“We are incredibly consistent as a voting population,” Democratic pollster Jill Normington said this month. “We put the economy first over and over again. I wish it was different than that. … We take a look at what is happening, and we say how am I doing? I am OK? If I’m OK, more of the same is where we end up. I would say the president has a better than 50/50 chance of getting elected because of the state of the economy.”
Given that assessment, it’s striking to watch the disconnect between Biden and many of his Democratic rivals, who have been proposing far-reaching changes to the economy and health care at a time when most voters say they’re feeling better about their economic fortunes. If Democrats win the presidency, it won’t be because they’re calling for a revolution. It’ll be because voters want to maintain the nation’s economic health without the chaos surrounding the management of the country’s business.
That’s what Biden’s campaign understands. They’re hoping that his political profile as an affable, accomplished political veteran who can work across the political aisle is the ideal match for our polarized moment. As NBC News put it, they believe voters want a political restoration, not a revolution.
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