CNN’s Dana Bash was blunt in her assessment of what a recent survey showed about the president's approval ratings on a number of key issues.
The Monmouth University Poll shows Biden’s overall approval rating at 34 percent, the lowest it’s been in Monmouth’s surveys since he took office. But his marks on immigration and inflation are even worse—26 percent and 28 percent, respectively. On climate change he had a 38 percent approval rating, while 42 percent approved of both his handling of jobs and infrastructure.
“You look at the issues and how he fairs: infrastructure, jobs, climate change, inflation, immigration — he is now [at] 26 percent. That is not good,” Bash said.
CNN political analyst Seung Min Kim agreed: “It’s not good at all.”
“And I think that part of the trip yesterday to Mexico by senior Biden administration officials was obviously to have these diplomatic conversations, but also to make the broader administration’s point that this is a regional issue that requires regional cooperation and sort of trying to blunt the criticism from Republicans that you’re hearing over and over saying that these were Biden’s border policies that’s causing these numbers at the border,” she added. “But that certainly doesn’t change the fact that he’s under considerable political pressure over immigration and that his administration is probably preparing to make some significant compromises on immigration next month.”
Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, explained what he believes is driving Biden's numbers on inflation.
“The Biden administration keeps touting their infrastructure investments and a host of positive economic indicators. Those data points may be factual, but most Americans are still smarting from higher prices caused by post-pandemic inflation. This seems to be what’s driving public opinion. There is political danger in pushing a message that basically tells people their take on their own situation is wrong,” he said.