Upending the race dynamics might prove more daunting for Mr. Biden than for his predecessors. But there is not much the Biden campaign can tell voters about Mr. Trump that they don’t already know. (Or for that matter, not much Mr. Biden can tell voters about Mr. Biden that they don’t already know.) When Mr. Bush’s campaign began planning for his re-election, they confronted polling numbers that — while not as unnerving for the president as some that have come out in recent weeks about Mr. Biden — were cause for concern. The Patriot Act was passed shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks with overwhelming support in Congress — including Mr. Kerry.

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Persons: Biden, Obama, George W, Bush, Mr, Romney, Kerry, Trump, Bush’s, “, ”, Matthew Dowd Organizations: Mr, Pew Research Group, Patriot Locations: Iraq