Bidenism Is Failing

Perry Bacon Jr.: “Trump’s bad polling didn’t come as much of a surprise, given the way he embraced unpopular policies (repealing Obamacare; a tax cut largely benefiting the wealthy; separating children from their families at the border) and interjected himself into divisive issues, such as his attacks on NFL players who knelt during the national anthem. Trump acted as though he was president of only Red America. In contrast, Biden has pushed popular policies, said little as state-level Republicans pass extreme legislation, such as total bans on abortion, and tried hard to be a unifying figure.”

“I’m focusing on approval ratings for two reasons. First, because they are one of the few tangible pieces of data that we have across presidencies. Second, because they matter. When presidents become more unpopular, the media covers them more negatively, and other politicians, particularly politicians from their own party, feel freer to criticize them — which tends to make them even more unpopular. Presidential unpopularity creates a self-reinforcing cycle.”

“But while it’s clear Bidenism is failing, it’s not clear exactly why.”