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Five Major Challenges That Could Hinder Biden in 2024

President Biden is facing a challenging new year, grappling with the task of improving his currently low polling numbers and approval ratings ahead of the November election.

Questions regarding his age persist, alongside internal party criticisms regarding his approach to both foreign and domestic policy matters. Concurrently, Republicans are continually targeting him over economic concerns and the business activities of his son. These factors contribute to an approval rating that has struggled to surpass 40 percent for an extended period.

Polls indicate Biden is facing an uphill battle against his likely main opponent in the general election, former President Trump. Trump is currently leading in the polls, including in several pivotal swing states crucial for White House victory. The two have been closely matched in other polls for months, suggesting a potentially tight race ahead.

The article outlines five key issues that could significantly impact Biden’s chances of success in the 2024 election.

Age

At 81, Biden holds the record as the oldest president in U.S. history, and he would be 86 at the conclusion of a second term. Despite doubts due to his age, in April he declared his intention to pursue another term.

Since his announcement, there have been ongoing concerns about his physical endurance and cognitive abilities. Instances such as his fall on stage at the Air Force Academy commencement earlier this year have prompted political commentators to question his fitness for the presidency. Additionally, his occasional gaffes in public speaking, like mistakenly asking for a recently deceased lawmaker at a White House event, have raised eyebrows.

Biden, for his part, has largely addressed these age-related concerns directly, often using humor. For example, at a campaign reception in Massachusetts this month, he quipped that he was “only 40 years old,” playfully adding, “40 times two and one.”

Economy

The White House’s effort to promote its economic policies under the label “Bidenomics” has struggled to resonate with the general public. Despite some positive economic indicators, many Americans still feel their financial situation has not improved under President Biden’s administration. This sentiment persists even though the battle against inflation has shown progress in the past year, and the economy has managed to avoid a recession.

President Biden points to the low unemployment rate, currently at 3.7 percent, as evidence of economic improvement. Inflation, while still a concern, has begun to show a slight decrease, with consumer prices rising 3.1 percent over the last year.

Despite these developments, challenges remain. The Federal Reserve has hinted at possible interest rate cuts in 2024, maintaining the current rate at its December meeting. However, high interest rates continue to affect the housing market significantly and contribute to the rising costs of various goods and services.

The concept of “Bidenomics,” initially coined to encapsulate Biden’s economic strategy aimed at strengthening the economy from the middle class and grassroots level, has seen less usage recently, even by Biden himself, who has not mentioned it in his speeches since November 1.

Approval Rating

As the year comes to a close, President Biden is grappling with a notably low approval rating, with several polls indicating his support remains below 40 percent.

A recent Monmouth University poll revealed only 34 percent approval for Biden’s performance in office, with a significant 61 percent disapproving. Additionally, this poll highlighted that only about 30 percent of Americans feel Biden is adequately addressing their most pressing concerns.

Another poll by the Wall Street Journal recorded Biden’s approval at 37 percent. In this poll, he was also shown to be trailing behind Trump, who has consistently led the GOP primary field by a substantial margin throughout 2023. These polls suggest a closely contested race between Biden and Trump in a potential general election scenario.

Despite Biden’s emphasis on certain achievements, his approval ratings in key areas such as the economy, inflation, job creation, infrastructure, and climate change remain low. This is in contrast to his campaign’s frequent highlighting of accomplishments like reducing unemployment, advancing infrastructure projects, and investing in climate change initiatives during his first term.

Pro-Israel stance

In recent months, following the events of October 7, when Hamas initiated attacks on Israel and the subsequent continuous Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, President Biden’s stance favoring Israel has come under intense scrutiny. This criticism has emerged not only from GOP adversaries but also from within his own Democratic Party.

This stance has particularly drawn protests from progressive groups and younger Americans, who are actively voicing their opposition to the president’s support for Israel and expressing their concerns about the high number of Palestinian casualties. Protests have been a common sight at various locations across the U.S. during Biden’s visits, with demonstrators demanding a cease-fire and, in some instances, labeling him as “genocide Joe.”

Despite the White House’s efforts to highlight its concern for civilian casualties in Gaza and its engagement in coordinating humanitarian aid to the area, these actions have not significantly mitigated the harsh criticism over Israel’s military strategies and Biden’s supportive stance towards Israel. This is despite emerging disagreements between the U.S. and Israel regarding the long-term strategy in the conflict.

A New York Times/Siena poll indicated that only 33 percent of those surveyed approve of Biden’s policy on Israel, which aligns with Israel’s position that a cease-fire could potentially enable Hamas to rebuild and rearm. Recently, approximately two dozen Democratic lawmakers addressed a letter to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging them to advocate for a cease-fire in Gaza.

House Impeachment and His Son

Just before the holiday recess, Republicans initiated an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, setting the stage for a significant challenge for him in the upcoming year.

The inquiry, while potentially risky for Republicans, particularly for those in moderate districts and swing states who must justify this action to their constituents, also intensifies the focus on Hunter Biden, the president’s son.

The core of the impeachment investigation revolves around allegations that President Biden might have improperly influenced policy to benefit the foreign business activities of his family members and claims that the Department of Justice was sluggish in pursuing a tax crimes investigation involving Hunter Biden.

Hunter Biden has chosen to confront the congressional investigation into his past actions publicly, notably making a statement outside the Capitol after defying a subpoena. This approach could complicate matters for the White House, which has made considerable efforts to avoid public discussion of Hunter Biden’s legal troubles.

Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki highlighted these concerns in a recent NBC panel discussion. She indicated that while the president’s paternal love for his son is clear and compelling, the White House would prefer a more low-profile approach from Hunter Biden during this period. Psaki remarked, “This is not helpful to any of them for him to be out there. But, at the same time, the president loves his son. That takes precedent over anything else. That is appealing. But, yes, the White House would like him to probably go away right now.”