Is being ‘not Trump’ enough for Joe Biden to win?

The Democratic nominee is betting on his moderate stance getting him over the line in the race for the White House, writes Chris Stevenson

Biden faces pressure to move leftwards from the progressive wing of his party (Getty)

As campaigning for the 2020 presidential election continues to ramp up, you can see Joe Biden seeking to define himself by differences – to both his rival, Donald Trump, and also to some in his own party.

In the Democratic primary, Biden saw off a number of more progressive rivals, but in a drive-in town hall event for CNN on Thursday night the Democratic nominee showed that he will not be forced leftwards in the fight for the White House. He believes that a moderate candidate is needed, and is embodying that.

He said he would not put a stop to fracking for natural gas — a major industry in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Ohio – and when asked about the Green New Deal backed by the progressive wing of his party, Biden said he had his own deal to tackle the climate crisis. The former vice president is clearly wary of frightening off right-leaning independents, with the Democrats needing a broad voter base to face up against Trump's ardent support.