Let's be honest. The Biden-Trump debates could be a welcomed break for angry voters.
Great news, everyone: Joe Biden and Donald Trump have agreed to hold two debates. If you want a preview, just watch some old episodes of “The Muppet Show” where those two old guys bicker in the balcony.
To be fair, I’m surprised either candidate agreed to these no-win campaign stunts. Scheduled for June 27 and Sept. 10, the debates promise to be a minefield of gaffes that will take years off the lives of any staffers cringing in the wings.
If no one falls off the dais or starts chewing the lectern, both sides will call it a success.
Neither candidate is popular, to put it kindly. According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, 48% of registered voters support Biden, 49% support Trump – and 49% want both candidates kicked off the ballot.
A couple of old geezers talking smack
That last sentiment grows the younger the sample gets. Two-thirds of voters under 30 say they would replace both candidates if they had the chance.
At least I’m young at heart.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020, since then he hasn’t shown up for a debate,” Biden said Wednesday in a post on X. “Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal.”
Presidential polls are useless: Will Trump win? Will Biden? Nobody has a crystal ball.
Trump, for his part, said Biden was the “WORST debater I have ever faced – He can’t put two sentences together!” He ended his Truth Social post with, “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!”
Oldest democracy on the planet or “Jerry Springer” promo: You be the judge.
Trump has legal troubles, Biden has polling blues
While the race has remained steady, the bad news for both candidates keep rolling in.
Trump’s biggest headlines cover his tawdry criminal hush money trial in New York. He will be sure to trigger endless “he said what?” outrages through November.
Soon, Biden will face the expected start of two criminal trials for his son Hunter.
Polls haven’t shifted for the ex-president, but Biden’s polling doldrums are ringing alarm bells at the Democratic National Committee. Reelection battles are a judgment on the incumbent, and the people seem eager for a change no matter who replaces the White House occupant.
Recently completing his 13th quarter in the Oval Office, Biden received the lowest average approval rating (38.7%) ever recorded. The previous record holder was President George H.W. Bush at 41.8%, just months before his reelection loss to Bill Clinton.
With Election Day just six months away, Biden is in a weaker position than any prior president.
Voters aren't happy. That's a bad sign.
This is Biden’s lowest quarterly average to date, and events don’t promise a rebound. He’s ticked off backers on both sides in the Israel-Gaza conflict, illegal crossings at our southern border remain high, and inflation still burdens the economy.
In April, Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index dropped 9 points from March, with just 24% of U.S. adults saying economic conditions are “excellent” or “good,” and 67% saying they are getting worse.
When asked which candidate would best handle the economy, 38% chose Biden and 46% chose Trump.
Biden should drop out: How can the president save America from Trump's return to the White House? Drop out of the race.
The bad results should surprise no one.
Last week, inflation hit a cumulative 20% since Biden took office. Grocery prices have increased by nearly a third and gas has risen by half.
Debates may actually be a good break
The White House can engage in all the happy talk it wants, but it won’t affect the sinking feeling consumers get every time they visit the department store or their favorite restaurant.
Here in Arizona, a state crucial to Biden’s slim victory in 2020, it’s not looking good for the incumbent. Based on the average of 41 surveys, The Hill has Trump leading Biden by 6 points.
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Similar results have been seen in other battleground states, including Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina.
Barring some health crisis or black swan event, the contest will continue to grind on, leaving few voters excited or hopeful for the near future. At least we have the debates to look forward to.
Jon Gabriel, a Mesa resident, is editor in chief of Ricochet.com and a contributor to The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, where this column first published. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @exjon
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump, Biden presidential debates can't make things any worse