The battle for the Democratic nomination for president could be effectively over, during the political equivalent of the Ides of March. Former Vice President Joe Biden is having what might be one of the best months in the history of presidential politics, while President Donald Trump is struggling to manage the deadly coronavirus crises that threatens to create a global pandemic as well as a global economic and financial crisis.
At this moment, during this crisis, there is effectively no leader of the free world. There is no coordinated international campaign to address the health dangers of the potential pandemic. There is no coordinated plan from world leaders to stimulate the global economy that is now in danger of a world-wide recession, with the markets roiling and alarming investors large and small.
Joe Biden now has the opportunity to campaign for a realigning way of conducting American politics — and a realigning style of American world leadership — that could bring him a electoral landslide reminiscent of the victories of Franklin Delano Roosevelt that began in 1932.
The Biden political magic in March 2020, which has brought him an electrifying and extraordinary comeback, creates an opportunity to restore the big tent FDR coalition that defined American politics for a generation and more.
Biden has an extraordinary opportunity to build an administration made up of a dream team, starring his former rivals in the presidential race who are now supporting him enthusiastically, including Andrew Yang, and their supporters.
The heart of the Biden coalition will include women, a huge majority of whom are alarmed and appalled by the bitterly divisive style of politics embodied by Trump.
It will include black and Hispanic voters, who want a restoration of social justice and civic respect. It will include as well a huge number of white working-class voters, who like black and Hispanic voters want a rising economic tide that lifts all American boats, not only those who can afford expensive yachts.
A Biden FDR-like coalition would include young people, who want a leadership that inspires them to realize great aspirations — to save the planet from the pollution that could destroy the earth from climate change — and senior citizens, who are the most threatened by the coronavirus danger and most harmed by the virtually zero interest rates that big banks offer them on savings, checking and retirement accounts.
A Biden realigning victory would be based on a Biden realigning style of political leadership. While Trump practices a politics of division, demonizing whole segments of the electorate that even includes the many reasonable Republicans he regularly demeans, Biden’s big-tent politics would seek to unite the Democratic Party, and unite the nation, behind policies that serve the common good.
A Biden realigning victory would be based on a broad call to shared patriotism, whereas Trump regularly and shamefully questions the patriotism of those who call on him to change the ways he conducts his political business.
A Biden realigning victory would be based on a world leadership of all nations — a contrast against Trump, who regularly praises foreign dictators who destroy human rights and wish us ill, while he criticizes leaders of democratic nations and divides the alliances that unite those nations.
A Biden realigning victory would be based on a governing style in which knowledge, science and hard-earned expertise is respected, unlike Trump, who regularly disrespects the vital facts and experts that are essential to making sound policy decisions.
Biden’s great strength during the primaries, which could win for Democrats a realigning victory against Trump in November, and win Democratic control of the Senate and House, is this: In a head-to-head race, Joe Biden would be the only candidate who projects decency, seeks unity, offers competence, and stands for a vision of America where we are all in this together, led by a president who governs for all of the people, all of the time.
Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives. He holds an LLM in international financial law from the London School of Economics.