President Biden Criticizes Media’s Polling Coverage as He Trails Trump
By Jake Beardslee ·
March 29, 2024
President Biden has been criticizing the media's coverage of polls showing him lagging behind former President Donald Trump in a potential 2024 rematch. The White House/Wikimedia
While campaigning across the country, Biden has frequently complained to donors about the press focusing primarily on unfavorable survey numbers while ignoring positive ones for him. The White House/Wikimedia
"While we probably haven't read a lot about it, in the last few days, there have been several national polls showing us leading now," Biden said during a campaign stop Tuesday in Raleigh, N.C., according to The Hill. Office of the President of the United States/Wikimedia
A recent Quinnipiac poll found Biden at 48% support versus 45% for Trump. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Wikimedia
However, other polls paint a different picture. An aggregation from The Hill and Decision Desk HQ of over 600 polls has Trump with a 0.9% lead over Biden overall. Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
The White House and Biden campaign maintain it's too early to rely heavily on polls, but the president has shown his annoyance with how the media handles voter surveys. The White House/Wikimedia
"While we probably haven't read a lot about it, in the last few days, there has been five national polls. The press – well, I like the press – but they don't talk about it very much. Five national polls having us leading since my State of the Union Address," he said last week in Houston. Office of the President of the United States/Wikimedia
A Biden campaign aide told The Hill their focus isn't on March polls, but on driving voters to the polls in November. Clay Banks/Unsplash
The aide said Biden brings up polls at events because if coverage is viewed as unfair, he must point out positive numbers to donors. Biden for President/Wikimedia
"I think the president is responding to a truism of campaign media coverage, which is that negative polls, by their very nature, draw more press attention," Democratic strategist Katie Grant Drew told The Hill. The White House/Wikimedia
While some recent surveys show Trump ahead in key swing states like Georgia and Arizona, Biden has downplayed their significance months before Election Day. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
"Guess what? None of these polls mean a damn thing this early on, so we just got to keep at it," Biden said on March 19. The White House/Wikimedia
"The president's poll numbers are moving in the right direction. He is right," said David Castagnetti, who worked for John Kerry's 2004 campaign. The White House/Wikimedia
As Labor Day approaches - often a turning point in elections - the Biden team hopes to win over persuadable voters who haven't fully tuned in yet. Clay Banks/Unsplash
"My guess is that we'll see a gradual increase in Biden's lead over Trump throughout the spring and summer," said former Rep. Chris Carney. US Department of Labor/Unsplash
