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2020-04-07 10:46:14

By Laura Tucker, Staff writer; Image: Donald Trump and Joe Biden (Image sources: Trump Screenshot and Biden Screenshot)

Just a few months ago no one would have thought Donald Trump and Joe Biden would have been having an amicable call. The coronavirus epidemic has changed it all. Yet still, polls are still angling in the former vice president's favor, with new figures showing that Biden would win the swing state of Florida.

Just a few months ago, the Senate acquitted the president after the House impeached him for asking Ukraine to conduct investigations of Biden and his son Hunter. It was alleged that he hinged Ukraine aid on these investigations being made public. 

Trump was insistent on following up on a debunked conspiracy theory that as vice president Biden interceded to have a Ukrainian prosecutor removed from office because it caused a conflict for Hunter Biden and a Ukrainian energy company where he was on the board.

While Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is still in the race for the Democratic nomination, it is being presumed by many that Biden will be the eventual nominee to face off with Trump in the November election.  

Biden told reporters last week that his campaign was working on arranging a call with Trump to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. This followed White House counselor Kellyanne Conway suggesting that Biden call the president and "offer his support.

Trump later said he would "love" to speak with the former vice president, yet on Monday morning he was back to tweeting disparaging comments about Biden.  

"Joe Biden wanted the date for the Democrat National Convention moved to a later time period. Now he wants a "virtual" convention, one where he doesn't have to show up. Gee, I wonder why," wrote Trump Monday morning. "Also, whatever happened to that phone call he told the Fake News he wanted to make to me?"

After Trump's tweet, a Biden aide said the campaign would be contacting the White House to schedule a call. It was also noted that Biden's campaign had not heard from the White House regarding scheduling a call. 

After the call eventually transpired on Monday, Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager, referred to it as "a good call."

"VP Biden shared several suggestions for actions the administration can take now to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and expressed his appreciation for the spirit of the American people in meeting the challenges facing the nation," she said in a statement. 

During Trump's daily coronavirus press briefing, he said he spoke with Biden for around 15 minutes. "We had a really wonderful, warm conversation. It was a very nice conversation, he said, admitting that Biden initiated the call. "He gave me his point of view, and I fully understood that, and we just had a very friendly conversation."

The president also admitted he and the former vice president had agreed they would not publicly discuss other details of the call. 

While they were having their amicable call, threatening future recurrences, a new poll showed that voters in the swing state of Florida would choose Biden over Trump if the election were held today.

University of North Florida poll results were released on Monday morning. While just 40 percent of voters said they'd pull the lever for Trump, 46 percent said they would choose Biden if he goes on to win the nomination. 6 percent said they wouldn't be voting, while 8 percent were undecided. 

It also showed that a majority disapprove of the way the president has handled the coronavirus pandemic. 53 percent disapprove, while 45 percent strongly or somewhat approve.

Trump is not being seen as the hero in the pandemic. While New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is picking up a legion of fans, infectious disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci received an 85 percent approval rating. 

Last year Trump officially moved his residency state to Florida after being born and raised in New York as well as basing his real estate career here.

Trump had a slim margin of victory over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. Neither won the majority. Trump had 49 percent to Clinton's 47.8. Former President Barack Obama won 50 percent of Florida in 2012 and 51 percent n 2008. 

Most national polls show Biden and Sanders beating Trump in matchups in November, should either make it that far. The numbers show that Biden would top Trump by 5.9 points while Sanders would do so by 3.9 percent.