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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
President Joe Biden made headlines again this week after a video went viral that led to some social media users calling it “elder abuse.”
Before the 81-year-old commander-in-chief lifted the microphone off the table at the formation of a task force focused on reducing costs for American families, he began uttering the well-known but perplexing refrain.
He gave the microphone a rough sigh before setting it down again. He then just stared straight ahead, mouth open, ignoring the reporter’s few desperate attempts to get one last question in before they left.
“I have a lot of questions. I better not start the questions. I’ll get in trouble,” Biden mumbled, garnering a few laughs from the audience.
Former Democratic Party campaign advisor Peter Daou sounded off on X, formerly known as Twitter, by saying, “Oh my Lord. This man is not well.”
Hours before Biden’s strange actions, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reprimanded a reporter for questioning why the president frequently uses notecards when making public announcements.
Jean-Pierre immediately defended Biden, even though the reporter made no indication as to whether or not such reliance is a sign of deteriorating mental health.
“You’re upset because the President has note cards? You’re asking me a question about the President having note cards? The President who has had probably one of the most successful first three years of an administration than any modern-day president? He’s done more in the first three years than most presidents who had the two terms,” Jean-Pierre replied, dodging the question.
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“I think what’s important here and what the American people care about is how this President is delivering for them. And that’s what he’s doing. And that’s what’s the most important thing here,” KJP added.
He’s not well, and Dr. Jill should be ashamed. https://t.co/ur7ZG0vmF8
— Jay Miller (@jaystarrm) March 6, 2024
Biden’s mental fitness has been a topic of debate since his inauguration and has intensified leading up to the election.
A new NBC News survey is horrendous news for Biden as his re-election campaign is underway.
According to the poll, which was released Sunday morning, Biden’s approval is at an all-time low of just 37 percent, leading a Democratic pollster to comment that the “damning” results indicate a “presidency in peril.”
Per Newsmax, citing the survey:
Former President Donald Trump not only leads Biden by 5 points (47%-42%) in the national poll, but he leads by:
–23 points on mental and physical health to be president (46%-23%).
–22 points on handling the economy (55%-33%).
–21 points on dealing with crime and violence (50%-29%)
–16 points on being competent and effective (48%-32%)
–11 points on improving America’s standing in the world (47%-36%)
–35 points on securing the southern border (57%-22%).
The ongoing illegal immigration crisis has become the No. 1 issue for most GOP primary voters, according to the report, though Democrats are increasingly fed up with Biden’s lax border enforcement policies as more migrants are shipped to major cities.
“What is most concerning is the erosion of Biden’s standing against Trump compared to four years ago,” Democrat pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates said.
“On every measure compared to 2020, Biden has declined. Most damningly, the belief that Biden is more likely to be up to the job—the chief tenet of the Biden candidacy—has evaporated,” Horwitt continued.
The current numbers appear favorable for Trump and “difficult” for the incumbent as they enter the core of the 2024 primary season, Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies offered.
“It is hard to imagine a more difficult set of numbers before a reelection,” McInturff told NBC News.
With 73% of registered voters expressing the belief that the U.S. is on the wrong track under Biden, the only potential positive aspect for the current president and Howitt is that there is still time to reverse these numbers.
“Biden can take solace in knowing that we are in January and not October 2024,” Howitt added. “At this stage in prior cycles, attitudes can change.”
Biden supporters might need to pin their hopes on a conviction of Trump in one of the four indictments he faces. In the scenario where Trump is convicted of a felony, Biden manages to secure a 2-point lead over Trump, although this still falls within the statistical margin of error, making it a competitive race.
The pollsters have noted a steady increase in Trump’s support on various issues, including:
–Border: Trump’s lead increased from 16 points in September 2020 to 35 points in January 2024.
–Economy: Trump expanded his 7-point lead in October 2020 to 22 points today.
–Crime and violence: Trump turned a 4-point deficit during the 2020 riots into a 21-point lead today, marking a 25-point swing.
–Competence and effectiveness: Trump reversed a 9-point deficit in June 2020 to a 16-point lead today, another 25-point swing.
–Mental and physical health for the presidency: Trump transformed a 1-point deficit in October 2020, when he was hospitalized with COVID-19, into a 23-point lead today.
The survey is also the latest to show Biden losing ground with younger voters who have traditionally gone for Democrats.
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