Fox News recently interviewed people in San Francisco and New York and graded how well President Biden and his administration handled the economy. “Horrible. I don’t even want to comment on that,” a man said Keith told Fox News in San Francisco. “I don’t even know if Biden’s conscious sometimes.”
However, Susan, also of San Francisco, thought economic problems were out of Biden’s control. “He’s doing what he can as president in an executive position. This can’t fall on one person,” she said, giving the president a B grade.
Individuals from coastal cities gave President Biden mixed ratings. Answers were split on whether or not the president was responsible, but most agreed the economy was faring poorly. One New Yorker named Giovanni said, “Everything is more expensive. You have to be blind not to see it.” He continued, “From one to 10, I will give [Biden] a two.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation rose 8.3% in August compared to a year ago. However, several people pointed to June’s 9.1% inflation rate, which was the most significant increase in 40 years. “You know, going to the market and buying nothing and spending $50,” said a person named Keith. “You just can’t believe it.”
“How I do it on a day-to-day basis and week-to-week and month-to-month and just survive is unbelievable,” added Keith.
Another New Yorker named Michael said he felt similarly to Keith but refused to give the president a grade. “The economy’s in the s***ter. My stock portfolio is down 70%,” he said. “I’d give him an ‘incomplete’ because he’s not even doing his job,” said Michael. “No grade.”
After the most recent inflation report was released, the Dow dropped 1,200 points, equaling the most significant drop since June 2020. In addition, the U.S. economic growth showed an indication of recession, falling in two consecutive quarters. Keith said he had hoped for “changes in the House” after the November midterms and for “a big change in 2024.” Michael also said he hopes Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is elected to the presidency in 2024.
Many agree: Economy is terrible, but don’t blame Biden
Other individuals interviewed agreed the economy wasn’t doing well but didn’t place the blame on Biden. “He’s trying to do what he can,” said one man interviewed. After giving the president a score of “seven or eight,” he continued, “I know there’s a lot of pushback from his opposition, but that’s going to be the case no matter who’s in office.”
In New York, one man interviewed, Steve, said, “I give him a strong B because handling the economy is not a presidential problem. It’s a Wall Street problem.”
“I think it’d be in shambles no matter who is in there,” said longtime San Francisco resident John. “I wouldn’t want to grade on that.” A woman named Susan echoed him, saying, “Biden is doing everything he can, and he cannot control Everything. He cannot control the Federal Reserve. He cannot control the market.”
Regardless of those interviewed giving Biden a pass, most Americans who spoke with Fox said they faced growing difficulty because of the economy. “Our wages never inflate to compensate for the rise of things around us. It’s kind of difficult for us to keep up,” said New Yorker Jackson.
Some interviewed were more optimistic about the economy. “From what I can tell, the economy has been recovering ever since he was in power,” said Joe in San Francisco. “The confidence that he brought and the stability he’s brought has helped our economy recover in many ways.” He continued, explaining presidents can’t take responsibility when the economy is good but gave the president an A minus.
“Generally speaking, I like the way we’re going now,” said Max, giving the president a B. “Things could be better, but things could be a lot worse.”
