My friends, As I mentioned last night, I thought Biden’s second State of the Union address was superb. It was one of the best State of the Union speeches I’ve witnessed — and I’ve witnessed many. Biden’s record so far has also been impressive — even though for the first two years of his presidency, the Democrats held a razor-thin congressional majority, and the Republican Party has become more traitorous and treacherous than at any time in modern American history.
The media like to generate “clicks” and so they will say anything these days in order to do so. An example: the NY Times is no longer All the News that’s Fit to Print (substitute the word OPINIONS for “News”). And Polls — Schmolls… they are sheer malarkey.
This is what I said in response to your piece last night immediately following the SOTU Address:
Tonight’s State of the Union address was nothing short of brilliant. I think Biden made the Republicans squirm as far as Social Security and Medicare go, and has more folks on board to “finish the job” he was elected to do than most people realize. He proved that he has gotten so much done already which is why I think virtually all of the polls are about as real as fake crabmeat (and I am a Marylander!) I am so proud to be a Democrat, and know how well I sleep every night with Joe Biden at the helm. Bravo, Mr. President.
First, let me stress my belief that Joe Biden has been an exceptionally good president. The only reason I bring up his low ratings is to try to understand why, despite his achievements, most of the public doesn’t seem to share my view.
Opinion polls are notoriously inaccurate, as we’ve all witnessed in the last major elections. Yet Biden’s consistently low ratings across almost all polls — and the bizarre fact that he’s polling no better than Trump did at this point in Trump’s presidency — can’t be blamed simply on inadequate polling methods.
Many of you blame the media — both Fox News and its radical right imitators, as well as the mainstream — for minimizing Biden’s achievements and exaggerating his inadequacies.
I largely agree. Fox News and other rightwing outlets continue to poison America. As to the mainstream media, as to anyone who reads this letter knows, I’ve been deeply concerned about its “two-sides” ism and absurd attempts to draw moral equivalence between Republicans and Democrats.
That said, only a small fraction of the public is exposed to Fox News or to the New York Times or the Washington Post. The media alone can’t account for Biden’s low ratings.
I want to suggest to you three other culprits that to my mind are playing a larger role.
First is the legacy of Trump, along with the deeply cynical and angry divide he has spawned in America. Even if George Washington were president right now, some 40 percent of the public would likely despise him.
Second is social media, which has become a cauldron of ever more extremist rage. Under Elon Musk, for example, Twitter has become less of a “public square” than a hell-hole of hate. No national leader is immune to such relentless battering.
Third and perhaps most importantly is the continuing crises that most Americans find themselves in. Some two-thirds of us are living paycheck to paycheck. Almost no one has job security. Adjusted for inflation, the median wage continues to drop. COVID is receding but “long” COVID is taking a devastating toll. Fentanyl and related drug poisonings continue to rise.
Joe Biden and his administration have made important progress. Their legislative victories are important. The American Rescue Act helped millions survive the pandemic. But most Americans are still hurting. Hopefully, by the fall of 2024, the hurt won’t be nearly as bad.
For a short time, I worked as a market research interviewer. I called voters across the country ahead of the 2022 midterms. I was totally shocked at how many people responded negatively against President Biden and how strongly they supported Rethug candidates. I wonder if we would have had better balanced results if Gen Z and older Democratic voters didn't hang up on us before completing the survey. I also believe mainstream media is biased against President Biden. It's not just Fox News.
Maybe you can help all of us understand this conundrum by revealing why, on the evening of Biden's superb State of the Union speech—in fact one of the best you've witnessed—why your focus is on some less than flattering poll numbers? Why aren't you reflecting and echoing his administrations many accomplishments? Why aren't you talking about how stunningly and charmingly good-naturedly he maneuvered the Republicans into (apparently) signing on to not cutting Medicare or Social Security? You're not the only one doing this, of course. But why do you do it? Why is a grumpy poll more important that the reality of what this effective President has accomplished and the fine speech he just gave? A day ago a NYTimes columnist wrote that Biden was a great President but asserted that he was too old and shouldn't run for a second term. Why? Why is the NYTimes actively working to try to undermine him? Is it because, as a reader comment noted today, he is a champion of the middle class, unlike Clinton and Obama who were champions of the extremely wealthy corporate financial class?
