No candidate challenging a sitting president has had a poll lead bigger than Joe Biden’s this close to election day. His allure owes a lot to who he is not. The Democrats coalesced around the former Vice President only when the more radical Bernie Sanders threatened to nab the nomination. Who is Joe Biden and what does he want?

The Economist’s US business editor Vijay Vaitheeswaran explains why Wall St is coming round to Biden and we look back at his foreign policy record and role in the Iraq war. Also, Biden’s former deputy chief of staff Scott Mulhauser tells us what makes him tick.

John Prideaux, The Economist's US editor, hosts with New York bureau chief Charlotte Howard, and Jon Fasman, Washington correspondent.

For access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe: economist.com/2020electionpod

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.