This is just devastating for Trump

It is not good to be overly optimistic. Doing so can take us to great highs, only to unceremoniously dump us when that optimism fails to pan out. But let us just say I am optimistically hopeful. Based on the maps created by Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report, and Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, things are looking grim for “president” Donald Trump.

Walter opined that Trump has become “a severe underdog” for reelection when looking at the map. She puts 248 votes in Biden’s column as “solidly or leaning” Biden while 204 are solidly or leaning Trump. In this scenario, Biden needs to win 26% of the swing states while Trump would have to win 75%, which the experts say leaves Trump with “little room for error,” yet he continues to err every day.

Trump’s staff claims that his call to reduce testing was a joke, even as Trump insists he really meant it. But everything about Donald Trump is a joke. He has denounced D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proclamation of an “autonomous zone” in the area painted with “Black Lives Matter,” promising to meet protestors with “serious force.” Washington Post reported that federal police and garbage trucks cleared out tents and protestors from the area, something they could not have done without orders. If Trump continues the way he has been going, we can be more than optimistically hopeful that his days in the White House are numbered.

Nate Silver’s prediction may be even more devastating for Trump. Silver points out that if they are correct, Biden leads in states that add up to 368 electoral votes while Trump leads in states that total 170. Neither Silver nor Walter are saying Trump cannot win; however, Silver does believe that things are shaping up for Biden to defeat Trump in a landslide victory if all the swing states go to Biden. Take all of that for what you will, but things are certainly looking good for Biden. Not only will he take the traditionally Democratic states, but polling data shows that it is “likely” that Biden will take both Pennsylvania and Michigan. Further, Arizona, North Carolina, and perhaps Texas may also end up being competitive for Biden, and Biden’s campaign does not rule out Georgia.

While the Biden campaign is focused on trying to win the states where he is either still behind or slightly competitive, they also continue to vet for his vice-presidential running mate. According to NPR, Kamala Harris is the clear front-runner. NPR points to Harris’ prosecutorial skills and background as being the best candidate for dealing with the current political climate involving racial injustice and police brutality. Her skills and background aside, NPR said that Harris topped a recent multi-state survey asking for voters’ preferred running mate, and she is the “runaway favorite” on betting sites. Will all this result in Harris being chosen? Not necessarily, but she can certainly enhance what Biden brings to the table and can, hopefully, convince everyone that choosing her is the right choice for Biden and the U.S. I remain optimistically hopeful.