CNN host Dana Bash had a moment of clarity — and honesty — during Thursday’s “Inside Politics” broadcast by admitting what dozens of polls have shown for more than a year: Most of the country isn’t in love with President Joe Biden or his policies.
“There is no way to spin this. CNN reads the country’s mood right now and finds that America is deeply unhappy with Joe Biden. Most Democratic voters hope for change at the top of the ticket, and Americans don’t take the president and his word when he talks about his son Hunter,” she began.
“Our new poll has important new takeaways about 2024. There is deep-rooted dissatisfaction with the incumbent and the direction he is taking the country. There are even deeper doubts about if Mr. Biden is up to the job again,” she added before swinging it over to CNN Political Director David Chalian.
“This is setting off alarm bells inside the Biden campaign in the White House,” he responded, noting the poll. “Overall, his approval rating is down now at 39 percent approved, so more than six in 10 Americans disapprove of the job he’s doing. And you see, he’s been hovering here for a little bit, Dana, since the spring.
“You mentioned that Democrats would like somebody other than Biden as the nominee of their party. That is dramatic. So, two-thirds of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters say that they would like a different candidate to be the Democratic nominee,” Chalian continued.
“Only a third of Democrats and Democratic leaners say they want Joe Biden to be the nominee. And we asked this open-ended question of Democrats and Democratic leaners. What is your biggest concern about a Biden candidacy? It’s not even close, Dana,” he added. “Forty-nine percent say it’s his age, 7 percent mental sharpness, 7 percent health ability to do the job. This is all related to Joe Biden being the oldest president currently serving and obviously asking the country to renew his contract for four more years beyond next year.”
Bash then asked Chalian what a potential rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump looked like in the polling.
“It’s is a dead heat race basically, 47 percent Trump, 46 percent Biden. This is the first time we at CNN, this cycle have tested a general election matchup like this. And this is no clear leaner, well within the margin of error, a real dead heat contest. And you know what, it’s not a contest many Americans are all that psyched about,” he said.
“And Dana, look at some of these attributes for the president. He doesn’t have majority support for any of them. 45 percent of Americans says, he cares about people like you, 33 percent say they’re proud to have Biden as a president. Only 28 percent of Americans says that the president inspires confidence,” he noted further.
WATCH:
