Biden's poll ratings plummet after TV duel
To maintain unity, the White House called together twenty democratic governors who stand behind President Joe Biden. Simultaneously, pressure is mounting from other quarters: Newest polls after the TV duel show that voters are abandoning Biden in droves.
In the US election campaign, the air is thinning for President Joe Biden: Following his disastrous performance at the TV debate against challenger Donald Trump, Biden's approval ratings have worsened. Moreover, voices within his own party are growing louder, demanding that the 81-year-old retire from the race for the presidency. Biden aims to secure a second term in the November election and prevent Trump's return to the White House. However, it remains questionable whether and for how long he can withstand the pressure.
For weeks, Trump and Biden have been neck and neck in polls. Trump consistently led by one to two percentage points - despite his scandals and conviction in a New York criminal trial. Since the devastating television debate, Trump has significantly expanded his lead in voter favorability. The latest surveys by the "New York Times," CNN, and "Wall Street Journal" show Biden trailing Trump by six to eight percentage points.
In the United States, polls - although they are often relatively inaccurate due to various factors - play a significant role. Worsening poll numbers for a politician can have a crucial impact on their supporters, as well as on crucial campaign donors in the US election. Among Democrats, this increases anxiety - and apparently, the willingness to consider another candidate.
Governors bolster Biden's back
Leading politicians from Biden's party had remained publicly critical in recent days. On Tuesday, the first democratic congressman in the US House of Representatives, Lloyd Doggett from Texas, publicly called on Biden to drop out and make way for another candidate. Another democratic congressman, Raúl Grijalva from Arizona, joined the calls on Wednesday. But behind the scenes, tensions are brewing.
Biden held crisis talks himself, as the White House announced. According to reports, he spoke with high-ranking Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and other parliamentarians. In the evening, Biden met with more than 20 democratic governors - with the goal of securing their support. Maryland Governor Wes Moore described the conversation as "sincere." We stand behind Biden, but we are concerned about the Democrats' performance in the presidential race.
In the White House, Biden's chief of staff, Jeff Zients, focused on damage control. In a call with over 500 government officials, Zients reportedly urged them to downplay the "noise" around Biden and focus on government work. The past few days have been a challenge. The focus of all employees on government work will be even more important during the heated election campaign phase, Zients added.
The White House central continues to vigorously dismiss any doubts about the President's suitability for his office. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House spokesperson, who usually speaks only about government affairs and not explicitly about the campaign from her podium, emphasized several times that Biden will stay in the race.
Previously, the White House had dismissed media reports suggesting that Biden was considering withdrawing. In a report by the "New York Times," it is stated that the President spoke with a "key ally" about this. According to his account, Biden said in the conversation that he knew he might not be able to save his candidacy if he couldn't convince people of his fitness as a presidential candidate in the coming days. "This claim is absolutely false," a government central spokesperson responded.
In the coming days, Biden is scheduled to make several appearances: On Friday, there is a television interview planned, and in the coming days, campaign events in the states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, as well as a press conference at the NATO summit in the US capital Washington, are scheduled to follow.
- Despite the concerns expressed by democratic governors during their meeting with President Joe Biden, such as Maryland's Wes Moore, they have pledged to stand by him, acknowledging their worries about the Democrats' performance in the US presidential election 2024.
- The latest surveys conducted by reputable media outlets like the "New York Times," CNN, and "Wall Street Journal" indicate a significant lead for Donald Trump over Joe Biden in the polls, with a gap of six to eight percentage points, following Trump's impressive performance in the TV debate.
- As the US election campaign heats up, pressure on President Joe Biden to retire from the race for the presidency is mounting, with voices within his own party growing louder, suggesting that surveys and TV debates are playing a crucial role in shaping voter favorability and inhibiting crucial campaign donors.
