As you have probably figured out by talking to just about anyone, Democratic President Joe Biden isn’t exactly the most popular. Hell, even my die-hard Democratic father-in-law has a major problem with him and his administration.
And according to a new report by NBC News, Biden is fairly “rattled” by it all.
As the report explains, Biden is “pressing aides” more and more for a new and “more compelling message” as the November midterm elections draw closer. Clearly, the one they have been using isn’t working, and Biden knows it.
The outlet spoke to Democratic Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina, a man who has long supported Biden and did much to help him win the Democratic presidential primary back in 2020. According to him, he does not know exactly what should be done to fix the problem. But something has to change. He pointed out, “the poll numbers have been stuck where they are for far too long.”
And where they currently sit is lower than that of even former President and supposedly the most hated one of our time, Donald Trump.
NBC notes that this fact alone has Biden “rattled,” according to a “person close to the White House.”
This person noted that Biden agrees with several in the party that a winning midterm message has not yet been found. And so, he’s doing much to pressure those around him to do so.
Another concern is that so far, throughout his presidency, his staff has constantly changed his public comments. The report notes that the “so-called clean-up campaign” has only served to “undermine him and smothers the authenticity that fueled his rise.” And if that isn’t bad enough, it adds to the well-spread idea that Biden might not actually be the one in charge.
Take his comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin, for example. You know, the ones where he suggested that Putin should be removed from office. As with many of his comments, his staff covered for him and revised his statements, suggesting that Biden didn’t actually mean it in the way that many assumed.
Apparently, Biden was “furious” about their doing so, saying that he meant what he said and went on a rampage about he is the one “who is president” and not his staff.
Biden is also not happy that his “plain-speaking persona” that has so long accompanied him and been the target of much criticism over the years has been “stifled” by his staff. Apparently, he is quite proud of his not so eloquent speech abilities, thinking that they help him be more relatable to the people. And so, when his staff tries to make him sound more articulate, he isn’t exactly thrilled.
Is this the actual problem? Well, it could be part of it.
But as we all know, Biden has failed on a great many other levels than just in how he is perceived in public or the comments his staff is revising for him.
I dare not get into all of the issues many Americans have with the Biden administration. But just to name a few, we have record-high inflation, soaring gas prices, supply chain shortages that have put even our infants at risk, his sloppy and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and, of course, the ongoing immigration crisis.
And it seems as though he isn’t making any progress on any of those issues. As one Democratic donor told NBC, “All he’s hearing is ‘Why can’t you get anything done?’”
Clearly, this would make just about anyone frustrated. And Biden certainly is, according to the report.
One thing that may help is a rumored staff change to come up. Supposedly, Chief of staff Ron Klain may soon be replaced by Biden loyalist Anita Dunn, who is currently a White House adviser. Perhaps Dunn can make some necessary changes to improve Biden’s messaging and compel Americans to support him once again.
Then again, I think most of us will need some rock-solid proof of actual policy change and the like before much of that happens. What do you think?
