first time under 50%...
He'll be back up with a couple quiet weeks and infrastructure passed
I’m not even worried about the approval rating. The media is driving the Afghanistan removal as a story to bring that down so they have another story: His falling approval rating.
Running Trump content can still get you numbers BUT it’s highly diluted with news networks fully devoted to invoking his name to anything and everything. “MSM” tried to give him credit (for the deal) while blaming him (for the deal) without accurate reporting (on the deal) as Biden tells you this is always going to be this way (because of the framework of the deal).
You know what playbook for ratings has worked since Carter? Democrats infighting because it is a big tent and everyone won’t agree on everything. And many centrist Dems are more than willing to give that opportunity because they feel like they need to reach out to Republicans (white people). (Notice how Pelosi and Schumer have changed how they moved since 2016 or even 2018. Check how they would son Trump without insulting his base. Check how they don’t cater to his base.)
I just want you to remember what it was like when Obama allowed the media to be part of the withdrawal from Iraq. They were part of the story. They loved it. The MIC would still be able to sell weapons. We would always have a presence. If anything, it’s one of the Obama administration’s great moves. A partial withdrawal booked as a “withdrawal” and the media being a central piece in telling the story.
Most people know the latest numbers on COVID are easily the Republicans fault. Most people are glad that the Afghan war is over, but don’t like how it happened. The economy is puttering but people know Dems are actually getting work done to prop it up. If anything, Biden has been as Teflon as Trump….. if not more….. by simply working to get stuff done.
This has been their first chance to really pick him apart and he told them he’ll take the full blame. They will be more than willing to do. But as they squeeze every bit of juice out of this story and everyone finally gets evacuated, the terms of Trump’s deal with the Taliban will become more well-known. People will be disgusted, but won’t care enough. Right wing crazies be on to the next thing. Republicans will continue to deflect.
Biden’s approval rating will be back up. Centrist Dems will fight against the rest of the party for something else. And the media will be still trying to invoke the name of Trump for ratings.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s profitable for everyone.