The pollsters haven't polled me. So I'll give my opinion here and now: I think Biden is doing a terrific job. He is a breath of fresh air: a President who likes and respects members of Congress and can work with them. He has deep and real understanding of the horrendous problems facing ordinary Americans because of financial deregulation promoted by Bill Clinton, who became a Ronald Reagan in Donkey's clothing. Biden can't right all the wrongs in two years, especially with such fragile margins in the Senate and now a Republican majority in the House. I plan to do everything I can to see that he is re-elected, and I plan to talk about what a good job he is doing and how happily surprised I have been, frankly.
Setting aside the media, the polls, the party-in-power’s inadequate messaging, the reality that passed-legislation is yet to be implemented, and more, I believe it must be said that when one must repeatedly explain what he or she has accomplished, he or she is losing with the American people overall.
With 60% of the people in this country living precariously from paycheck to paycheck, wherein family income, in many cases, is only sustained by more people working longer hours, while still weighted down by mortgage debt, credit debt, and the like, the decision to disregard the human infrastructure piece of the Biden agenda, that had passed in the House, no thanks to Republicans, and nearly had passed in the Senate, again with zero Republican support, in my view, was a mistake.
Simply put, Democrats have to be willing to engage in war. The other side has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to attain and hold power. Therefore, it is incumbent upon Democratic leadership, receipts in hand, to say to the country, “This is what we have tried to deliver and these folks have voted against it—extension of the child tax credit, paid family and medical leave, a $15 hourly minimum wage, affordable, quality childcare, universal Pre-K, investments in housing, in eldercare, in impactful expanded ACA subsidies…”
My point, and note I haven’t mentioned what Biden and the Party, indeed, have delivered, is that Democrats have an extraordinary narrative, if only they would deliver it. Were I a player in the Party, given the opportunity to address the country, I would say, receipts in hand, “America, when they didn’t care about you, we did.”
I believe it's a combination of "all of the above", but primarily the media. Even "friendly" media has devolved to a focus on the negative. Few news sources are objective, and it seems it's more profitable to keep the political conflict and culture wars front and center. Shame on the Fourth Estate. They have sold out for the bottom line and may well bring this nation down.
I wish the media would do better job of publicizing Biden’s achievements. In fact, the Democratic Party needs to do a better job of framing and packaging the many successes of our party and leaders. It’s almost like they’re apologizing and there is absolutely nothing to apologize for. Biden’s doing an amazing job.
I thought his speech was very inspiring and presented with warmth and concern for our country and our world. He spoke for at least75 minutes and never looked at a script. He acknowledged a number of citizens who had been invited to come due to pain they had endured which he was proposing ways to reverse. I am grateful for his numerous accomplishments for lower income Americans who’ve struggled for many years and whose lives will now have a chance to improve. And for building more income equality by increasing taxes on the wealthy. Many thanks to our President and may he have more success for our people and the world.
I'm sorry to say but I think, with about fifty percent of our population living in poverty and debt, and so much of so many people's attention being absorbed by some sort of "screen time", we have been so dumbed-down that the majority just don't think well. We actually can not figure out what is true and what is false. The broadcast media, at the behest of their corporate owners, intentionally miss-leads and spreads half-truths. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite and the real news anchors. Look at the "NEWS," it's just a superficial show on a stage. The content is largely dumb, irrelevant trash. So we are truly a dumbed-down society and if the younger generations don't pick up the ball, I guess the supper-rich will continue to destroy our Democracy and the rest of our society will decline into abject poverty, disease, despair and death. It is obvious our civilization is in speedy decline: we can't seem to pour enough money into military and all new highly "advanced" nuclear devices that will probably kill us before climate change. Why have we not even begun to deal with Climate? The world COP meetings are a joke. But Davos Billionaire meetings seem to produce results. So, ya, we are uneducated, uniformed and un-empowered. Another "great"? empire coming to an end. And even if we manage to re-arrange some deck chairs, we are going down by the head. Of course there are some outstanding exceptions, but I believe that for the most-part, the American ruling class has been as mean and brutal as any in human history. And we probably do not deserve to continue. It dose make me very sad to know we will take most of the wonderful, innocent species of this planet with us.......well, not "with us" I trust they will make it to heaven. Most of us will not. So, My advice is be kind, do some good while we can, and appreciate what we have for now.
