some swing states, or showed up to late in the game.  I don't foresee the debates hurting him like some suspect.  He has to much experience and will be to well prepared and rehearsed to make a big gaff.  Saying something like "basket of deplorables" probably won't happen again either, at least not to the degree it will stick or have a lasting impact.  If he relies to much on Hollywood stars and personalities to sell him I think that that could back fire.  The general population doesn't really care for the "let me tell you who to vote for" mentality that often comes with celebrity endorsements.  If he fails to utilize Obama enough I think we will have missed an opportunity there, which not huge could still be significant.  

In the end though, pending some huge gaff/misstep or medical issue I really don't see anything stopping him.  

Because you live in a bubble. Biden is the weakest democratic nominee since Dukakis. His poll #s mean nothing. He is going to crumble in the late Summer/Fall.

Based on what? Your gut?

- Lack of enthusiasm
- Awful presentation.
- Appears to have early stage dementia.
- HW Bush and Carter were already lower at this point in 1980 and 1992. Incumbents win almost ALWAYS.

"Awful presentation."
LOL.
That is literally trump's middle-name.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Treating this as a normal election.

The GOP will be going all out with voter intimidation and other forms of voter suppression. The endless ranting about vote fraud in a big hint at how much Trump respects elections. There's going to be massive disinformation operations, both from the Trump campaign, the larger GOP, and outside forces that want to see Trump win, like Russia. Trump is very clearly going to try to use his office to steal the election, limited only by his own mental failings.

If Biden isn't prepared for the crookedest and dirtiest election in modern history, his chances of losing go way up. And he and his team had better be prepared for post-election attempts by the GOP to "legally" steal any result that isn't overwhelmingly against them.

[Hammy]

Things going exactly as they are, because that's how the election is going to end.

[Non Swing Voter]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that even if the economy recovered, unemployment shot down, and everyone's 401k's shot up 10% that wouldn't do it.  I don't even think a vaccine would.  The majority of people don't like Trump, plain and simple.  I think it would take another Comey situation right before the election, which I don't put past Bill Barr and the degenerates running the show right now.

But I think even that would be tenuous.  Biden and Trump are both known quantities at this point so I don't think last minute shenanigans will have a just impact.  Biden has less unfavorability than Clinton while most people think Trump is garbage.