Joe Biden joins CNN for drive-in town hall

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1 min ago

Here's a look at policies Biden has proposed on key issues

From CNN's Eric Bradner

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden arrives to speak before a round table event with military veterans at Hillsborough Community College on September 15 in Tampa, Florida. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Joe Biden's presidential campaign has made character its centerpiece, as the Democratic nominee casts the 2020 presidential race as a test of the "soul of the nation" against President Trump.

But he has also released a stream of policy proposals outlining what he would try to accomplish in office. And that platform is likely to be a focus tonight as Biden appears on CNN for a town hall in which he'll face questions from voters.

Biden won the Democratic primary advocating more moderate policies than many of his competitors. He has since embraced some proposals from former rivals, including climate plans first offered by Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee and bankruptcy ideas advanced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. His campaign and that of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also jointly crafted a policy road map in the months after Biden defeated Sanders.

What to know about Biden's key policy proposals:

The economy: The cornerstone of Biden's economic platform is massive stimulus spending aimed at boosting manufacturing — with a focus on medical equipment to fight the coronavirus pandemic — as well as jump-starting the nation's battle against climate change.The stimulus proposal emerged in July, as Biden laid out an economic plan amid staggering job losses caused by the pandemic. He is calling for spending $2 trillion over four years on clean energy projects. He has also called for $400 billion for US-made manufacturing efforts such as clean-energy vehicles, telecommunications equipment, steel and other building materials, and health care equipment, as well as another $300 billion in research and development on areas like 5G, artificial intelligence and electric vehicle technology. Biden has also said he supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.Health care: Biden won the Democratic primary on a pledge to expand Obamacare but to reject a fully government-run, single-payer health insurance system. He has proposed expanding eligibility for plans offered through Obamacare's exchanges, enhancing the services those plans provide and lowering income-based caps on their prices. He has also said he supports a "public option" — a Medicare-style plan that people who do not have or do not want private insurance could instead buy into.Education: Biden has said he would expand government-funded educational offerings on both ends of the school timeline, with universal preschool and making public colleges and universities tuition-free for those whose families earn less than $125,000 per year. He has proposed increasing funding for schools in low-income areas from the current $16 billion per year to about $48 billion per year and helping them hire more counselors. He has also embraced parts of Warren's student loan debt plan, saying private student loans should be wiped away in bankruptcy.Coronavirus: Biden has said that all coronavirus-related testing and treatment should be free for Americans. He has called for the federal government to play a central role in deploying a coronavirus vaccine once one has been developed and tested, and he said the Defense Production Act should be invoked to shore up medical supplies. The former vice president has also criticized Trump for failing to negotiate a deal with Congress to aid those who have lost their jobs because of the virus, as well as state and local governments that have seen their tax bases erode.

Read more about Biden's policies here.

5 min ago

Biden will appear in first prime time town hall since accepting the nomination

From CNN's Kate Sullivan

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center on August 20 in Wilmington, Delaware. Win McNamee/Getty Images

CNN will host the first political drive-in town hall of the 2020 presidential election tonight — the latest adaptation to campaigning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will face questions from Pennsylvania voters in an unconventional setup in the parking lot of PNC Field in Moosic. The town hall will take place at 8 p.m. ET, on tonight and CNN's Anderson Cooper will moderate.

The town hall will be Biden's first prime time town hall since accepting the Democratic nomination for president in August, and comes less than seven weeks from Election Day. President Trump appeared at an ABC News town hall in Philadelphia earlier this week.

Where things stand in the race: Biden continues to hold the lead in the race, and is up 52% to 42% over Trump among likely voters nationally, according to a recent CBS News/YouGov poll. The race has barely budged, according to CNN's Harry Enten, even after the Republican and Democratic conventions, protests and unrest over systemic racism and police brutality in cities across the nation, and as the US navigates its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

After the two political conventions in August, which were forced online because of the coronavirus pandemic, a recent CNN Poll conducted by SSRS showed Biden maintained his advantage over Trump. Among registered voters, 51% backed Biden, and 43% supported Trump.

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