I don't put a lot of stock into polls. They are easily manipulated to achieve a result you desire that can then be used as more efficient manipulation tool. People will roll their eyes at it, but it's true. And if every one of the clown car Dems had the same numbers, it kinda proves the same truth that happens evey 2nd term of a Republican president, those weren't pro _____ numbers they were anti Trump numbers. So they don't mean much to me. If people are just voting against regardless of whom it ends up being, why should I care? Their reasons are apparent.
We can downplay Dems fear mongering if you want, but it was done to such a degree we had record voter turnout to vote against someone. So it kinda shows how effective they were at it. Trump generally bumbles through every speech he gives. When fear is at a high, that bumbling got worse. Without Covid he would've bragged about tbe economy all year and it would've worked. Hell he may actually have had time to finally make a healthcare plan! Would've been trash, but a plan would've helped get votes.
I see the BLM protests WAAAAAAAY different than you in this regard. The justifications by the media influenced how many to take part in not just the peaceful protests but also the riots. The people that rioted also went out and voted, I think we know who got those votes. The idea that Trump is somehow to blame for police brutality got spun, more effective fear mongering on top of a pandemic. Actually pretty brilliant by the media in retrospect. The hypocrisy made the Conservatives scoff all summer and wave Trump flags and they fell into a false sense of security. I don't the Fox or the GOP played anything perfect, kinda evidenced by the outcome.
October didn't hurt Biden at all. While Trump was talking about reopening, the media/celebrities/DNC were all in high gear that we needed to go further into the cave and that basically we would all be screwed if we reopened anything. It just created more divide, likely added to the vote totals as well. Biden did awful in the last debate and it didn't matter, those were never swaying anyone anyways.
America didn't want Joe Biden. A large majority just didn't want Trump. I'm not excited about Biden. I know plenty of people who voted for him who admit they aren't and we're not excited about him. I wish we knew the actual ratio of people ACTUALLY voting FOR Biden VS Never Trumpers.
Trumps campaign was a shell of his 2016 run. He was an unknown before, going up against one of the least likable politicians possible coming off 8yrs of a Democrat in office. It was the perfect storm. After 4yrs, people knew what they were getting. He was throwing hail mary promises most of 2020 because he knew how poorly Covid would treat his chances to retain. He promised a vaccine, a bunch, and it never even remotely felt sincere. Down the stretch I expected a much stronger push from him, it was pretty civil and quiet. He got more to vote for him because like it or not, Joe Biden is incredibly unlikable. He's a career politician, he's creepy, there are skeletons falling out of the closet etc. And still people chose him over Trump because #AnyoneButTrump. I've never liked that approach to voting but it is what it is.
I appreciate the take
@Guy Chamberlin, definitely a different perspective.