As recent observations suggest, current U.S. President Joe Biden is falling short in terms of popularity, significantly so when compared with other Presidents from the past. This has been epitomized by the palpable lack of enthusiasm displayed towards him, which has been well-documented in several reports.
A striking moment came on a normal day in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Biden decided to stop at a local gas station to order food. However, his arrival didn’t seem to stir excitement among the locals. Instead of the typical rush to shake hands with or even simply acknowledge the President, the patrons merely watched him walk by.
As he entered the station, Biden tried to strike up a conversation with a young girl. Unfortunately, the interaction didn’t seem to go as he might have expected. With minimal reciprocal engagement, he was left to continue his walk through the gas station, accompanied by the incessant click of cameras and the silent stares of onlookers.
There was a momentary pause as Biden posed for a handful of photos, after which he continued towards the exit. Although he made the effort to interact with the patrons, the overall lack of engagement was unmistakable, painting a somewhat gloomy picture of the President’s popularity in this American city, despite his success there in the 2020 election.
Interestingly, these scenes starkly contrast with the reception received by former President Donald Trump when he made a casual visit to a corner shop in Harlem. Despite losing heavily in this area in the last election, Trump was greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm. Chants of ‘Four more years!’ and ‘We love Trump’ echoed across the crowd before he even had the chance to address them.
BREAKING: Biden Visits Sheetz Gas Station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.#breaking #joebiden #pennysylvania pic.twitter.com/HK2yrxZv7y
— Target Reporter (@Target_Reporter) April 17, 2024
Trump’s response to the warmth in Harlem was one of gratification. Reflecting on his numerous court cases, he expressed a hint of gallows humor, stating ‘This is all politics. This is coming out of the White House. And you know, it makes me campaign locally, and that’s okay.’
Such contrasting scenarios were not lost on many, with some keen observers pointing out the evident gap in public enthusiasm between the two presidents. In an attempt to mimic Trump’s Harlem visit, Biden stopped by a Sheetz gas station. However, the lackluster response was yet another testament to the argument that Biden’s popularity is dwindling.
The blunt assessment of Trump supporter, Alex Bruesewitz on X, formerly Twitter, summed up the sentiment of many: ‘No one cheered. No one was excited to see him. Americans absolutely despise this crooked old fool.’
Byron York, a reporter for the Washington Examiner, supported this outlook speaking to Fox News. He commented on Biden’s consistently low job approval ratings throughout his three years in office. Given Biden’s downward performance trajectory, York questioned the current President’s feasibility of winning a re-election.
Preparations for the forthcoming election are raising the heat in the Biden camp. It’s becoming increasingly evident that the alliance of voters that helped him defeat Trump in the 2020 presidential election is showing signs of wear and tear, including sectors within the black voting populace.
Recent polling data has captured the shifting sentiments among this demographic very clearly. Whereas a mere 12% of black men in seven swing states voted for Trump in 2020, current polls flaunt a significant leap to 30% intending to vote for the former president.
While Biden is still projected to secure a majority of the black vote share, with 57% expressing their intent to vote Democrat, this is a significant setback when compared to the 2020 figures. Such a substantial difference might just be the tipping point that puts an end to Biden’s presidency.
Notably, the same poll revealed that 42% of black women remain undecided or open to persuasion in their voting choice, a considerable shift from the 6% who voted for Trump in 2020. Now, this figure has almost doubled, with 11% of black women respondents indicating they would likely vote for Trump.
As Adrianne Shropshire, head of BlackPAC, a Democratic super PAC, rightfully noted, the challenge goes beyond just securing votes. It’s about winning over voters to lean towards Biden while dissuading them from supporting Trump or third-party candidates.
In a bid to win back the support from the black community, Biden invested an unprecedented $25 million in advertising campaigns specifically targeted at swing state voters in August. Still, a looming question remains – is it enough to overcome the marked decline in support?
