Amidst all the mishaps, it’s a relief that Joe Biden didn’t fall, refer to a Black man as “boy,” engage in imaginary handshakes, or start speaking gibberish. This visit to a United Auto Workers (UAW) picket line allowed him to avoid another embarrassing incident that only draws attention to his age and mental decline.
However, it wasn’t exactly the resounding success he had hoped for.
The image of Biden being the first president to join a picket line, even if it was only for 12 minutes, only carries a limited amount of symbolism. While the photos of him wearing a UAW hat and sweatshirt and holding a bullhorn brought temporary joy to the union movement, the panic that led to the White House organizing this event speaks volumes.
Clearly, these are desperate times for the president. Making a brief appearance to show support for a union demanding a 40% raise and a four-day work week in Michigan, with the election still 13 months away, is a desperate measure indeed.
In fact, the current state of affairs in late September 2023 is starting to resemble the final stretch of a presidential campaign. With his popularity plummeting and a majority of Democrats expressing their opposition to a second term, Biden must combat the growing perception that he is a failure. Furthermore, he has to contend with the clamor from within his own party urging him to drop his bid for re-election.
Trailing in the polls
The clock is ticking for Biden.
Unofficially, there is a December deadline, which would still give potential candidates enough time to secure a spot on state ballots if Biden decides to withdraw. Therefore, between now and then, Biden must prove that he deserves another shot at the presidency.
His predicament was magnified by a recent poll that underscored the sense of urgency. The Washington Post/ABC News survey, which showed Donald Trump leading Biden 52-42 in a head-to-head matchup for next year, undermines one of Biden’s key justifications for running. He has repeatedly argued that he is the only one who can defeat Trump, pointing to the 2020 election as evidence. If that argument no longer holds, as the poll suggests, Biden is now in even deeper trouble within his own party.
Although many left-leaning media outlets dismissed the 10-point gap as an outlier, claiming it is unreliable, it is not as far-fetched as they would like you to believe. In September alone, 12 national polls conducted by different companies showed Trump leading in five, Biden leading in four, and three tied. Biden never enjoyed a lead of more than one point, while Trump was favored by margins of 1, 2, 4, 5, and 10 points, respectively. When averaged together, Trump leads by 45.7 to 44.2.
Dismal job performance
And it gets worse.
The Washington Post/ABC News poll was the most significant in terms of margin, but it also reflects an alarming trend. Trump has either won or tied in seven out of the eight most recent matchups. Moreover, this was the first poll where either candidate surpassed the 50% mark.
In its analysis, ABC didn’t sugarcoat the results: “Forty-four percent of Americans say they’ve faced worse financial conditions under Biden’s presidency, the highest number recorded in ABC/Post polls since 1986. Only 37% approve of his job performance, while 56% disapprove. Furthermore, fewer people approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, at just 30%.”
But there’s more.
The survey revealed that only 23% of respondents approve of Biden’s handling of the border crisis, and a staggering 74% believe he is too old to run for president again. Even more remarkably, if a government shutdown were to occur, 40% of respondents say they would predominantly blame the president and congressional Democrats, while only 33% would place the blame on Republicans. This is despite the fact that the Republicans control the House and have not been able to secure a majority vote to keep the government running.
Michigan, as a swing state, holds significant importance. In 2016, it was won by Trump against Hillary Clinton, while Biden managed to secure it in 2020. Trump has his own visit scheduled for Wednesday, and although there are no plans for him to join a picket line, he will undoubtedly assert that his energy and trade policies are more beneficial to auto workers and manufacturing jobs than Biden’s.
For Trump, this trip serves a dual purpose. He is also counter-programming against the Republicans who are challenging him for the nomination. Seven of them will be participating in the second GOP debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday night. However, he believes that given his commanding lead, being on the same stage with them puts him at greater risk than reward. Consequently, he skipped the first debate as well, allowing the other candidates to engage in a bitter fight for second place among themselves.
The challenge from the left
Biden’s problems extend beyond Trump. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is currently challenging the president for the Democratic nomination and is polling at 15% to 20% in most surveys. Although Kennedy has stated that he will not run as a third-party candidate, he recently met with the head of the Libertarian Party and is reportedly considering the possibility of running under their banner, as reported by The New York Times. Additionally, the Green Party will nominate far-left professor Cornel West, and the No Labels party is attempting to recruit a centrist candidate for a 2024 run. Democrats are rightfully concerned that the presence of third- or fourth-party candidates, even if they only receive a few percentage points in a swing state, could cost Biden or his replacement victory in the Electoral College.
Meanwhile, the ongoing impeachment inquiry has the potential to be Biden’s ultimate downfall. A majority of Americans already believe that he was involved in his family’s influence-peddling schemes, and any additional evidence of his role would only escalate those numbers. If the GOP can provide clear examples of the president profiting from the millions paid to his son and brother, Hunter and Jim Biden, the debate on whether he should run for re-election will become moot.
Ultimately, the voters will make that decision for him.
A border crisis
MSNBC viewers seldom hear the unfiltered truth about the tremendous border disaster, but Jeh Johnson spoke candidly about it. As the former head of Homeland Security under Barack Obama, Johnson warned on Monday: “In purely political terms, if you want to maximize Donald Trump’s chances of re-election, fail to address this problem. This will completely disrupt our political landscape.”
Fears of unrest among migrants
Reader Eric Rosen holds a rather grim view of the migrant crisis, expressing his concern: “If prompt action is not taken, I fear that there will be widespread riots in the streets. The uncontrolled influx of migrants will not only bankrupt our towns and cities, but when resources like food and housing become scarce and winter arrives, we could see food riots, burglaries, and vigilantism. Yet, it seems like no one is willing to acknowledge the impending consequences.”
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