Not that the party without a policy platform & a propensity to elect questionable standard-bearers could ever be to blame, but... maybe their reality-distortion technology is in full effect?
Abstractly, it's a *guaranteed* recipe for success: assure deflation of expectations, ensure they aren't met (especially if the other guy is getting the credit), and then insure another round of the same (because who could honestly expect any differently after the fact?).
> = |
PS: Policies take time to have an effect; perhaps the lag leaves everyone unsatisfied?
the mainstream media are owned by rich bastards like rupert murdoch, ATT, warren buffett, the hearst family, the forbes family, and jeff bezos, to name just a few of these ultra-wealthy human rights abusers, and basically, despite the fact that most journalists are political and social liberals, if they want to keep their jobs (which are astonishingly poorly paid and compensated to begin with), they have to kiss the ring. so they are part of this vast conspiracy of gaslighting and brainwashing of the public that has swept most of the free world in service of their masters' runaway greed.
Most press want to set Biden up for criticism rather than just reporting his real achievements. His colleagues need to toot the horn more too. It’s become a “who screams loudest to shock people” game led by right wing media and naïve Republicans.
The 'low approval ratings' that were mentioned on MSNBC on several shows, were from polls (that were not even identified), which just do not reflect the FACT that the midterms and the last presidential election showed that voters prefer President Biden, period.
As you suggest in your choices "The problems[do] remain so huge" for many in this country.
What Biden has been able to accomplish is impressive, but the socioeconomic trauma ordinary Americans have had endure since the Reagan Presidency will take decades to undue, if we're fortunate enough to continue on the path Biden is forging, without more destructive republican presidencies in the near future.
But, I also think Americans are just plain worn out (I know I am, as are my friends).
Moreover, so many people died needlessly from a badly-managed COVID-19 response from the Trump Administration and more still have been affected by these deaths, including long COVID.
Add to the above, a never-ending election cycle, fueled by corporate media, political consultants and pollsters and it's just exhausting.
I think this is why there is a certain disconnect with Biden's polling numbers and his accomplishments.
The media like to generate “clicks” and so they will say anything these days in order to do so. An example: the NY Times is no longer All the News that’s Fit to Print (substitute the word OPINIONS for “News”). And Polls — Schmolls… they are sheer malarkey.
This is what I said in response to your piece last night immediately following the SOTU Address:
Tonight’s State of the Union address was nothing short of brilliant. I think Biden made the Republicans squirm as far as Social Security and Medicare go, and has more folks on board to “finish the job” he was elected to do than most people realize. He proved that he has gotten so much done already which is why I think virtually all of the polls are about as real as fake crabmeat (and I am a Marylander!) I am so proud to be a Democrat, and know how well I sleep every night with Joe Biden at the helm. Bravo, Mr. President.
A.🌻 Love your illustration, Professor.
Let me add a few thoughts of my own.
First, let me stress my belief that Joe Biden has been an exceptionally good president. The only reason I bring up his low ratings is to try to understand why, despite his achievements, most of the public doesn’t seem to share my view.
Opinion polls are notoriously inaccurate, as we’ve all witnessed in the last major elections. Yet Biden’s consistently low ratings across almost all polls — and the bizarre fact that he’s polling no better than Trump did at this point in Trump’s presidency — can’t be blamed simply on inadequate polling methods.
Many of you blame the media — both Fox News and its radical right imitators, as well as the mainstream — for minimizing Biden’s achievements and exaggerating his inadequacies.
I largely agree. Fox News and other rightwing outlets continue to poison America. As to the mainstream media, as to anyone who reads this letter knows, I’ve been deeply concerned about its “two-sides” ism and absurd attempts to draw moral equivalence between Republicans and Democrats.
That said, only a small fraction of the public is exposed to Fox News or to the New York Times or the Washington Post. The media alone can’t account for Biden’s low ratings.
I want to suggest to you three other culprits that to my mind are playing a larger role.
First is the legacy of Trump, along with the deeply cynical and angry divide he has spawned in America. Even if George Washington were president right now, some 40 percent of the public would likely despise him.
