Biden Targets Trump’s White House Record as Poll Worries Mount
WASHINGTON—President Biden has steered clear of talking about former President Donald Trump’s mounting legal problems. Trump’s record, however, is another story. Biden is in the early stages of seeking to define Trump’s record as president, reminding voters about how “the last guy" in the White House managed the economy and a spate of domestic issues.
Biden advisers say he will continue to contrast his record with Trump’s on the economy in the coming weeks, as well as on spending priorities with House Republicans ahead of a potential partial government shutdown in late September. Polls make clear why the task is urgent for Biden. A recent Wall Street Journal survey showed Biden tied with Trump in a hypothetical matchup, with each receiving 46% of the vote.
Only 37% of respondents approved of Biden’s handling of the economy while 51% felt Trump had a strong record of accomplishments as president, compared with 40% for Biden. Asked who has a vision for the future, 52% of respondents said Trump did, while 44% said Biden did. Democrats are preoccupied by ample evidence that voters either don’t know about Biden’s legislative wins or don’t give him credit for them, so the idea that voters think Trump accomplished more is especially worrisome for the incumbent.
Biden is rarely heard in public uttering the name, “Trump," and he has avoided commenting on his predecessor’s criminal indictments. But he can’t avoid the topic altogether, as the former president holds a commanding lead in the Republican primaries and appears well-positioned to earn a rematch of the 2020 campaign. “The pressure to start going after Trump more forcefully has grown as Trump has solidified his support inside the GOP primary contest, while at the same time
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