Staff Reports
President Joe Biden was seen hobnobbing with democratic donors in Chicago, trying to assure them that their contributions were not in vain, despite his dismal poll numbers. The kind of poll numbers that make you wonder if 38% is good enough to pass a fourth-grade math test. Biden, in a moment of uncharacteristic honesty, even joked, “I could still screw up.” We’re glad to hear that he has such high hopes for himself.
Biden sees hopeful signs for his reelection in Democrats' 2023 wins. Others in his party are worried https://t.co/cqnLMcRbWN
— Randall French (@RandallFrench14) November 13, 2023
Despite the less-than-stellar approval ratings, Democrats were able to secure victories in Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Inside the White House, this was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dreary week. They’re probably partying like it’s 1999, or at least like it’s 2008. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just because they won in off-year elections doesn’t mean Biden’s reelection is a lock. And let’s be real…Ohio isn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for Biden next year.
Nina Turner, an Ohio progressive leader, is spreading doom and gloom, warning that Biden is losing support among young voters and communities of color. She didn’t sugarcoat it, she straight-up said that Biden’s supporters are living in a fantasy land if they think he’s in a good position for 2024. But hey, who needs reality, right? According to former Rep. John Yarmuth, the idea that these off-year wins will translate into successes for Biden next year is nothing more than wishful thinking. Not even a generic Democrat would fare as poorly against Trump as Biden is currently doing.
Despite all the naysayers, Biden’s team is spinning the wins as a validation of his core campaign issues such as abortion rights, democracy, and his infrastructure law. They’re basically saying, “Who needs polls when you have wins?” The campaign is doubling down on their strategy of painting Republicans as the bad guys, aka “MAGA Republicans.” They’re taking a page out of Biden’s playbook and refusing to acknowledge pesky polls, focusing instead on direct communication with voters and planning to pour in more resources for the upcoming elections.
But the real question is, can Biden take a page out of Andy Beshear’s book? This Kentucky governor won re-election by distancing himself from Biden and focusing on local issues. When asked if he wants Biden to be the Democratic nominee next year, Beshear responded, “I think President Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee in 2024.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement, is it?
And then there’s Jim Messina, who managed Obama’s successful reelection. He’s sounding the alarm, saying that the Biden campaign needs to shape up and quickly, making the election a choice between Biden and Trump. But who needs advice when you have a 16-week, $25 million advertising blitz aimed at reminding voters of Biden’s accomplishments? That’s right, the campaign has this in the bag. Well, that’s what they’re telling themselves, anyway.
In the end, it’s clear that the Democrats have a steep hill to climb if they want Biden to win in 2024. But hey, stranger things have happened, right? And as long as Biden stays away from the ice cream and continues distancing himself from pesky poll numbers, anything is possible. Right?
