In a pre-Christmas press briefing before his departure for a festive retreat aboard the presidential helicopter, President Joe Biden voiced his dissatisfaction with the media’s portrayal of the economy and his administration’s efforts to combat inflation.
Addressing the press on December 26, 2023, President Biden urged reporters to “report it the right way,” expressing a desire to redirect the prevailing narrative surrounding the nation’s economic outlook. The President’s comments, made just days before the dawn of the new year, were promptly disseminated by the White House, shedding light on his frustration with the current media narrative.
A transcript released on Sunday emphasized President Biden’s insistence on a more accurate depiction of his administration’s economic policies and their consequential impact. As 2023 concludes, recent data from Gallup reveals a modest uptick in Americans’ confidence in the economy.
Despite this improvement, a significant portion of the population remains skeptical, with four in five U.S. adults characterizing economic conditions as “only fair.” A substantial 45% perceive the state of the economy as “poor,” while a mere three percent describe it as “excellent,” and 19% label it as “good.”
The Biden Administration, attributing persistent negative public sentiment to media coverage, has actively pursued economic revitalization through its Bidenomics plan. In response to questions about the economic outlook for 2024, President Biden asserted, “All good. Take a look. Start reporting it the right way.”
This criticism of media coverage is not new. In September, following the release of the monthly jobs report, President Biden characterized reporters as “not the happiest people in the world” due to their intense focus on inflation and recession speculation, as reported by The Hill.
This recent admonition underscores the President’s ongoing frustration with what he perceives as a disproportionate emphasis on negative economic indicators. The December poll also revealed President Biden’s current job approval rating, experiencing a modest increase from 37% in October and November to 39%.
Despite this marginal improvement, his rating remains the lowest among modern-day presidents seeking a second term in the White House. The challenges posed by economic concerns, inflationary pressures, and media scrutiny have contributed to the uphill battle for approval faced by the Biden Administration.