Biden's biggest disadvantage in this race was taking the pandemic seriously.

[Drunken Irishman]

He did the absolute right thing but I'm convinced Trump's rallies, and his ground game, especially during the spring and summer months, in spite of the COVID outbreak, gave him an edge.

To be honest, that was always my concern and I said as much here: mass-rallies and door knocking absolutely help.

It's likely why Republican turnout was so high to rival that of Democratic turnout. I don't think it'll cost Joe the White House but it probably hurt Democrats down ballot who didn't have the advantages Joe did.

It was an unusual campaign and I think the results show it. In fact, I think it's actually somewhat surprising Biden was able to win like he did with essentially one hand tied behind his back because he took the pandemic seriously.

[BusyBeingBest]

1. He did the right and responsible thing--for both himself and the Democratic Party.

Endangering himself, his staff, and the public was unnecessary.

[cbdo2007]

2. Maybe...but Trump's handling of the pandemic also completely dragged him down.

He would have won big time if he had even shown 25% more that he cared about protecting people than he did.

[soothsayer]

3. I don't think Drumpf's rabid stans were moveable

Biden did great adapting to the pandemic and acting responsibly

[genxlib]

4. I think it extends further than that

I think for certain voters, the COVID was the reason for the Trump vote.

I think there is a tremendous amount of COVID fatigue in this Country and the "don't worry about it" attitude appealed to them. In many cases, it was because they bought into the fact that it was over blown.

But I have come to believe there is a segment of the population that understands the disease is serious and wants to open up anyway. If I depended on a restaurant, theater or theme park for my living, a Trump Presidency might be my only hope out of pure desperation (even if it might kill me). I have to keep reminding myself that my desire to keep the schools and restaurants closed comes from a position of privilege since I don't rely on them for my livelihood. It's a terrible thing to consider but I think there are a considerable number of people out there who simply need to risk their life to survive.

Having said that, Biden needs to be careful in how heavy handed he is with the pandemic. If he comes out with a nationwide lockdown, I fear his favorability rating will plummet and he will be blamed for all of the economic hardship from the beginning. It wouldn't be fair but that is what I would expect to happen.

[dsp3000]

6. 100000000%

I cant agree with you more. I know one person who did not vote trump in 2016 even though she was conservative... as the pandemic raged on her FB messages became more and more anti lockdown, anti mask, and next time you know shes posting pictures being at a trump rally and mask conspiracies. this is a college educated, white female mother who happened to be one of the top students at my high school. i was and still am extremely shocked and sad.

I think there are tons of small business owners who feel the same way about our governor, governor wolf for the draconian lockdown measures taken place at the beginning. I'm really hoping our state doesn't turn back to a republican governor. wolf has done a spectacular job if you ask me, but i'm a white collar software engineer, not a restaurant owner!

[dalton99a]

14. +1. Plus the fact that it kills mostly old people and people with health issues

[genxlib]

17. True

I have an expression that I use with my staff. When they ask me a non-relevant "what-if" question, I will tell them it is an SEP (somebody else's problem)

But in my case, those are non-lethal questions about technical questions that are not my concern.

Sadly, where we are as a nation is that economic survival boils down to your neighbor's health being an SEP.

[genxlib]

18. Well said

The hierarchy of needs is a good way to frame what I was trying to say.

[NEOBuckeye]

5. Doing the right thing comes at a cost sometimes

Unfortunately, this election revealed the depths of the immaturity and lack of resolve of the American people. Compare our attitudes now with those of our grandparents and great grandparents in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. If people then behaved like so many are acting now, we likely wouldn’t be here today.

[ucrdem]

7. Nah, nothing like that. They used sneak media to swiftboat him every which way.

We don't see it but they absolutely trashed him in ways that are too disgusting to detail. Seriously, it had nothing to do with anything Biden did or didn't do.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. That doesn't explain the massive GOP turnout.

Sorry but I think I'm right. Republican were motivated and I think Trump's rallies, and their canvassing, something Biden was not doing until way later in the race, is why they got out so many people to the polls.

Fortunately, so did the Democrats.

[genxlib]

10. I think it has to be both

In order to get to 65+ million, it has to be both...

a high turnout among the GOP

AND

subversive shit shoveled into peoples Facebook feed to scare the centrists into fearing a Socialist pedophile unleashing violent riots into the suburbs.

I don't think there are actually enough registered Republicans to get there without it. Florida only has 5 million Republicans but he got 5.6 million votes.

[ucrdem]

13. Yep. Add the cheating and the lying

and we get the ridiculous numbers being reported with straight faces by an unbelievably gullible (as in, no I don't believe they're that dumb) press.

[dhill926]

8. agree...especially in south Florida and far southern Texas...

but he still did the right thing. We'll learn from it.

[ananda]

11. There was no other choice.

If the idiocracy still wanted their freedom to kill
and endanger lives, that's on them.

[lame54]

12. If Biden didn't take it seriously...

I wouldn't want either of them

[Drunken Irishman]

15. Hey, I'm not saying he made the wrong choice.

The right choice isn't always the most advantageous. And it wasn't for Biden. I think his campaign realized there was a problem they needed to address and did it.

1. Get him out of his house. Lots of jokes in the summer about it and while early on in the crisis it made sense, continuing to keep him off the trail was not a long-term solution.

2. Begin holding very small rallies where he spoke to only a handful of people. This was mocked, of course.

3. It became clear he needed more energetic rallies to contrast with Trump so they started doing the drive-in rallies. It was a great idea.


That last idea may have just saved him this election.

[Brainfodder]

19. The world has an honesty problem.

eom.