I still can't quite believe he said it. As Matt noted yesterday, President Biden downplayed economic fears over the weekend, calling the US economy "strong as hell" while eating an ice cream cone. If and when this quote starts cropping up in Republican speeches and ads over the next three weeks -- and it would be malpractice not to pummel the president's party with his words -- brace for an inevitable torrent of "fact checks," "explainers" and "context" from the media about what Biden "really" meant. But he said this out loud:
BIDEN, eating ice cream: "Our economy is strong as hell" pic.twitter.com/x5dyCg14l3
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 16, 2022
The ice cream cone flourish really offers extra Marie Antoinette vibes, making the optics even worse. The aforementioned "context" is that Biden was trying to make a point about the relative strength of the American economy, compared to various global competitors. If journalists start clamoring for nuance here, I'll just note that we didn't see a lot of nuance in press coverage of comments by John McCain or Mitt Romney. Media damage control and spin is generally reserved exclusively for Democrats. Also, inherent in Biden's wider response is the notion that the whole world is suffering economic pain, so what's happening here at home isn't his fault. But as we've pointed out before, contrary to Biden's false claims, inflation has been worse in the US than in much of the advanced world -- largely because of reckless policies and spending enacted exclusively by Democrats. In analyzing last week's unexpectedly bad inflation report, we reminded readers of prominent Democratic economists warning that their party's spending spree was a foolish and harmful inflation bomb, with independent analysts now agreeing that the problem was exacerbated by all the spending:
“Excessive fiscal stimulus provided during the pandemic, particularly the last $1.9T package at the end of March 2021 just as the economy was already emerging from the lockdowns . . . was what turbocharged consumption and drove inflation to 40-year highs.” — Morgan Stanley https://t.co/j2eeEHJMVF pic.twitter.com/8rTOgbOjRl
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) October 13, 2022
More fundamentally, however, Biden's soundbyte is politically tone deaf, almost to a shocking degree. This man's approval rating on the economy is upside down by nearly 20 points. Americans' economic outlook for their own finances has been darkening. A large majority of voters say the US economy is already in a recession, perhaps because it has, in fact, met the long-standing definition of a recession. Last week, the president said Americans shouldn't prepare for a coming recession, claiming that the critics have been wrongly predicting one throughout his presidency. That comment was remarkable because it's divorced from reality. We are in a technical recession. Most people feel a recession. Experts are warning about a much deeper one coming, the likelihood of which increased with the awful inflation numbers. People are paying much more for virtually everything these days, with real wages falling. It's hard out there, and the widespread prediction is that it's going to get harder. And in the final stretch of an election campaign, the president decided to breezily declare the economy "strong as hell" while licking ice cream. He didn't suggest that the situation isn't as dire as some people are suggesting, mind you -- or that despite the difficult time, we have a resilient economy and great workers. No, he went with the triumphal chest-thumping. Out of touch, arrogant, clueless.
Biden has been largely absent from the campaign trail, keeping a strikingly light schedule. Gems like "strong as hell" might explain why very few Democrats outside of deep blue areas are willing to be seen with him in public. Interestingly, one battleground state Democrat is pulling out all the stops to try to win his race, including a visit from POTUS. Is Joe Biden an asset in Pennsylvania?
President Biden will travel to Pennsylvania next week to campaign for Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman, the White House announced Thursday. Mr. Fetterman, who is in a tight, closely watched race against Republican Mehmet Oz, has come under increasing scrutiny since a stroke left him with auditory processing issues and raised questions about his ability to hold office. The president will participate in a reception in Philadelphia for Mr. Fetterman next Thursday, the White House said. Mr. Biden will also make a stop in Pittsburgh...Mr. Biden, who will make a three-state trip out west this week, notably steered clear of stops in Arizona and Nevada, where his presence could hurt Democrats in tight Senate races critical in determining which party controls the upper chamber.
Will Biden and Fetterman speak publicly together? According to Morning Consult, Biden's job approval rating in the Keystone State is 18 points underwater. Meanwhile, another prominent leftist is trying to help Fetterman over the finish line. Are Pennsylvanians eager to send a deadbeat Bernie Bro to the United States Senate on their behalf?
Bernie fundraising for Fetterman, who endorsed Bernie for president pic.twitter.com/dHkAmb5Ho7
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 15, 2022
The Vermont Socialist may soon visit Wisconsin to 'help' Mandela Barnes amid his flagging Senate campaign. That would be quite a tactical decision from a candidate who's increasingly seen as too extreme for the state. I'll leave you with a reminder that Biden's "strong as hell" comment is just the latest version of insulting economic nonsense he's been spouting for months. Remember this?
Joe Biden: “We have the fastest growing economy in the world”
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 9, 2022
The economy shrank last quarter. pic.twitter.com/MYirE2dRU7
"We have the fastest-growing economy in the world. The world. The world,” he told Democratic operative Jimmy Kimmel back in June. Even CNN couldn't stomach that lie, which was uncorked by the president after the US economy had already contracted in Q1, just weeks prior to a second consecutive quarter of GDP contraction being announced. Perhaps Biden would be better served simply not speaking about the policy mess he's created, and focus instead on easier topics like his family. On second thought, perhaps not.
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