Joe Biden is panicking about the election. Polls show that voters trust Trump more than him on the economy — the most important issue of the election — and as a result, he's losing in the battleground states.
So what's Biden to do when the economy is tanking, and Americans are understandably negative about the economy? Why, just claim the polls are wrong!
On Wednesday, Biden did an interview with Erin Burnett on CNN. Of course, CNN is a pro-Biden network, and I'm sure he expected an easy, softball interview. However, Burnett seemed to legitimately want the president to come up with an explanation for how he could turn public sentiment about the economy around before the election. Biden didn't have a good answer.
It's also true right now, Mr. President, that voters by a wide margin trust Trump more on the economy. They say that in polls, and part of the reason for that may be the numbers — and you're aware of many of these, of course — the cost of buying a home in the United States is double what it was when you look at your monthly costs from before the pandemic. Real income, when you account for inflation, is actually down since you took office. Economic growth last week for short of expectations. Consumer confidence, maybe no surprise, is near a two-year low. With less than six months to go to Election Day, are you worried that you're running out of time to turn that around?
Recommended: Joe Biden’s Withholding Aid From Israel Is Impeachable, Says Joe Biden
"We've already turned around," Biden insisted, before claiming that a survey out of Michigan shows that people "think the nation's not in good shape, but they're personally in good shape."
Then Biden went on a long rant about the polling.
"The polling data has been wrong all along," he claimed without evidence."How many — you guys do a poll at CNN. How many folks you have to call to get one response?"
CNN: "Voters, by a wide margin, trust Trump more on the economy ... are you worried that you're running out of time to turn [the economy] around?"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 8, 2024
BIDEN: "We've already turned it around! ... The polling data has been wrong!" 🤔 pic.twitter.com/kM6aBqgAyf
"The idea that we’re in a situation where things are so bad, the folks that — I mean, we have created more jobs. We have made — we’re in a situation where people have access to good-paying jobs," Biden continued. "And the last I saw, the combination of the inflation, the cost of inflation, and all those things, that’s really worrisome to people, with good reason. That’s why I’m working very hard to bring the cost of rentals down, to increase the number of homes that are available."
Of course, he wasn't done. "But let me say it this way," he continued. "When I started this administration, people were saying there’s going to be a collapse of the economy. We have the strongest economy in the world. Let me say it again, in the world."
Burnett, to her credit, wasn't buying the rhetoric. "Although GDP last week was far short of expectations," she pointed out.
"Oh, it wasn’t," Biden began, clearly about to deny the government's own data. "Look, GDP’s still growing. Looking at the response of the markets, overwhelmingly positive, overwhelmingly positive."
Except that's not what Americans are feeling, and Biden's refusal to accept what poll after poll after poll shows is a real problem for him. Back in March, insiders said Biden was "angry and anxious" over his poor poll numbers. He knows the polls are right; he just wants his supporters to think they're wrong.
