logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2020
23m 5s

Should Joe Biden stay in the basement?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The presidential opposition candidate Joe Biden has barely emerged from his home since America’s lockdown at the end of March. But polls suggest that the low-key strategy is working in his favour – as his rival President Donald Trump comes under increasing pressure over his handling of the coronavirus and a resurgence of racial tension.

With four months to go until the election, is staying in the basement Joe Biden’s best option? What are the risks if he does? And how could Donald Trump turn things around?

Contributors: . Jason Zengerle, writer at large for the New York Times Magazine . Rachel Bitecofer, Senior Fellow at the Niskanen Center and host of the Election Whisperer. . Niambi Carter, Associate Professor of Political Science at Howard University and author of “American While Black”. . Whit Ayres, Republican pollster at North Star Opinion Research.

Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Estelle Doyle and Victoria McCraven Editor: Richard Vadon

(Image: Joe Biden at campaign event, Credit: Leah Mills/Reuters)

Up next
Yesterday
Can Brussels crack the gender pay gap?
A new directive strives to narrow the 11% hourly wage gap between men and women in the EU.Around the world, the gender pay gap has been shrinking as women gain access to higher education and better employment opportunities. Though varied hours, industries and care responsibilitie ... Show More
23m 15s
Jun 9
Why does Ebola keep coming back?
In May 2026, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in western Africa a public health emergency of international concern. Within days, hundreds of cases had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fears that the virus could spread further acro ... Show More
24m 37s
Jun 2
Is Portugal’s drugs policy in need of reform?
In 2001, Portugal decriminalised the possession and use of all illicit drugs. It was a move designed to mitigate the country’s public health crisis, which at the time meant Portugal had one of the worst rates of overdose deaths in Europe, as well as the highest rate of HIV among ... Show More
23m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Will Biden Withdraw?
<p>President Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week set off a furious discussion among Democratic officials, donors and strategists about whether and how to replace him as the party’s nominee.</p><p>Peter Baker, who is the chief White House correspondent for The Times, t ... Show More
32m 9s
Jul 2024
Dems Change Their Tune About Biden For President
We may be starting to see a seismic shift in how the Democratic Party publicly talks about whether President Joe Biden should remain the party’s presumptive nominee for president. On Tuesday, Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first sitting Democratic lawmaker to call for Biden ... Show More
18m 22s
Jul 2024
Biden’s Slipping Support
<p>A major Times poll has found that voters’ doubts about President Biden deepened after his poor performance in the first debate, with Donald J. Trump taking by far his biggest lead of the campaign.</p><p>Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The Times, explai ... Show More
25m 11s
Sep 2020
Joe Biden’s Rebuttal
<p>Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s plan for winning the presidential election relies on putting together African-American voters of all ages, including younger Black people who are less enthusiastic about him, and white moderates who find President Trump unacceptable.</p><p>At last week’s ... Show More
26m 46s
Jun 2020
Who Will Be Joe Biden’s Running Mate?
<p>Joseph R. Biden Jr. is looking for a potential vice president in one of the most tumultuous moments in modern American history. His selection committee is attempting to winnow an exceptionally diverse field. So who’s on the list? Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/alex ... Show More
26m 26s
May 2023
Is an 80-year-old Biden still the best bet against Trump?
<p>With President Biden finally declaring last week that he's running for re-election, and Donald Trump still the leader of the Republican Party, America is finding itself in a state of déjà vu.... It's the rematch contest that nobody seems to want. So why is it happening? And co ... Show More
28m 8s
Nov 2023
Swing State Voters Are Souring on Biden
<p>In a major new campaign poll from The New York Times and Siena College, former President Donald J. Trump leads President Biden in five of the six battleground states likeliest to decide the 2024 presidential race. Widespread discontent with the state of the country and growing ... Show More
29m 36s