DOWN GOES JOE
Takes a bike spill as his ratings dive, too
It’s a vicious cycle. President Biden fell off his bicycle Saturday during yet another long weekend at his Rehoboth Beach, Del., vacation home, as the nation’s economy — along with his poll numbers — also continued to stumble.
The 79-year-old commander in klutz dropped to the pavement at 9:40 a.m. and was instantly swarmed by Secret Service agents who rushed to help him to his feet.
“I’m good. I’m good,” insisted Biden, who blamed the spill on his sneaker getting caught in the toe cage on the right pedal of his $599 Trek bike as he tried to dismount.
Biden’s wheely-bad day began around 8:30 a.m. with a leisurely ride through Cape Henlopen State Park with a pack of security agents.
An hour later, as First Lady Jill Biden split away on her own twowheeler, the president cruised over to a group of about 30 locals who had gathered near the press pool to watch him pass by.
“Happy Father’s Day,” a woman said, as others clapped.
But the crowd’s greetings turned to gasps as Biden tipped over, falling on his right elbow and knee.
The White House insisted Biden was “fine” despite the mishap.
“As the president said, his foot got caught on the pedal while dismounting, and he is fine,” the White House said. “No medical attention is needed. The president looks forward to spending the rest of the day with his family.”
But the incident recalled several of his past plunges.
Biden has fallen up the stairs of Air Force One repeatedly during the 16 months of his presidency, most recently on June 8 as he left Washington for an interview with Jimmy Kimmel.
And in December 2020, the then-president-elect broke his foot, later explaining that he was chasing his dog Major after just having taken a shower and slipped while playfully grabbing the pup’s tail. The injury forced him to wear a medical boot for weeks.
Saturday’s tumble came as Biden’s popularity continued to crumble.
His approval rating stands at 39.8%, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average. And a USA Today/Suffolk survey released Friday found 61% of Americans generally disapprove of his job performance, with 47% “strongly” disapproving.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed below the 30,000 mark for the first time since January 2021. The average cost of regular unleaded gas hit an all-time high Tuesday, topping $5 per gallon, and the annual US inflation rate hit a 40-year high of 8.6% in May.
‘That thing is ancient’
Biden, an avid biker, has been riding his well-worn Trek FX 1 Disc, a lightweight hybrid built to take on varied types of terrain, for years.
“That thing is ancient,” said a former Trek employee who identified the model for The Post.
The bike’s pedals have been tricked out with toe cages or clips to boost Biden’s pedaling power. But that addition, coupled with the FX’s traditional “diamond” or “stepover” frame, can make it difficult for less-agile riders to dismount quickly, the employee said.
“I’d say nothing wrong with riding a bike at his age,” the employee said. “But he needs a bike that’s easier to get on and off.”
Once vertical again Saturday, Biden led his pooch Commander over to the spectators and then posed for photos with a girl.
He also briefly spoke with reporters, after first joking, “I’m not going to talk to you on my vacation.”
Biden deflected a question on the gun legislation that is stalled in the Senate and said he planned to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping “soon” about lifting tariffs.
“I’m in the process of making up my mind,” Biden said.
Hours after the spill, Biden danced a jig as he left 4 p.m. Mass at St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach.
A press-pool member asked how he was doing and the president wordlessly hopped up and down with his hands outstretched, then pumped both fists, grinning broadly, as bystanders cheered.