As the first debate looms, former vice president Joe Biden holds a commanding lead in the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. But unforced errors such as his remarks about segregationist senators James O. Eastland and Herman Talmadge threaten the core of his support—the African American electorate that up to now has favored him over not only white liberals but also African American candidates Cory Booker and Kamala Harris.
Biden’s lead rests almost entirely on his strength among African American voters, who constitute a large portion of the Democratic vote in almost every primary in the country. CONT.
William A. Galston, Brookings Institution