On Tuesday, several officials in former vice president Joe Biden’s campaign held a background call for reporters about their upcoming plans. One reporter asked whether they considered the Iowa caucuses a must-win event.
“I think we’ll win,” one of the advisers said. “Do I think it’s a must-win? No.”
The answer set off a flurry of comments on Twitter. Was a campaign that has talked as much as Biden’s has about its candidate’s standing in the polls and electability against President Trump suddenly trying to lower expectations? Was a campaign that has insisted Biden is soundly and durably positioned in the race, that he is anything but the vulnerable front-runner often portrayed in the press, now backing off from making Iowa a clear test of strength for his rivals?
Such are the perils of being at the top of the polls five months before the first votes of 2020 are cast. CONT.
Dan Balz, Washington Post