Joe Biden’s Strange Itinerary Leading Into the 2022 Midterms
“…It is not clear how candidates may benefit from having a president with a dismal approval rating campaign with them. The RealClear Politics (RCP) Average places President Joe Biden’s job approval nearly 10 points underwater. That was before the announcement of an inflation rate of 8.2% Thursday morning. Still, Biden has travel plans ahead of November 8th and appears determined to do what he can to affect the outcome.
Biden’s impact on the campaign trail seems just as likely to benefit Republicans as the Democrats he is supporting. This uncertainty makes some of Biden’s trips even more questionable. On Wednesday, he appeared in Colorado to support incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet for Senate. Colorado has shifted from purple to solid blue over the last several election cycles. There are whispers that Governor Jared Polis (D) may want to run for president.
The RCP average has Bennet leading his Republican challenger, Joe O’Dea, by nearly eight points. Maybe White House staff figured it would make Biden feel like he was contributing in a state where he can’t screw it up. His team likely knows that President Barack Obama was right when he said, “Never underestimate Joe’s ability to f*** things up.”
During Biden’s speech, he said his son Beau “lost his life in Iraq.” Beau Biden died of brain cancer in Delaware in 2015, after leaving his post in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 2009. During Beau’s yearlong active duty service, he spent seven months in Iraq and returned home. Biden’s comments are part of a pattern where he attempts to link the death of his son to Beau’s military service. His comments in Colorado are the most egregious attempt to date and earned widespread criticism. The appearance certainly didn’t help Bennet and may have hurt him. Biden’s net approval in Colorado is -3, according to Civiqs.
On Friday, the president will participate in a grassroots volunteer event with Oregon Democrats. The next day he will participate in a reception for Democrat gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek. According to RCP, Kotek’s Republican challenger, Christine Drazan, is holding a three-point lead…”
