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Following a significant drop by almost four points in his net approval rating since the beginning of 2023, President Joe Biden has been presented with some rather disturbing revelations.
In the first half of the year, the president’s approval rating plunged from -8.0 to -11.9, representing a decrease of 3.9 points, as evidenced by data gathered by the FiveThirtyEight polling analysis website. Nevertheless, compared to last year’s low point of -19.7 in July, the current situation feels somehow less severe.
However, Biden shouldn’t take much comfort in these numbers. His situation seems distressing, especially considering we’re on the cusp of another election year. Trumpeting the alarm bells, his steadily declining popularity is not something that can be easily shrugged off or ignored.
The FiveThirtyEight polling isn’t the only cause for concern. Another recent opinion poll demonstrated that both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ approval ratings have become static. These slumping numbers may spell trouble as we edge forward to the 2024 general elections.
An Emerson College poll showed a slight shift in public sentiment. Fifty-one percent of the polled participants now express their discontent about President Biden’s performance, a two percent increase from only two months ago in April. Meanwhile, approval of his administration’s work stood firm at only 41%.
Confirmation of this shift in public sentiment came from yet another respected source. Results from a previous Monmouth University poll echoed similar trends. A slim majority of American respondents remain skeptical of Biden’s leadership, highlighting a challenging road ahead for his administration.
While 41% of Americans continue to approve Biden’s role as the nation’s leader, 51% express their disapproval. This slim majority, compared to 43% in January, represents only a minor adjustment, but still within the margins of the poll’s error.
The role of Vice President Harris also lacks popularity, with only 36% approval compared to 53% who disapproved.
The situation around Biden’s possible reelection became bleaker last week as new round of polls shed light on the unappealing prospect of his running for a second term in 2024. The findings pointed towards the public’s growing apprehension about the veteran president serving another term.
A decisive majority of the registered electorate drawn across party lines cited age as a significant concern. The Yahoo News/YouGov poll revealed that seven in ten voters (68%) perceive the of age 80-year-old president as disadvantageous.
This sends a worrying signal about the possible effectiveness of a second term for Biden.
Compounding the issue, even Democrats resonated with this sentiment. Almost half (48%) of the voters from his party considered his age problematic, exceeding the 34% who did not see it as an issue. Recession of confidence even within Biden’s own party is indeed a worrying sign.
A report from The New York Post delved deeper into these poll findings. Among Democrats, 18% remained unsure whether Biden’s age would pose limitations in a potential next term. In case of Biden’s reelection, he would conclude his second term at the age of 86, an unsettling prospect for some.
The concept of having the oldest president in U.S. history serving an additional term seems to make many Americans uncomfortable. An overwhelming 71% of independents believe that 82, which is the age Biden would be inaugurated for the second term, is indeed problematic.
Biden, to this day, has not made an official statement regarding his bid for a second term. Nevertheless, on multiple occasions, he’s hinted at his plans to seek reelection. The question, however, remains whether the electorate will support him amid these growing concerns.
In a similar timeframe, a significant query was posed by an AP-NORC poll: ‘Who stands as the best contender for leading the Democratic Party?’ The democrats seem to exhibit reservations regarding Biden’s command with only 12 percent accepting Biden as the leader.
Taken together, these polls sketch a path laden with obstacles for Biden’s possible second term. They demonstrate how Americans, even across party lines, consider age as a potential hindrance to effective leadership, a concern that can’t be shrugged off easily.
Subsequently, the incoming period will surely be a testing time for the Biden administration. The highlighted concerns have presented a landscape that needs to be navigated with precise and effective actions.
Only time will tell if these course corrections would restore faith among the electorate or further erode confidence in the leadership of the oldest president in U.S. history.
