Biden enters final weeks of US presidential race in commanding position

Democratic challenger Joe Biden has placed himself at a commanding position as the US presidential race enters its final stretch. He is leading President Donald Trump in polling and fundraising while the latter struggles to defend must-win states.

Experts are of the opinion that time is running out for Trump to change the race's trajectory -- and he is failing to capitalise on the opportunities that do exist.

Polls show Biden is leading Trump among voters 65 and older and benefits from a huge gender gap, with women overwhelmingly supporting him and men split more evenly. This is a rare feat for a Democratic nominee.

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According to CNN, Biden is offering calm and steadiness amid a pandemic that has claimed more than 210,000 American lives and in the chaos created by Trump -- qualities that appeal to a broad swath of voters.

Biden's running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, bested Vice President Mike Pence in their debate Wednesday night, a CNN post-debate poll found.

In the aftermath, Trump wasted a day by calling into a Fox Business morning show and calling Harris a "monster," blaming Gold Star families for his infection with coronavirus and saying he would not participate in his second debate against Biden. The debate was then scheduled for the next week but changed to a virtual format.

It later got cancelled.

Then again on Saturday morning, Trump returned to the campaign trail. He hosted an event at the White House, raising concerns that the virus could spread. Attendees on Saturday were largely seen wearing masks, but they were not socially distanced.

The president's physician declared him non-contagious only late Saturday night -- not however disclosing if he had finally tested negative.

And even while he addressed the crowd, he said, ""Science, medicine will eradicate the China virus once and for all, it's going to disappear. It's disappearing. I have defeated the China virus, This disease is going to disappear" -- discounting -- for the nth time -- the gravity of the pandemic.

All this provoked a round of politically damaging headlines and left him without what could have been a valuable opportunity to improve on his first showing against Biden in a debate next week.

Polls in recent days have found Biden with a large lead nationally -- he is ahead 57% to Trump's 41%, a CNN poll this week found -- and in the core battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where he would likely cross the 270 electoral vote threshold by winning three or four of the six.

(with inputs)