Throughout Donald Trump’s tenure in office, polls showed he was one of the most unpopular presidents in recent history. That made sense — Trump was bad at governing and seemed almost as if he were trying to be disliked. But for almost two years now, Joe Biden has been just as unpopular as Trump was, and at times even more so. That’s not necessarily bad for the Democrats. But it’s bad for democracy.
The numbers behind Biden’s unpopularity are easy to understand. Like Trump, he has almost universal support within his own party, virtually none from the opposite party and terrible numbers among independents. Biden’s approval with Democrats is 84 percent, according to Gallup polling, similar to Trump’s 87 percent from Republicans midway through this third year in office. Biden is at 33 percent approval among independents, same as Trump in May 2019. (In contrast, Bill Clinton was at 56 percent with independents halfway through his third year, George W. Bush at 62, Barack Obama at 46. Bush’s numbers were very high in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.)
Biden has a 4 percent approval rating among Republicans. That’s much worse than Clinton (20 percent) and Obama (16 percent) but not unlike Trump’s 8 percent among Democrats.
ADVERTISING
What’s harder to understand is why Biden is so unpopular. There are some obvious reasons that he is not loved. Inflation is unusually high. Negative partisanship has grown substantially since Clinton’s tenure — it’s not clear any president could have 20 percent approval from people in the opposite party. The president’s centrist, bipartisan approach likely ensures a bloc of younger and more progressive Democrats won’t be thrilled with him. Voters in Britain, Canada, France and numerous other countries are also dissatisfied with their leaders, according to polls, so perhaps it’s almost impossible to be a popular politician in 2023.
Finally, even though Biden defeated Trump and Hillary Clinton didn’t, Biden is in many ways similar to Clinton, who was also never very popular. Both are skilled at behind-the-scenes governing and appealing to older stalwart Democratic voters on the campaign trail but struggle to connect with younger and less engaged voters.
But I’m not sure that all adds up to Biden being as unpopular as Trump. The president is not perfect. But he has hired competent advisers, successfully managed crises such as the potential debt default, enacted legislation that polls well with the public, reached deals with the opposite party, made smart decisions on foreign policy, and acted with dignity and grace.
It’s striking that Biden, who makes a great effort to reach out to Republicans — both lawmakers and voters — is so hated by them, significantly more than Obama was. Fox News and other factors driving partisan polarization existed during Obama’s presidency. And unlike Trump, Biden does not talk or make policy as if he were president of only half the country. (Biden, of course, sometimes is quite partisan and harsh. Two years ago, he, appropriately in my view, likened a Georgia voting law to “Jim Crow 2.0,” infuriating conservatives so much that they still regularly complain about this remark.)
Nor is it obvious why independents aren’t responding favorably to Biden’s numerous bipartisan deals. After all, some governors are quite popular. And they tend to be Biden-ish moderates, such as Republican Phil Scott of Vermont (81 percent approval according to Morning Consult) and Democrat Andy Beshear of Kentucky (60 percent).
If I told you in June 2020 that in June 2023 businesses would be totally reopened as if the pandemic had never happened, that unemployment would be low, Black unemployment its lowest-ever, and that major climate change and infrastructure laws had passed, I think you would have been very surprised to learn that Biden’s approval ratings would be virtually the same as Trump’s.
You might argue approval ratings don’t matter. And in some important ways, they don’t. Biden has been able to get a lot of legislation enacted. The Democrats did better in last November’s midterm elections than any party in control of the White House since 2002. And Biden will be the clear favorite if Trump wins the GOP nomination, as seems likely right now.
Press Enter to skip to end of carousel
But Biden’s dismal numbers are worrisome for four reasons. First and most important, the United States desperately needs models of effective leadership that can be emulated. We are in a time of deep distrust of leaders and institutions, from the government to the police to churches. I don’t agree with everything the president does, but if we had more people in charge mirroring Biden’s calm, optimistic, inclusive style, the country would be much better off.
The numbers behind Biden’s unpopularity are easy to understand. Like Trump, he has almost universal support within his own party, virtually none from the opposite party and terrible numbers among independents. Biden’s approval with Democrats is 84 percent, according to Gallup polling, similar to Trump’s 87 percent from Republicans midway through this third year in office. Biden is at 33 percent approval among independents, same as Trump in May 2019. (In contrast, Bill Clinton was at 56 percent with independents halfway through his third year, George W. Bush at 62, Barack Obama at 46. Bush’s numbers were very high in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.)
Biden has a 4 percent approval rating among Republicans. That’s much worse than Clinton (20 percent) and Obama (16 percent) but not unlike Trump’s 8 percent among Democrats.
ADVERTISING
What’s harder to understand is why Biden is so unpopular. There are some obvious reasons that he is not loved. Inflation is unusually high. Negative partisanship has grown substantially since Clinton’s tenure — it’s not clear any president could have 20 percent approval from people in the opposite party. The president’s centrist, bipartisan approach likely ensures a bloc of younger and more progressive Democrats won’t be thrilled with him. Voters in Britain, Canada, France and numerous other countries are also dissatisfied with their leaders, according to polls, so perhaps it’s almost impossible to be a popular politician in 2023.
Finally, even though Biden defeated Trump and Hillary Clinton didn’t, Biden is in many ways similar to Clinton, who was also never very popular. Both are skilled at behind-the-scenes governing and appealing to older stalwart Democratic voters on the campaign trail but struggle to connect with younger and less engaged voters.
But I’m not sure that all adds up to Biden being as unpopular as Trump. The president is not perfect. But he has hired competent advisers, successfully managed crises such as the potential debt default, enacted legislation that polls well with the public, reached deals with the opposite party, made smart decisions on foreign policy, and acted with dignity and grace.
It’s striking that Biden, who makes a great effort to reach out to Republicans — both lawmakers and voters — is so hated by them, significantly more than Obama was. Fox News and other factors driving partisan polarization existed during Obama’s presidency. And unlike Trump, Biden does not talk or make policy as if he were president of only half the country. (Biden, of course, sometimes is quite partisan and harsh. Two years ago, he, appropriately in my view, likened a Georgia voting law to “Jim Crow 2.0,” infuriating conservatives so much that they still regularly complain about this remark.)
Nor is it obvious why independents aren’t responding favorably to Biden’s numerous bipartisan deals. After all, some governors are quite popular. And they tend to be Biden-ish moderates, such as Republican Phil Scott of Vermont (81 percent approval according to Morning Consult) and Democrat Andy Beshear of Kentucky (60 percent).
If I told you in June 2020 that in June 2023 businesses would be totally reopened as if the pandemic had never happened, that unemployment would be low, Black unemployment its lowest-ever, and that major climate change and infrastructure laws had passed, I think you would have been very surprised to learn that Biden’s approval ratings would be virtually the same as Trump’s.
You might argue approval ratings don’t matter. And in some important ways, they don’t. Biden has been able to get a lot of legislation enacted. The Democrats did better in last November’s midterm elections than any party in control of the White House since 2002. And Biden will be the clear favorite if Trump wins the GOP nomination, as seems likely right now.
Press Enter to skip to end of carousel
But Biden’s dismal numbers are worrisome for four reasons. First and most important, the United States desperately needs models of effective leadership that can be emulated. We are in a time of deep distrust of leaders and institutions, from the government to the police to churches. I don’t agree with everything the president does, but if we had more people in charge mirroring Biden’s calm, optimistic, inclusive style, the country would be much better off.
