With the candidates about to begin their debates, the president is making no gains in the polls. Can anything shift public opinion?
From afar, the 2020 US presidential election must look like something akin to a dumpster fire, on top of a tyre fire, during a hurricane. It certainly feels that way to many Americans.
But if one looks closer, the outlines of the presidential race are quite clear and have been for some time: Donald Trump, the incumbent, is deeply unpopular with the American people, is trailing badly in opinion polls and there is little indication that this will change in the five-and-a-half weeks until election day.
Even if Biden, who has run a near flawless campaign, wanted to mess things up, I’m not sure how he would do it
Related: US election polls tracker: who is leading in the swing states?