Staff Reports
This week’s White House Report Card finds President Joe Biden in an embarrassing position as he gears up for the first debate against former President Donald Trump. This political face-off is sooner than anyone expected and coming before either candidate is even officially nominated.
Despite months of a supposedly neck-and-neck race, which has only led to stale polling numbers, Democratic pollster John Zogby suggests that this debate could finally break the tie. It might be a turning point, but the reality is, Biden finds himself in need of a breakout moment far more than Trump. Zogby even admits that things don’t look good for Biden, underscoring the importance of the debate on June 27.
Typically, a reelection hinges on how voters feel about the incumbent. And for Biden, the feels aren’t good—abysmal, actually. The economy is allegedly booming according to Biden’s fairy tales, but real-life Americans aren’t seeing any golden showers of cash. To add insult to injury, Biden’s campaign is now pivoting to painting Trump as the villain. Unfortunately for Joe, voters still remember the prosperity of Trump’s tenure fondly.
Even Zogby, while attempting to boost Biden’s morale with a B-grade, concedes that the commander-in-snooze is barely holding his ground in the polls. Conservative analyst Jed Babbin, however, is less charitable, awarding Biden an F for his week’s work. Babbin lays into the administration’s charm offensive, built around convincing voters that the videos of Biden appearing lost are just deepfakes. Talk about a hard sell; it seems the president’s team is even preparing him on how to remain standing for the duration of a 90-minute debate. Such determination!
White House Report Card: Presidential debate is Biden’s chance to break out, Zogby says https://t.co/NXsJZOOuYD via @dcexaminer
Expectations are so low for Biden and so high for Trump that if Biden does not fall down on the floor in front of millions he will be declared the…— Gene Pavlova (@GenePavlova) June 22, 2024
Babbin points out Biden’s achievement du jour—it’s as spectacular as a failed magic trick. He granted amnesty to 500,000 illegal migrant spouses of American citizens, a move clearly aimed at bolstering the Democratic voter base by any means necessary. Meanwhile, the White House also managed to tie itself in knots, bringing high-speed internet plans to a screeching halt with red tape, proving once again that bureaucracy is Biden’s middle name.
In another stroke of ineffective leadership, Biden is accused of slowing down arms shipments to Israel by not notifying Congress. Coupled with his rhetoric urging Israel to de-escalate conflicts with Hezbollah—while staying mum on Iran’s aggression—it feels like he’s auditioning for a role as Iran’s PR manager.
The cherry on top of this clown show? Biden’s laughable $42 billion rural internet plan hasn’t connected a single home after three years. Choked by his own red tape, it’s a fitting metaphor for a presidency struggling to connect with the American people.
So, strap in and grab the popcorn for what promises to be a must-watch debate. Forget the drama series on Netflix; Biden vs. Trump is the true heavyweight championship of political theater.
