Donald Trump vs Joe Biden may come down to who can motivate their supporters to actually vote – Kenny MacAskill

Joe Biden cannot simply rely on Donald Trump’s failings to win the US presidential election with the latter’s supporters much more likely to vote, writes Kenny MacAskill

Joe Biden needs to do more to inspire people to vote for him, says Kenny MacAskill (Picture: Paul Vernon/AP)

The stage is set for the Trump-versus-Biden contest. Defeating the former would give me enormous pleasure, though a stake through the heart might be safer.

For I fear that despite his failures in office and actions in unleashing American demons, he may be returned.

Opinion polls are good for Joe Biden, but the gap isn’t great. My biggest fear’s that the Democrats’ tactics seem simply to allow Donald Trump to fail.

Now there’s merit in the saying that governments lose elections. But I still think that oppositions are required to try and win them and, more importantly, encourage their voters to go to the polls.

And that’s where my fear is. For “Sleepy Joe” – as Trump has dubbed his challenger – doesn’t seem to be motivating the base that’s needed to oust the current President.

I’ve no doubt there’s a majority in America to get him out – never forget that he lost the popular vote in the last election to Hillary Clinton by several million votes. But will they vote?

Drill-down polls have shown the definite intention to vote as high for Trump and low for Biden. One I saw was even 76 per cent to 45 per cent.

With Trump’s acolytes hampering voting, motivation’s critical.

I hope Biden wins. But it’s the poor along with Black and Hispanic people who will win this election for him and he needs to give them reasons to actually vote for him.

Kenny MacAskill is the SNP MP for East Lothian

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