Joe Biden's House Is Divided Against Itself

MATTHEW OKRENT: Amidst the chaos and confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become easy to forget that the Democratic presidential primary has concluded with former Vice President Joe Biden as the presumptive nominee. While it is true that all other challengers have dropped out of the race, Biden must still unite a divided Democratic electorate if he is to win the general election. As it stands now, this could be an impossible task.

Throughout this divisive primary, Biden was always the candidate to beat. He built a campaign brand of moderate electability, distinguishing himself from his more progressive or less experienced rivals. He consistently failed to pass progressive litmus tests on key issues, including healthcare, higher taxation on the wealthy, and antitrust policy. This, coupled with numerous campaign trail gaffes and a credible sexual assault accusation (which rightfully still makes many democrats hyperventilate for non-covid related reasons), leave some in the party  wondering how they arrived where they are today. 

Biden was never really trying to pass progressive purity tests, which are more designed for and by candidates like Sanders and Warren. Failing them was part of his moderate branding, and while this allowed him to become acceptable to the party’s center, it made him repulsive to those further to the left. The last leg of the primary was dominated almost entirely by how the remaining candidates, Biden and Sanders, differed. Though that strategy allowed him to pull in voters turned off by Bernie Sanders (and to a lesser extent, Elizabeth Warren), it could act as his Achilles heel as he tries to pull that same base of organizers into his coalition for the general election.  

Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee, and he received strong support from the Democratic electorate across Super Tuesday states. That feat on its own is a historic success of a campaign too many pundits dismissed, but what made him successful then now threatens his bid in the general. While there’s still time before November, Joe Biden’s house is still divided against itself, with few signs of coming together.

Mathew Okrent is a junior in the College from East Setauket, New York.