The state of the economy in the United States will depend on who you ask. President Joe Biden loudly affirms that "everything is fine" and even went so far as to instruct the media on the matter, asking them to " On the voters' side, the campaign is totally different.

According to recent surveys, such as ABC's, 57% disapprove "somewhat or strongly" of the Democratic president's economic performance. What are these numbers due to? From measuring the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the unemployment rate and other indicators that Biden rejoices in, voters refer to their ability to buy and save and the extent to which they can meet their daily needs. According to the aforementioned media, "the general feeling that everything has gotten a little worse."

This disconnection between the White House and the dinner table is precisely what worries the Democratic Party ahead of the November elections, in which Biden is being defeated in almost all the key states.

"Their desire to claim credit is a huge obstacle"

For David Axelrod, Barack Obama's longtime strategist, Biden's enthusiasm and voters' pessimism about the economy will not make a good combination in November.

“This has been a constant, constant problem. His desire to claim credit is a huge obstacle to connecting with voters on this issue. We learned this in 2011 and 2012. You can cite data until the cows come home, but what counts is how people are perceiving the economy,” he said in dialogue with The Wall Street Journal.

According to this medium, this line of thinking is increasingly growing in the White House itself. "Some aides are pushing for a message that makes empathy toward the economic plight of certain Americans more central. Some noticed a preview of that direction when the president described the April inflation report in a statement, writing, 'I know many families are struggling, and that even though we’ve made progress we have a lot more to do,'" the article written by Catherine Lucey and Ken Thomas reads.

Jared Bernstein, president of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, expressed along the same lines. He noted that the president is fully aware that “families are still struggling with high prices” but that “it would be bad practice not to elaborate on some very important economic advances that occurred during his term.”

Inflation, President Biden's weak point

Biden's main problem is not in the unemployment numbers or wage growth but in the inflation numbers. The widespread and constant price increase during his administration even led the famous Big Mac to almost double in price.

According to the Investopedia portal, the Joe Biden administration has the highest average inflation since Jimmy Carter. Indeed, the current president averages an average annual inflation rate of 5.7%, contrasting with the 1.9% that the Trump administration averaged. As for Carter, he averaged 9.9% year over year.

Indeed, a Cook Political Report survey of swing states found that 54% of voters named the cost of living as "the best measure" for evaluating the performance of an economy. The unemployment rate (13%) and the stock market (6%) were far behind.

"He seems out of touch when he brags about how good the economy is"

Republicans are fine with both of these. Trump's campaign is making immigration and the economy central themes of its rhetoric. Regarding the latter, its strategists focus on the inflation of the most typical consumer goods.

"Workers and families are literally paying the price for Joe Biden 's failed economic policies, with prices on household essentials like gas, food, rent, and diapers skyrocketing," the former president's spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, recently indicated.

“He looks out of touch when he is bragging about how good the economy is,” said Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska, who represents a district that Biden won in 2020.

Finally, progressives encouraged the president to focus his speech on a class struggle, specifically on "people versus the powerful," suggested Faiz Shakir, former campaign manager for Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Biden is expected to increase his appearances in the media to show his dismay at the price increase ahead of the first debate with Donald Trump, scheduled for June 27.