Will Joe Biden step down? An expert Q&A

Joe Biden’s performance during the recent CNN debate was very hesitant and attracted criticism.& WILL LANZONI / CNN PHOTOS/EPA by Dafydd Townley, University of Portsmouth Joe Biden’s extremely weak performance at the CNN TV debate last week, has prompted senior figures in the Democrat party to question whether he is fit enough to stand for the upcoming presidential election. Former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said it was reasonable to ask: “Is this an episode or is this a condition?” Ahead of an interview with Biden by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos tonight, The Conversation’s Rachael Jolley asked Dafydd Townley, who studies US elections, what might happen next. Are the Democrats considering replacing Joe Biden? Following the Biden’s disastrous performance in the first presidential debate on June 27, an increasing number of Democrats and their financial backers that have suggested that it is time for him to step down. A YouGov/Economist poll conducted after the debate suggest that Biden has slipped further behind Trump in November’s race for the White House. Although Biden is trailing Trump by only two percentage points with all voters, he is now facing an uphill battle to win a second term of office. Other...