Joe Biden’s cratering popularity reached a shocking new low on Monday as the liberal New York Times found him at just 33 percent approval. Sixty four percent of Democrats want a different candidate. Yet, ABC’s morning and evening shows have so far ignored the latest bad news. CBS and NBC barely noticed the “dismal,” “precarious” position that the President is in.
CBS allowed 23 seconds on Tuesday’s CBS This Morning. NBC managed two minutes and 18 seconds on Monday night and Tuesday morning. On Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie warned Democrats: “The President's poll numbers really dismal.” Reporter Kristen Welker explained the bad news:
These numbers are setting off alarm bells for Democrats. This is new polling from The New York Times/Siena college shows 64 percent of Democratic voters prefer a different candidate in 2024.
However, Welker tried to find the good news for Democrats. She noted, “They also point to this other figure. The fact that President Biden beats former President Trump in a hypothetical match-up by three points.”
On Monday’s NBC Nightly News, Kelly O’Donnell told viewers that Biden’s “political standing appears precarious.” O’Donnell echoed Welker and added a hopeful spin for liberals: “That new polling does offer a positive sign for the White House, showing president Biden a few points ahead of Donald Trump when voters are asked about a potential re-match in 2024.”
Even though CBS Mornings managed just 23 seconds on the bad news, reporter Christina Ruffini also highlighted the hypothetical match up between Trump and Biden.
Now, as the President heads abroad, there’s a new New York Times and Siena College poll that shows that nearly two thirds of Democratic Party voters surveyed think the party should nominate another candidate in 2024. That includes 94 percent of voters under 30. The poll did show, however, Mr. Biden beating Donald Trump in a hypothetical match-up. But it’s clear Democratic voters are looking for new leadership.
Last fall, I explained in a NewsBusters study that the networks covered Trump’s low polls almost twice as much as the cratering Biden. Now that the current President’s numbers are sinking yet again — he’s in the 30s in seven of the last ten Real Clear Politics polls — expect more journalistic sputtering on how to spin this bad news.
Transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
NBC Nightly News
7/11/2022
7:10 PM ETKELLY O’DONNELL: The president hailed the new law as progress as his political standing appears precarious. A new poll from the New York Times finds 64 percent of Democratic voters say they would prefer a different leader in the 2024 election. Mr. Biden's age cited most. He'd be 82 right after the election.
WOMAN: We need some younger people in the office. That's bottom line.MAN: Should be extended to everybody, yeah. You're kind of up there.
O’DONNELL: However the Vice President said Sunday they expect to be in the race.
KAMALA HARRIS: He intends to run, and if he does, I intend to run with him.
O’DONNELL: One clear warning, only 13 percent of Americans said they think the country is on the right track.
SECOND WOMAN: I feel like we're taking so many steps back right now.
...
O’DONNELL: That new polling does offer a positive sign for the White House, showing president Biden a few points ahead of Donald Trump when voters are asked about a potential re-match in 2024. Lester?
CBS Mornings
7/12/2022
7:15CHRISTINA RUFFINI: Now, as the President heads abroad, there’s a new New York Times and Siena College poll that shows that nearly two thirds of Democratic Party voters surveyed think the party should nominate another candidate in 2024. That includes 94 percent of voters under 30. The poll did show, however, Mr. Biden beating Donald Trump in a hypothetical matchup. But it’s clear Democratic voters are looking for new leadership.
Today
7/12/2022
7:11AM ETSAVANNAH GUTHRIE: A separate story in Washington. but always looming, politics, and the president's poll numbers really dismal.
KRISTEN WELKER: These numbers are setting off alarm bells for Democrats. This is new polling from The New York Times/Siena college shows 64 percent of Democratic voters prefer a different candidate in 2024. Perhaps, the most concerning thing for Democrats, age is the biggest issue. At 79, president Biden is actually older than former President Ronald Reagan was in his second term. If you talk to White House officials, they say this is an intractable problem. We can't pass legislation to make this go away. But they point to a couple of other things. One, they say, take a look at history. Former president Bill Clinton had similar poll numbers in 1992. [SIC] He was re-elected.
GUTHRIE: Where Democrats wanted a different candidate.
WELKER: Two-thirds of Democrats at the time said they wanted a different candidate. They also point to this other figure. The fact that President Biden beats former President Trump in a hypothetical match-up by three points. New polling shows that nearly half of Republican primary voters want a different person than former President Trump.
HODA KOTB: That match-up is quite elderly as well. They’re both going to be in their late 70s, 80s.
WELKER: There you go. A lot of voters saying they want to see something new.