Second is social media, which has become a cauldron of ever more extremist rage. Under Elon Musk, for example, Twitter has become less of a “public square” than a hell-hole of hate. No national leader is immune to such relentless battering.
Third and perhaps most importantly is the continuing crises that most Americans find themselves in. Some two-thirds of us are living paycheck to paycheck. Almost no one has job security. Adjusted for inflation, the median wage continues to drop. COVID is receding but “long” COVID is taking a devastating toll. Fentanyl and related drug poisonings continue to rise.
Joe Biden and his administration have made important progress. Their legislative victories are important. The American Rescue Act helped millions survive the pandemic. But most Americans are still hurting. Hopefully, by the fall of 2024, the hurt won’t be nearly as bad.
For a short time, I worked as a market research interviewer. I called voters across the country ahead of the 2022 midterms. I was totally shocked at how many people responded negatively against President Biden and how strongly they supported Rethug candidates. I wonder if we would have had better balanced results if Gen Z and older Democratic voters didn't hang up on us before completing the survey. I also believe mainstream media is biased against President Biden. It's not just Fox News.
Maybe you can help all of us understand this conundrum by revealing why, on the evening of Biden's superb State of the Union speech—in fact one of the best you've witnessed—why your focus is on some less than flattering poll numbers? Why aren't you reflecting and echoing his administrations many accomplishments? Why aren't you talking about how stunningly and charmingly good-naturedly he maneuvered the Republicans into (apparently) signing on to not cutting Medicare or Social Security? You're not the only one doing this, of course. But why do you do it? Why is a grumpy poll more important that the reality of what this effective President has accomplished and the fine speech he just gave? A day ago a NYTimes columnist wrote that Biden was a great President but asserted that he was too old and shouldn't run for a second term. Why? Why is the NYTimes actively working to try to undermine him? Is it because, as a reader comment noted today, he is a champion of the middle class, unlike Clinton and Obama who were champions of the extremely wealthy corporate financial class?
The pollsters haven't polled me. So I'll give my opinion here and now: I think Biden is doing a terrific job. He is a breath of fresh air: a President who likes and respects members of Congress and can work with them. He has deep and real understanding of the horrendous problems facing ordinary Americans because of financial deregulation promoted by Bill Clinton, who became a Ronald Reagan in Donkey's clothing. Biden can't right all the wrongs in two years, especially with such fragile margins in the Senate and now a Republican majority in the House. I plan to do everything I can to see that he is re-elected, and I plan to talk about what a good job he is doing and how happily surprised I have been, frankly.
Setting aside the media, the polls, the party-in-power’s inadequate messaging, the reality that passed-legislation is yet to be implemented, and more, I believe it must be said that when one must repeatedly explain what he or she has accomplished, he or she is losing with the American people overall.
With 60% of the people in this country living precariously from paycheck to paycheck, wherein family income, in many cases, is only sustained by more people working longer hours, while still weighted down by mortgage debt, credit debt, and the like, the decision to disregard the human infrastructure piece of the Biden agenda, that had passed in the House, no thanks to Republicans, and nearly had passed in the Senate, again with zero Republican support, in my view, was a mistake.
Simply put, Democrats have to be willing to engage in war. The other side has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to attain and hold power. Therefore, it is incumbent upon Democratic leadership, receipts in hand, to say to the country, “This is what we have tried to deliver and these folks have voted against it—extension of the child tax credit, paid family and medical leave, a $15 hourly minimum wage, affordable, quality childcare, universal Pre-K, investments in housing, in eldercare, in impactful expanded ACA subsidies…”
My point, and note I haven’t mentioned what Biden and the Party, indeed, have delivered, is that Democrats have an extraordinary narrative, if only they would deliver it. Were I a player in the Party, given the opportunity to address the country, I would say, receipts in hand, “America, when they didn’t care about you, we did.”
I believe it's a combination of "all of the above", but primarily the media. Even "friendly" media has devolved to a focus on the negative. Few news sources are objective, and it seems it's more profitable to keep the political conflict and culture wars front and center. Shame on the Fourth Estate. They have sold out for the bottom line and may well bring this nation down.
