The Atlantic

Will Joe Biden Lose His Lead?

The septuagenarian former vice president maintains a comfortable lead in the polls as Democrats head into the third debate.
Source: Michael Dwyer / AP

Like so much else in American politics these days, Joe Biden’s current standing in the Democratic primary has a lot to do with Donald Trump.

The former vice president has Trump to thank for terrifying Democratic voters and making so many of them care about “”—a word that was once too wonky even for insider political shows. He has Trump to thank for making his political liabilities seem small in comparison with the president’s. Biden’s supporters, and even occasionally his campaign aides, fall back on this argument in defense: On the trail, , but Trump’s lies as president are almost without precedent. And while a number of women have stepped forward to say Biden’s touching or invasion of personal space made them feel uncomfortable, women have accused Trump of sexual assault, and in the

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