Joe Biden usually likes being compared to Donald Trump. During the 2020 presidential campaign the media often contrasted the two figures in order to highlight how much more decent and compassionate and normal Biden is, as opposed to Orange Man. However, the empathizer-in-chief might not be as crazy about the latest parallels emerging thanks to his poll numbers.
A headline in Newsweek, not exactly a right-wing rag, reads, “Joe Biden’s Approval Lower Than Donald Trump’s at Same Stage of Presidency: Poll.” The president’s current approval rating according to the Quinnipiac poll is a dismal 33 percent. Considering how slanted these polls can be, the real number might be even worse.
Imagine how dreadful Biden’s approval rating would be if the mainstream media were even remotely honest about his administration’s myriad of failures. But will journalists eventually tire of trying to polish a t-…a terrible president? Spinning Biden’s barrage of bad news grows harder by the day.
This week Joe couldn’t even get Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams to show up for his tirade on voting rights in Atlanta. His rant, which Al Sharpton described as a “you’re going to Hell” speech, failed to strike the right tone with…well, anyone.
Biden’s divisive screed did move the needle, though. It just moved it in the wrong direction for Democrats. In fact, Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema was so impacted by the president’s remarks that on Thursday she doubled down on her decision to not support changes to the filibuster. Who knew that comparing Sinema and Joe Manchin to George Wallace wouldn’t have the desired effect? I guess no one ever told Biden that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
To make matters worse for the Biden-Harris administration this week, the Supreme Court blocked the Biden vaccine mandate for businesses.
But the hardest news to spin has nothing to do with Build Back Better bill or the John Lewis Voting Rights Act: it’s the economy, stupid.
Between the dismal jobs report and the staggering inflation numbers, CNN and MSNBC anchors frequently have to pick their jaws off the news room floor before spitting out the numbers to their dwindling audiences.
And speaking of audiences, the 46th president hasn’t been great for ratings either. Biden hasn’t had a press conference in over seventy days. His handlers don’t permit him to take questions too often — a more common sight is reporters being herded out of the Oval Office like cattle.
Yet somehow all of the insanity isn’t enough to break the media’s Baghdad Bob mentality.
The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin recently said on MSNBC, with a straight face, “Well if the economy is not better and Covid is still raging, the Democrats are in deep trouble. I’m not sure the president, who is going to be setting the tone for the election, can do a whole lot about either one of those.” There is a reason Ms. Rubin is Ron Klain’s favorite columnist.
The idea that Biden’s hands are tied is absurd on its face, but it is especially hilarious when compared to Rubin’s old takes on Trump’s handling of the pandemic.
In March 2021, Reuters ran a piece titled, “US Covid response could have avoided hundreds of thousand of deaths.” Rubin tweeted the article and added, “blood on Trump’s and his enablers’ hands.”
How times have changed!
Members of the mainstream media have spent the Biden era doing one of two things: clapping like seals, or furrowing their brows over why the rest of the country isn’t joining them in idol-worshipping the decrepit president. But how just how undying is their loyalty to the Old One?
It is tempting to look at the shameless behavior from our press, who put all of their journalistic curiosity and ethics aside in order to help Biden beat Trump, and assume that they will never return to reality. That could be the case. It’s possible the state-adjacent media will spend the next three years assuring us that the man behind the mask and aviators is sharp as a tack. But I would guess not.
One scenario in particular may see the press finally bursting their Biden bubble: if the Democrats signal that they have found a viable alternative to Joseph Robinette Biden.
Progressive outlets aren’t afraid to take the gloves off once they know they have permission from the Democratic Party. Don’t take my word for it. Just ask Andrew Cuomo and Michael Avenatti. The media will protect a useful idiot — but Joe Biden is no longer useful.
Biden acted as a Trojan horse for the Squad’s progressive policies when he was elected. In the second half of his term, he may find himself transformed into their scapegoat.
Most observers predict a brutal defeat for the Democrats in the upcoming midterms. Couple this with Joe’s horrid poll numbers and lame-duck status and you have a panicked party searching for a plan B. Once the liberals have set their sights on a new hero who can pull them out of this mess, then, and only then, will the media turn on the president.
I hope it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to Joe and Dr. Jill. Hopefully they never mistook the media’s deranged hate for Donald Trump as sincere love for Joe Biden.
