Joe Biden reportedly changed up his debate prep ahead of his rematch against Kamala Harris

Joe Biden wants to have a good night.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Former Vice President Joe Biden might be the runaway favorite in the polls with 187 days left to go before the first 2020 primary, but there is more riding on his debate performance Wednesday night than might initially meet the eye. After Biden's debate in June, when he went head-to-head against California Sen. Kamala Harris over his busing record, New York magazine's Olivia Nuzzi tweeted that Biden's staff was "freaking out" about his unexpectedly poor performance, noting that her source close to the campaign said the former VP had refused to listen to his debate prep staff.

Ahead of the second debate of the election season, though, it would seem that Biden has doubled-down on committing to his preparations. "To try to make up for Biden's shortcomings last time, some of his prep sessions (though not exclusively) have been with smaller groups of advisers, with aides asking him what he thinks instead of over-prepping and jamming his head," reported Axios' Mike Allen on Wednesday.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.