Ask Dr. Democrat: When are Biden’s Poll Numbers Going to Improve?


Dear Dr. Democrat,

When/if do you expect President Biden’s approval numbers to exceed 43? Do you think there will be a sudden turn or a gradual one? I guess I’m wondering how you see it playing out since my understanding is that you think Biden will win.

Just Curious in Jacksonville

Dear Curious:

Let’s hope Joe Biden gets a rally-round-the-flag effect from the current international crisis in the Middle East very soon. Bibi Netanyahu sure hasn’t.

Biden’s polling will turn around by the time primary voting starts early next year, if not sooner. We’re having a shadow Democratic primary right now: It’s Biden versus an unknown youthful godlike figure, and the godlike figure is winning. The problem is, he or she is not real. Just like what happened at the end of the primaries in 2020, Biden will be a better choice than an imaginary candidate who never materializes.

Just as importantly, the GOP nominee will be against reproductive freedom, gun sense and climate initiatives — all of which was polling above 60% the last time I checked. Not to mention educational freedom, voting rights, LGBT rights, etc., etc. In other words, a very toxic running very far from mainstream voters.

It’s not going to be easy. It never is. A lot of our coalitions are uneasy and unhappy, as they always are. But every GOP candidate who’s polling around 2% is telling us that he or she is a threat to democracy and opposes all those things our side believes to be essential.

When that threat materializes next year, it will be very motivating indeed.

Ask Dr. Democrat

Dear Dr. Democrat,

The polls are unreliable. The pundits are unfathomable. What’s going to happen in the midterm elections?

Worried in Wimauma

Dear Worried:

You should be.

Republicans will take both houses in the midterms, THEN the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act will kick in, prescription drug prices will fall, Biden’s De-frickin-cember releases from the strategic petroleum reserve will bring down gas prices, and things will start to get better. Republicans will take and get all the credit, and we will be there going, “No, it was us! Really it was! Vote for us again!”

The two botched impeachments, the Mueller report and the way-too-late Jan. 6 Commission will fade like the afternoon sun does without daylight saving time, and new impeachments and investigations, all centered on Democrats, will dominate the news cycles right up to election day 2024…when Ron DeSantis becomes our next president.

Sorry, no balm of Gilead here.

Be careful,

Dr. Democrat

Ask Dr. Democrat: Is Gavin Newsom Getting Recalled?


Dear Dr. Democrat:

Politico says it’s time for concern about efforts to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) — and this is just as he’s about to appoint at least one (but let’s face it, probably two) senators. Should I (we) be concerned?

Half-Baked in Bakersfield

Dear Half-Baked:

Republicans are bestirring themselves in California. That is true. But the article’s reference to the state’s “Republican establishment” is laughable — probably as laughable as Florida’s “Democratic establishment.”

This part is correct:

A recall by Republicans, who still have the albatross of Donald Trump, an unpopular president in solidly blue California, around their necks, remains a longshot. And Democrat Newsom still enjoys the strong approval of the majority of Caifornians, the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll showed.

Hillary won by 4.3 million in California. Biden won by 5 million and change — 11 million to Trump’s 6 million. Newsom is over 60% in the polls.
[…]

Ask Dr. Democrat: Impeaching Trump

Dear Dr. Democrat,

Should I be worried that the Democrats appear to have gone all-in on impeaching Trump?

Tangled Up in Tucson

Dear Tangled,

I hope they have more than we’ve seen so far. Knowing Trump, they do.

Fortunately, the standard for impeachment is a very low bar: perjury in
a civil lawsuit unrelated to the president’s time in office. That rules
in just about every infraction greater than a parking ticket.

I also think we’re at an advantage now because the Trumpsters have been
blindsided and so haven’t had time to muddy up the charges like they did
on the Russia scandal. You wouldn’t know it today but there were 10 or
so charges of obstruction of justice in the Mueller report, for example,
and obstruction of justice was one of the articles in both the Nixon and
Clinton impeachments.

[…]

Dr. Democrat Discusses the Candidates

doctor democratDear Dr. Democrat:

How you are feeling about the 2020 Democratic contenders and who are your early favorites?

I’m impressed big time by Pete Buttigieg, but wish he had a different last name. Also like Kamala Harris and John Hickenlooper (again with the last name! Sheesh!).

Not a fan of Bernie or Biden, but will hold nose and vote Warren, if the need arises.

I’m looking forward to Beto entering the race. He has the GOP running scared.

On the Republican side, I like Bill Weld over the other guy.

Best regards,

Not in the Prediction Biz in Bismarck

[…]

Did Eating Glue Make Stephen Miller Mean?

Dear Dr. Democrat:
Can you explain to me why his third-grade teacher would be “reassigned” to her home for saying Stephen Miller ate dried glue in Santa Monica, California? And do you think eating all that glue is what made him turn out so gosh-darn mean?

— Wondering in Waukegan

Dear Wondering:

Here’s how I suspect it happened. The White House has no pressure point in the California state government. All the elected state officials are Democrats. Dems control both houses of the legislature.The Los Angeles County supervisors are all Dems. They supervise the Los Angeles Unified School District. City of Santa Monica, which is part of LAUSD, is one of the most liberal places in the country. (Tom Hayden was on the city council there for years.)
[…]

Dr. Democrat: Racism Is Alive in L.A. and America

doctor democratDear Dr. Democrat:

I’d be interested in your thoughts on how something like this could happen in Los Angeles. I have always said that racism isn’t a place and the South is a scapegoat that allows the rest of the country to feel good about itself with no merit, but lately we (down here) seem not only equalled but bested by everyone else. Portland, for crying out loud? And now LeBron James in L.A.? Huh?

Despairing in Dixie

Dear Dixie:

One of the most famous racists of our era, Andrew Breitbart, lived and died in LeBron’s Brentwood neighborhood. Another famous resident was OJ Simpson.

And, of course, L.A. has a history of racial tension, like the Watts riots in 1965 and the 1992 riots associated with the Rodney King beating and subsequent trial.

[…]

Dear Dr. Democrat: Gallup Gives Me Gastritis

Dear Dr. Democrat:

doctordemocratsmallI’ve been reading Gallup polling, and it has me worried, though there seems to be good news and bad news. First, the bad:

The average American’s views of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have converged for the first time in Gallup’s yearlong tracking of the images of the two candidates, with Americans giving each exactly the same favorable and unfavorable ratings. The numbers for both candidates, based on interviewing conducted July 18-25, are 37% favorable and 58% unfavorable. In all previous Gallup updates stretching back to last July, Clinton’s net favorable has been higher than Trump’s.

The current period covers the four days of the Republican convention, but also includes the weekend in which Clinton announced her vice presidential running mate and the first night of the Democratic convention. In fact, when the data from Saturday, Sunday and Monday are isolated, the numbers are even slightly more in Trump’s favor — 37%/58% favorable/unfavorable, compared with Clinton’s 36%/59%.

[…]

Dr. Democrat: Don’t Be Fooled by Phony Hillary Email Scandal

doctordemocrat2Dear Dr. Democrat:

In light of this CNN story, which Republican or tea partier do you think will be our next president? Because it damn sure won’t be a Democrat.

Discouraged in Destin

Dear Discouraged:

Don’t be!

Honestly, truly, sincerely, this is nothing. Less than nothing.

Karl Rove wiped 22 million emails in the middle of the U.S. Attorney scandal and the Valerie Plame criminal investigation. Nothing happened to him — in fact, it was barely even a scandal at the time. This is all smoke and mirrors by the GOP. I’ll admit it’s working, but there’s absolutely no “there” there.

[…]