By almost any measure, Americans across the country, and observers around the world, believe this is one of the most consequential and important US presidential elections in living memory. At the present time, President Trump is trailing Joe Biden, in head-to-head national polling and in critical swing states, including Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Arizona. The United States is struggling under the crisis of racial justice, the immense human toll inflicted by the coronavirus, and the devastating economic impact on the economy. Together, they may be driving a profound shift in voter sentiment and outlook. But President Trump is resolute, and his supporters remain as fervent as ever, and this could be the biggest decider in American elections when voter turnout is the greatest variable. Also, in a time when the economic downturn is hitting harder than in nearly a century, President Trump has higher marks in handling the economy than Joe Biden. Which factors will make the biggest difference? What is the candid view from inside the White House? Can Joe Biden sustain his favourable standing over the next four months?
To discuss these issues, USSC hosted a webinar event featuring Jonathan Swan, National Political Reporter at Axios in conversation with United States Studies Centre's Non-Resident Fellow Bruce Wolpe and CEO Professor Simon Jackman.
Jonathan Swan is an Australian journalist and the National Political Reporter at Axios. He covers the White House and Republican Leaders on Capitol Hill. For the 2016 campaign, he followed Republican candidates and donors and had an insider’s view of the Trump campaign. He was first to break several major news stories including that the United States would pull out from the Paris Climate Treaty, that Jerusalem would be recognised as Israel’s capital and that Steve Bannon was being fired. Previously, Swan was a political reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald. He received the Wallace Brown Award in 2014 for most outstanding young journalist.
