Biden Reportedly ‘Mystified’ His Approval Rating Is Below Trump’s, Wants More Democrats Defending Him on Television
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President Joe Biden is “frustrated” his midterm messaging isn’t resonating with voters, his approval ratings are lower than former President Donald Trump, and Democrats are not taking to television to defend him more, according to an in-depth NBC report on the current state of play in the West Wing.
The article published Monday, titled “Inside a Biden White House adrift,” offers a grim look into Biden’s communications efforts and his administration’s failed efforts to flip the script ahead of the November midterm elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to suffer heavy losses.
The report says Biden is voicing frustration within his White House that he is not “getting credit from Americans or the news media” for the country’s low unemployment and other achievements of his administration, particularly on the economy.
The vast majority of Americans currently feel the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction – a sentiment driven by high inflation and a series of bad news headlines from the war in Ukraine to mass shootings to fears over monkeypox.
“Biden grouses that Republicans aren’t getting their share of the blame for legislative gridlock in Congress, while he’s repeatedly faulted for not getting his agenda passed,” the report adds of the president’s frustrations.
Biden’s approval rating currently sits at 40.4 percent, which is just under or about equal to former President Donald Trump’s 40.8 percent approval rating at the same time during his presidency, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls.
“He’s now lower than Trump, and he’s really twisted about it,” a person close to the White House told NBC News. The report adds that Biden is “mystified” his approval could be as low as Trump’s and that its a “particular sore spot” for the president.
“The president has also told aides he doesn’t think enough Democrats go on television to defend him,” added the report which was extensively sourced from inside the White House.
The report also notes the president’s frustration that his use of the term “Ultra-MAGA” has not only been embraced by the right but has become a kind of rallying cry to oppose Biden.
“The phrase tested well in polling reviewed by the White House, but it also had the unintended effect of firing up the Trump faithful. Merchandisers have found a hot market for ‘Ultra MAGA’ T-shirts,” the report adds, noting that Biden himself had come up with the idea to use the term.
“He shares the view that we haven’t landed on a winning midterm message. And he’s putting a lot of pressure on people to figure out what that is,” the report notes, quoting another source close to the White House.
