It’s no lie to say that Donald Trump has been a controversial figure during his time as President, with many questionable statements and interesting rhetoric pouring forth from the former business tycoon and reality TV star’s mouth. Now, he faces a battle to earn a second term in office, with Democratic candidate Joe Biden currently leading in the 2020 U.S. election odds.
Biden is presenting himself as the antidote to the rough-and-tumble nature of Trump’s time in office, as a return to something more resembling normality after the tumultuous four years that have gone by under Trump. His lead in the polls reflects a desire among the majority of Americans for change, and although it is still likely to be a very close-run thing on November 3rd, it’ll be no surprise if Biden is the man who emerges triumphant.
Upon announcing his candidacy for the 2020 election, Biden made bold statements about the future of the country were Trump to be re-elected. “We are in the battle for the soul of this nation,” he said. “If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation. And I cannot stand by and watch that happen.”
It’s clear that Biden feels passionately that the vitriolic nature of Trump’s presidency must be brought to an end. He has certainly not stood idly by, running an effective presidential campaign, firstly to win the Democratic nomination ahead of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and now to establish himself as the favourite in his battle against Trump.
But the question is how much would a Biden presidency bring about this return to a gentler brand of top-level politics. While it’s undisputable that Biden is a more measured, level-headed character than Trump, the frenzied discourse the current President has brought to the country would undoubtedly still flare up were Biden to be elected. Trump has managed to create a support base who are both passionate and patriotic, unafraid of making their voices heard. The vitriol that came Trump’s way from Democratic sympathisers when he won in 2016 would undoubtedly be reversed if Biden were to win, and that same abuse would be levelled at Biden by Republican supporters.
There is also the ongoing issue of the coronavirus pandemic, which is still ripping through the country, and has now claimed over 200,000 American lives. It’s certainly untrue to suggest that if Biden is to be elected, then the controversy throughout America would be brought to an end. There are issues at play across the country that go far beyond party divisions, and the pandemic is one of them. It’s clear that Biden is eager to bring a more health-focused strategy to approaching the pandemic, but this in turn will have adverse effects on the economy.
Then, you have the issue of race relations which is still festering in many areas of the US. The killing of George Floyd by white police officers in Minnesota earlier this year further wrenched open divisions which many feel Trump’s presidency has accentuated.
If Biden is elected, he’ll have work on his hands to bring about a greater sense of harmony across the country. It’s clear that while Biden is a more predictable character than Trump, and would bring a more familiar feeling to the White House than his rival, the issues currently facing the US aren’t going away anytime soon.
