The collapse of Afghanistan, record inflation, high gas prices, and the border crisis appear to have already taken their toll on Joe Biden’s popularity, as multiple polls are now showing that approval for Biden is starting to tank. At least in some polls.
The latest survey from Rasmussen Reports shows Biden polling underwater, with 45 percent of likely voters approving of Biden’s performance and 54 percent disapproving. “This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -18,” the lowest approval index of his presidency.
The latest Trafalgar Group survey, conducted August 8-11, also has Biden underwater, with 46.5 percent approving of Biden’s performance and 47.5 percent disapproving.
Other polls show Biden still with net positive approval.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll had Biden at 51 percent approval and 43 disapproval—however, that poll, conducted from August 11 through 12, came before the more recent developments and Biden’s speech. An Economist/YouGov poll showed Biden’s approval (47 percent) barely edging out disapproval (45 percent) prior to the devastating coverage of Afghanistan. It seems likely that these polls will show Biden underwater soon.
But at least one poll suggests Biden has already survived the Afghanistan disaster. The latest John Zogby Strategies poll has Biden’s approval at 52 percent thanks to the steadfast support of 3 out of 4 Democrats on the issue. “In the first full day following the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and within, President Joe Biden seems to have survived a major hit in public opinion,” writes John Zogby, though he concedes that is likely to change. “If this story continues with the same intensity it has received in the past 72 hours, it could damage Mr. Biden’s Presidency. So far, that is not the case.”
But the situation doesn’t look good for Biden.
“President Joe Biden’s approval rating has hit the lowest point of his White House tenure as he faces criticism over the unfolding situation in Afghanistan,” reports Newsweek. “According to FiveThirtyEight’s tracker, which puts together a weighted average of polling, the president’s approval rating is 50 percent.”
“The figure, as of August 13, marked the lowest point the tracker has hit thus far since Biden was inaugurated. His disapproval rating of 43.8 percent is also at its highest point so far.”
Related: Biden Promised to Bring ‘Competence’ Back to Government. So Where Is It?
Both RealClearPolitics’ and FiveThirtyEight’s polling aggregates show Biden’s polling is trending in the negative direction since his inauguration.
Both @RealClearNews and @FiveThirtyEight show Biden's approval ratings trending in the negative direction. pic.twitter.com/Bl1mvLkfRP
— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) August 17, 2021
It may be several days before we see the full impact of what’s unfolded in Afghanistan on Joe Biden’s poll numbers, but the bad news for him is already starting. Despite the controversy of the 2020 election, Biden took office with a respectable approval rating that has declined steadily over the past seven months.
Personally, I’ve not trusted polls for some time now, but I do believe that the trends we’re seeing in them are a reflection of America souring on Joe Biden. He promised competence and character, and he broke that promise. I wasn’t completely comfortable with Trump’s style, but he still proved himself an effective, competent leader. I’d rather have mean tweets than high gas prices, record inflation, a border crisis, and Afghanistan in the hands of the Taliban. None of these crises had to become realities, but Biden was determined to be the opposite of Trump in every way, regardless of the consequences.
