Dr. Walter C. Farrell, Jr., PhD, M.S.P.H.

Joe Biden is on the clock for his selection of a vice presidential running mate for the fall 2020 presidential election. Having committed to choosing a woman, he is being subjected to immense pressure by the backers of several female candidates. It is universally agreed that this will be the most consequential decision of his campaign.

he can still win if he significantly revises his political strategy, starts to take this race more seriously, moves away from his Uncle Joe persona, and out-fights Trump on the ground.

Biden apparently believes that he does not have to generate voter fervor other than to be reliable Uncle Joe. That will not be nearly enough as he approaches a critical period for engaging his core voters.

COVID-19 is set to be one of the deciding factors in 2020 elections and could determine who controls the U.S. House, Senate, and several state legislatures. Unfortunately, few Democrats are taking this into account in a significant way as they run their races. They continue to misjudge the depths to which Trump will go to win. And the general public accepts it.

It appears that the Biden campaign is relying on Trump’s dismal political handling of the coronavirus catastrophe to weaken his reelection status. That is a mistake. His advisors should remember that Hillary held out the same false hopes that the Access Hollywood tapes that showed Trump at his misogynistic best one month before the 2016 election would cinch her victory.

Biden needs to formally announce his appointment of Abrams as his running mate soon so as to quell any concerns about his intentions and to further mobilize and solidify his backing from female voters. He likewise needs to continue treating Bernie Sanders with the utmost respect while he extends his lead in delegates. It is imperative that he do so in order to be able to reach out to Bernie’s supporters.

Democrats must overcome any intra-Party squabbles to keep their eyes on the goal of defeating Trump.