Before last Thursday’s debate, there was good reason to doubt President Biden’s chances of winning the November election: He was trailing in at least five swing states that he won in 2020, and tied in the other. Key voter groups like African Americans, Latinos, and those under 30 years of age were showing a lack of enthusiasm if not an outright urge to defect to former President Trump.
Since the debate, many doubts about Biden’s health and well-being—and his chances of being able to serve effectively for the 54 months between now and the end of a second term in office—have been converted to convictions.
In the debate, Biden seemed not only older than he appeared when he ran four years ago, but older even compared to the way he appeared at his State of the Union address in March.
In February, Special Counsel Robert Hur released his report on Biden’s handling of classified documents, recommending that he not be prosecuted. But judging by their five-hour meeting in October, he described Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a
What is The Cook Political Report?
The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the US House of Representatives, US Senate, Governors and President as well as American political trends.
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.