Biden’s popularity continues in free fall

The good star of Joe Biden it shuts down at forced marches. One year after his electoral victory against Donald Trump, who arrives in the ninth month of his presidency, Democrat’s popularity continues in free fall and with no signs of imminent recovery. The economic boom at the beginning of the year has given way to a shy recovery, threatened by supply problems and increased inflation the last 30 years, a pothole contributed to by the resurgence of the pandemic with the proliferation of delta variant of covid-19. The health setback coincides in turn with the stagnation of his agenda in Congress, not only because of the Republican opposition but also because of Biden’s difficulties to govern a party where very disparate political sensitivities coexist.

That sum of factors, to which should be added the hasty departure from Afghanistan and the rise in irregular immigration, have left Biden seriously affected. Only the 43% of Americans support his management, compared to 51% who disapprove, according to the average of the Real Clear Politics polls. Those percentages have made him the third most unpopular president in modern history at this point in his term, only surpassed by Trump, who had a 39% popularity at the time, and the also Republican Gerald Ford (1974-1977), who oscillated above 38%. Worse still is the perception of the direction taken by the country during his presidency: the 71% of Americans believe they are going in the wrong direction, according to a poll by NBC News.

Turning points

Biden’s fortunes began to change in mid-May, when the country dreamed of leaving the pandemic behind thanks to one of the vaccination rates by then highest in the world, which served the Democrat to present himself as a efficient and responsible manager after the health mismanagement of its predecessor. But the irruption of the delta variant returned vulnerability to the country, shortly before the popularity of the Democrat went into free fall after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, precipitated by the collapse of the pro-Western government in Kabul and the return to power of the Taliban.

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While the majority of Americans support the decision to leave the Asian country, the chaos that accompanied his execution left a significant stain on the president’s service record. In a September poll, only 26% blessed the withdrawal forms. “The promise of the Biden presidency –Knowledge, competence and stability– have been seriously questioned, “Democratic strategist and pollster Jeff Horwitt said recently. Biden is losing ground especially in the suburbs, which were essential for their electoral victory in November 2020, due to the mobilization of women against Trump.

To which should be added the growing disaffection of the independent voters. Both population groups will be decisive in the Legislative next year, where Democrats need to at least stay as they are for Biden to maintain options to legislate without major concessions. So far, both his plans to revamp the infrastructures as to pilot the ecological transition they remain stranded in Congress.