National politics reporter Eva McKend had some advice for President Biden on Tuesday’s CNN Tonight on how he could fix his falling approval ratings: go further left on everything from the environment, crime, immigration, and abortion. McKend warned that simply relying on young voters being appalled at Republican “vicious attacks… on trans folks” may not be enough to win re-election.
Host Alisyn Camerota kicked off the segment by reporting “President Biden's latest approval ratings are weak as he launches his re-election campaign. That is especially true of one key constituency. Young progressive voters aged 18 to 29.”
She then introduced McKend and asked, “Eva’s been doing a lot of reporting on this. So, Eva, why are young progressive souring on the president?”
McKend, whose official CNN bio hypes her as someone who hectored Sen. Mitch McConnell on reparations, climate change, and Donald Trump’s impeachment, described the current White House as one that does not really care about young people, “They feel as though they aren't being listened to or they are being engaged at the White House, but they describe these interactions as perfunctory.”
Proceeding to run off a list of issues, McKend began with “this Alaska drilling project that the administration approved. Now, the administration will say that that was already in the pipeline, and no pun intended, and that they had to do it. But also, there have been some other high-profile reversals as well, Alisyn, on public safety issues as well as immigration.”
McKend also noted, “they are telling us that it is not enough for the White House, for President Biden, to keep telling -- and Democrats at large -- to keep telling these young people, consider the alternative. You know, they have to come with a compelling, inspiring message.”
Moving beyond approval ratings to hypothetical election matchups, Camerota wondered, “Well, is that true, Eva, because if let's say it’s a race between President Biden and President Trump, these young progressives are not going to vote for President Trump, right? So, what is their -- what would they do, sit it out? Is that what they're saying?”
McKend affirmed that is a possibility because “I think that also we are sort of hearing that there is this skepticism about the effectiveness of the electoral process, right? I voted and I'm seeing the erosion of reproductive rights.”
Perhaps, McKend should’ve informed these young people that other people vote too. Instead, she raised the possibility that hatred for Republicans may be enough for Democrats, “Now, Republicans, though, are talking about, I think, some of the issues dear to this constituency in a way that is problematic, that it might push them to the other side. So, for instance, when we talk about trans youth, these young people, if you are a young person in this country, you are more likely to know someone who is trans, have someone who is trans in your family. You're not talking about them in the abstract.”
At the same time, she warned it might not be as she got in her own attacks against Republicans, “And so, these very vicious attacks that we see on trans folks across the country, that is deeply personal to these voters. And so, they could be so outraged by that on the other side that it may prompt them to support President Biden and Democrats, but it might not be enough.”
At no point was there any consideration of the practical effects of a more-leftward approach to crime, immigration, or any of the other issues McKend raised or how that may also impact Biden’s poll numbers.
This segment was sponsored by Sandals.
Here is a transcript for the May 9 show:
CNN Tonight
5/9/2023
11:41 PM
ALISYN CAMEROTA: President Biden's latest approval ratings are weak as he launches his re-election campaign. That is especially true of one key constituency. Young progressive voters aged 18 to 29. Eva’s been doing a lot of reporting on this. So, Eva, why are young progressive souring on the president?
EVA MCKEND: So, me and my colleague, Gregory Krieg, we spoke to young activists across the country. And essentially, they feel as though they aren't being listened to or they are being engaged at the White House, but they describe these interactions as perfunctory.
One of the key issues was this Alaska drilling project that the administration approved. Now, the administration will say that that was already in the pipeline, and no pun intended, and that they had to do it. But also, there have been some other high-profile reversals as well, Alisyn, on public safety issues as well as immigration.
And they are telling us that it is not enough for the White House, for President Biden, to keep telling -- and Democrats at large -- to keep telling these young people, consider the alternative. You know, they have to come with a compelling, inspiring message.
CAMEROTA: Well, is that true, Eva, because if let's say it’s a race between President Biden and President Trump, these young progressives are not going to vote for President Trump, right? So, what is their -- what would they do, sit it out? Is that what they're saying?
MCKEND: Well, they could sit home, they could stay at home. And, you know, it is -- I think that also we are sort of hearing that there is this skepticism about the effectiveness of the electoral process, right? I voted and I'm seeing the erosion of reproductive rights.
Now, Republicans, though, are talking about, I think, some of the issues dear to this constituency in a way that is problematic, that it might push them to the other side. So, for instance, when we talk about trans youth, these young people, if you are a young person in this country, you are more likely to know someone who is trans, have someone who is trans in your family. You're not talking about them in the abstract.
And so, these very vicious attacks that we see on trans folks across the country, that is deeply personal to these voters. And so, they could be so outraged by that on the other side that it may prompt them to support President Biden and Democrats, but it might not be enough.