I wish the media would do better job of publicizing Biden’s achievements. In fact, the Democratic Party needs to do a better job of framing and packaging the many successes of our party and leaders. It’s almost like they’re apologizing and there is absolutely nothing to apologize for. Biden’s doing an amazing job.
I thought his speech was very inspiring and presented with warmth and concern for our country and our world. He spoke for at least75 minutes and never looked at a script. He acknowledged a number of citizens who had been invited to come due to pain they had endured which he was proposing ways to reverse. I am grateful for his numerous accomplishments for lower income Americans who’ve struggled for many years and whose lives will now have a chance to improve. And for building more income equality by increasing taxes on the wealthy. Many thanks to our President and may he have more success for our people and the world.
Biden is sensible, not sensational.
I'm sorry to say but I think, with about fifty percent of our population living in poverty and debt, and so much of so many people's attention being absorbed by some sort of "screen time", we have been so dumbed-down that the majority just don't think well. We actually can not figure out what is true and what is false. The broadcast media, at the behest of their corporate owners, intentionally miss-leads and spreads half-truths. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite and the real news anchors. Look at the "NEWS," it's just a superficial show on a stage. The content is largely dumb, irrelevant trash. So we are truly a dumbed-down society and if the younger generations don't pick up the ball, I guess the supper-rich will continue to destroy our Democracy and the rest of our society will decline into abject poverty, disease, despair and death. It is obvious our civilization is in speedy decline: we can't seem to pour enough money into military and all new highly "advanced" nuclear devices that will probably kill us before climate change. Why have we not even begun to deal with Climate? The world COP meetings are a joke. But Davos Billionaire meetings seem to produce results. So, ya, we are uneducated, uniformed and un-empowered. Another "great"? empire coming to an end. And even if we manage to re-arrange some deck chairs, we are going down by the head. Of course there are some outstanding exceptions, but I believe that for the most-part, the American ruling class has been as mean and brutal as any in human history. And we probably do not deserve to continue. It dose make me very sad to know we will take most of the wonderful, innocent species of this planet with us.......well, not "with us" I trust they will make it to heaven. Most of us will not. So, My advice is be kind, do some good while we can, and appreciate what we have for now.
Not that the party without a policy platform & a propensity to elect questionable standard-bearers could ever be to blame, but... maybe their reality-distortion technology is in full effect?
Abstractly, it's a *guaranteed* recipe for success: assure deflation of expectations, ensure they aren't met (especially if the other guy is getting the credit), and then insure another round of the same (because who could honestly expect any differently after the fact?).
> = |
PS: Policies take time to have an effect; perhaps the lag leaves everyone unsatisfied?
62% of the US public don’t or can’t read. Their opinions are formed by sound bites.
the mainstream media are owned by rich bastards like rupert murdoch, ATT, warren buffett, the hearst family, the forbes family, and jeff bezos, to name just a few of these ultra-wealthy human rights abusers, and basically, despite the fact that most journalists are political and social liberals, if they want to keep their jobs (which are astonishingly poorly paid and compensated to begin with), they have to kiss the ring. so they are part of this vast conspiracy of gaslighting and brainwashing of the public that has swept most of the free world in service of their masters' runaway greed.
Most press want to set Biden up for criticism rather than just reporting his real achievements. His colleagues need to toot the horn more too. It’s become a “who screams loudest to shock people” game led by right wing media and naïve Republicans.
The 'low approval ratings' that were mentioned on MSNBC on several shows, were from polls (that were not even identified), which just do not reflect the FACT that the midterms and the last presidential election showed that voters prefer President Biden, period.
As you suggest in your choices "The problems[do] remain so huge" for many in this country.
What Biden has been able to accomplish is impressive, but the socioeconomic trauma ordinary Americans have had endure since the Reagan Presidency will take decades to undue, if we're fortunate enough to continue on the path Biden is forging, without more destructive republican presidencies in the near future.
But, I also think Americans are just plain worn out (I know I am, as are my friends).
Moreover, so many people died needlessly from a badly-managed COVID-19 response from the Trump Administration and more still have been affected by these deaths, including long COVID.
Add to the above, a never-ending election cycle, fueled by corporate media, political consultants and pollsters and it's just exhausting.
I think this is why there is a certain disconnect with Biden's polling numbers and his accomplishments.