Why Biden's Speech Can't Avert Dems' Defeat, Polarizes Nation Further

With less than a week left before the midterms, US President Joe Biden delivered a speech warning that the "democracy is at risk" and chastising Republicans as election deniers and MAGA extremists. Will this help to sway likely voters to the Democratic camp?

"The 2022 election is about to make its last turn, and the polls show that voters are overwhelmed by inflation and economic concerns," said Professor David Woodard, Clemson University political scientist and former political consultant for Republican congressmen.

"Those issues have an intensity that makes other matters irrelevant, and they favor the Republicans. The president has no way to address these problems except through scare tactics - and that is what he is doing! American voters don't think that democracy is in trouble, they think the economy is crashing and Joe Biden is the reason why."

According to various surveys, inflation is continuing to top the list of concerns of likely American voters. An Ipsos poll indicated that nearly half of respondents view rising costs (31%) or the economy (15%) as the most important problem facing the United States. Monmouth University's October study showed that Independents are most likely to give preference to economic issues (61%) over threats to democracy and human rights (29%).

A Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey found that 26% of respondents ranked inflation as the most important issue influencing their voting preferences, while another 22% named the economy as the top matter. Other burning issues included abortion rights (19%), illegal immigration (8%), climate change (8%) and violent crime (7%). Just two percent (2%) of voters name either the war in Ukraine or LGBTQ rights as crucial for them in the November midterms.

However, none of the top burning issues were mentioned by Biden in his Wednesday speech at Union Station in Washington. Instead, the US president largely focused on criticizing his political opponents, calling them nothing short of a threat to democracy.

One should bear in mind that Biden sought to "galvanize the Democratic base" in the first place, argued Dr. Harvey Schantz, professor of political science at State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

"Biden’s talk was an event of the Democratic National Committee, a non-governmental organization, clearly demonstrating the partisan nature of the speech," the professor explained. "In this speech Biden was trying to galvanize the Democratic base to turnout to vote more than he was trying to persuade Americans of different political persuasions to change their views."

Even though the president's speech "might sway some independent or undecided voters, some in the Democratic Party believe the focus should be on kitchen table issues like bringing down the cost of gas, groceries, and energy," highlighted Quardricos Driskell, adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Political Management of The George Washington University, policy influencer and federal lobbyist.

The professor pointed out that with "inflation on the rise amid a recession," people "need to hear relief and solutions."

"While Biden’s speech has illuminated clear differences between the two parties that extend to the fate of democracy itself, I am not convinced voters are thinking about the larger existential issues," Driskell said. "Perhaps this is why some members of President Biden’s party have been vocal that they want a younger, more popular, and more progressive Democratic nominee on the 2024 ticket. He has to be able to inspire, set a vision for society and articulate solutions."

'Hoover Flags'

Still, it is unlikely that the US president's narrative would influence voters who appear to be overwhelmed with the economic downturn, said David Woodard, while drawing some historic parallels:

"I have mentioned before that in 1930 - not just the presidential election of 1932, but at the midterm election of 1930 - Democrats rose to majority party status after 'Black Tuesday' and the Wall Street Crash of 1929," he said. "The voters had one year to wait, but on Election Day they delivered a blow against [Republican President Herbert] Hoover and the GOP."

Woodard recalled that unemployed people in the 1930s pulled their pants pockets out and let them hang in the wind - they were called "Hoover Flags."

"The same train is coming again, and it will crush the Democrats," the professor predicted. "I've told you before, and I'll say it again, I expect a 40-seat gain for the GOP in the House and 4-seat gain for the GOP in the Senate."

'Protecting the Soul of the Nation'

While the theme of "protecting the soul of the nation" was central to Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, now the president has found his country extremely polarized.

"Biden promised to move past this polarization, but he underestimated the difficulty of the task," deems Harvey Schantz. "Biden is not responsible for party divisions, but rather, I think, mired in them, as our most current political leaders."

Yet, a string of failures by the Biden administration is likely to backfire upon the president and the Democrats at the polls, according to Woodard.

"Biden has a 'theme of protecting the soul of the nation' because he has no other accomplishment - not domestic or foreign - that makes sense to voters," the professor said. "He failed in Afghanistan, with China and in Europe; and at home his 'green' policies have cut into the lives of every American trying to make a living facing rising expenses. People reject the president in hard times, they mock him … What is Biden's legacy? It's out-of-touch, it's senile, it's uninvolved and forgetful of the problems which we have to face each day."