A recent poll conducted by the esteemed Democracy Institute in Washington D.C., a nonprofit think tank founded in 2006 that conducts research on public policy, has revealed a widespread negative perception of President Joe Biden among Americans.
Amid fears of the country heading in the wrong direction, a significant proportion of the population regards the 80-year-old Biden as physically and mentally unfit for office.
The survey, commissioned by Daily Express US, has brought forth startling results.
Nearly six in 10 respondents deemed Biden unsuitable for the presidency, both physically and mentally.
This sentiment was echoed even more when 58% of the voters believed his administration incompetent, while a larger 71% considered the country to be on the wrong track under his leadership.
Moreover, 57% favored former President Trump over Biden, suggesting that the latter’s popularity might be dwindling.
His handling of foreign affairs, the Ukraine crisis, and the economy has elicited disapproval from 61%, 55%, and 63% of the respondents respectively.
Interestingly, despite a majority criticizing his competence, Biden remains the preferred Democratic candidate for the upcoming elections.
Patrick Basham, director of the Democracy Institute, analyzed this conundrum, stating: “The reasons that Joe Biden is still a competitive candidate in the 2024 Presidential election has very little to do with Joe Biden himself. He remains a poor campaigner, his physical and mental capacity is clearly in decline, he will be hidden as much as his advisers can hide him.”
Basham attributed Biden’s continued popularity to the absence of a more popular Democratic figure and the deep political divisions in the country.
According to him, a substantial portion of the electorate will vote Democrat, regardless of the candidate.
Basham highlighted: “Those divisions are so intense and so, in many cases, emotionally driven that 45 percent to 48 percent of the country is going to vote Democrat for President regardless of the candidate. Most people who are going to vote Democrat, almost all are not considering who the Republican is, they’re not voting on issues and policies, that sort of thing.”
This approach to voting stems from the citizens’ disdain for Republicans and their alignment with the values they believe the Democrats represent.
“They’re voting on their dislike of the Republicans and Trump, and whichever candidate they put up, they’re voting on what they consider to be their values,” he added.
However, a significant challenge looms ahead for Biden as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has already received 31 percent of the Democrat’s votes for their nomination next year.
In spite of the president’s declining popularity and the increasing preference for other Democratic nominees, Biden remains in the fray due to a lack of a popular replacement and the divided political climate.
Last week, Biden stumbled and fell on stage following his address and the presentation of diplomas to the graduating class at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
The octagenarian managed to regain his footing with the assistance of several Air Force officials and Secret Service agents and was able to resume his seat.
This event was documented in video footage that has since become viral on social media platforms.
