Joe Biden became the Democratic Party's presidential candidate Saturday, taking more than the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch the nomination and face Donald Trump on November 3.
Major American news organizations such as CNN, the Associated Press and NBC News reported Biden had gotten the number of delegates required to seize the nomination. Biden will be officially nominated as the party's presidential candidate by delegates at the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which will take place from August 17 to 20 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Heading into Saturday, Biden had 1,970 pledged delegates after winning eight Democratic primaries on June 2. The primaries were held at the District of Columbia, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Dakota. At day's end, Biden's delegate total exceeded 2,000, according to NBC News.
Biden's anointing as the man-that-will-beat-Trump comes at a time when Trump's popularity is on the wane due to his incompetence in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. American voters are also appalled at Trump's misuse of the U.S. military to assail peaceful protestors decrying the murder of George Floyd, blatant police brutality and endemic racism in the U.S. The protests are being led by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement calling for equal protection before the law for blacks, Hispanics and Asians.
This is a difficult time in America's history, and Trump's angry, divisive politics is no answer, wrote Biden in a story published in the online publishing platform, Medium.
He said the U.S. "is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us. Leadership that can bring us together." He also Americans need an economy that works for everyone -- now. Biden emphasized Americans need jobs that bring dignity -- now.
"We need equal justice -- and equal opportunities - for every American now. We need a president who cares about helping us heal -- now."
Biden heads-off to confront Trump buoyed by the knowledge practically all the opinion polls taken since he declared his candidacy in April 2019 have shown him beating Trump in November. Trump has been unable to widen his voter base, which remains moored to a small number of hard-core Republican followers.
Most national opinion polls still have Biden winning against Trump in November. Among these:
- The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Friday shows Biden ahead of Trump 50% to 43% as the choice for president among American voters.
- The latest ABC News/The Washington Post poll from May 25 to 28 shows Biden leading Trump, 53% to 40%, among all adults. Biden wins, 51% to 46%, among those that are both registered and certain to vote.
- A Monmouth University poll released June 3 found Biden leading Trump among voters, 52% to 41%.
- An CNBC/Change Research poll this week found Biden with a 48% to 41% lead over Trump among likely voters nationwide. The previous poll showed Biden with a small 3% lead over Trump.
- Biden still leads Trump in the key swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Trump won these states in 2016.
Biden also leads Trump as regards to who can better handle the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests.
