Poll shows a dip in support for Biden
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is facing a summer slump, with Americans taking a notably less positive view of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his job approval rating ticking down.
A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 54 percent of Americans approve of Biden’s job performance, down slightly from 59 percent last month. While that’s still a relatively solid rating for a president during his first year in office, particularly given the nation’s deep political polarization, it’s a worrying sign for Biden as he faces the greatest domestic and foreign policy challenges of his presidency so far.
The biggest warning sign for the president in the survey centers on his handling of the pandemic. Last month, 66 percent of Americans approved of his stewardship of the public health crisis; now, that number has fallen to 54 percent, driven by a drop in support from Republicans and independents.
That decline in support coincides with other storm clouds gathering over Biden’s presidency, most notably the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as U.S. troops withdraw and the Taliban cement their control of the country.
The poll, conducted Aug. 12-16, as news of the Taliban’s movement into Kabul was widely reported in the United States, shows Americans about evenly divided over Biden’s handling of foreign policy (47 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove) and national security (52 percent approve, 46 percent disapprove).
Still, Biden’s advisers believe his presidency is likely to rise or fall on his handling of the pandemic. As recently as early summer, the White House was all but declaring victory over the virus. Polling showed Biden winning plaudits for his approach to the pandemic not only from nearly all Democrats, but also a healthy share of Republicans.
Some of that support has eroded as a dangerous new strain of COVID-19 takes hold, worries about the virus grow and vaccination rates in the U.S. stall, leading more communities, businesses and schools to reinstate restrictions such as mask mandates.
Republican officials have led the opposition to the vaccine and mask measures that the Biden administration has put in place this summer. The August AP-NORC poll shows just 21 percent of Republicans approve of Biden on COVID-19, down from 32 percent last month and 43 percent in June. Among independents, 44 percent now support his handling of the pandemic, down from 72 percent last month.
Another metric to watch: Americans have soured somewhat on the direction of the country, with 39 percent saying the nation is headed in the right direction, while 61 percent say it’s the wrong direction. Last month, 44 percent said the nation is headed the right way.