New moniker for Biden: The ‘absentee president’

NEWS AND OPINION:

This handy little term has emerged at an opportune time. A lot of voters and several news organizations have been monitoring President Biden’s frequent absences from the White House these days. Many are paying attention to the actual numbers, and doing a little math.

People have begun to realize that Mr. Biden spent “40% of his first term on vacation” according to a handy summary of the trend from HotAir.com

“Perhaps it shouldn’t be all that surprising that an election in 2020 that featured an unprecedented number of absentee ballots has produced an absentee president. But that’s apparently what we have now in the United States and the numbers don’t lie. The Republican National Committee is quickly moving to highlight this data during the final push toward the midterms and Joe Biden’s attendance record is on par with a perpetually absent high school student. Out of the 589 days since being sworn in, Biden has spent 234 of them either on vacation or on leisure trips having nothing to do with his official duties.” the news organization said.

Also of note: 70% of those days were spent at his mansion in Delaware.

“That’s the same residence where a $500,000 border wall is being erected at taxpayer expense, unlike our country’s southern border. So will the voters notice this and will it have any impact on the elections in November?” the summary asked.

The answer may be in the Poll du Jour at the column’s end, which reveals just how many voters disapprove of Mr. Biden’s job performance across a spectrum of presidential tasks.

MICHAEL SAVAGE HAS A SAY

Veteran talk-radio kingpin Michael Savage has written over two dozen books focused on politics, culture, media foibles, border issues, conflict, religion, family and other matters. His new novella “Roses,” which he began writing some 15 months ago, was published Saturday.

“The original novella goes deep into the thoughts of one man trying to save what is left of a nation in free-fall,” Mr. Savage notes in a brief overview of his new project.

Curious? “Roses” is available for $2.99 in Kindle form through Amazon. Find the author himself — still very vocal and active through podcasts, YouTube videos and commentary — at MichaelSavage.com.

MEANWHILE IN CALIFORNIA

A new Rasmussen Reports survey reveals that only 13% of likely voters in California believe abortion should be legal at any time during pregnancy up to the moment of birth.

“Most California voters support limits on abortion,” the pollster noted.

The survey found that 14% of the voters think abortion should be legal up to six months of pregnancy, while 32% say abortion should be legal up to three months of pregnancy. Another 19% say abortion should only be legal during the first month of pregnancy, while 14% think all abortions should be illegal.

Meanwhile, California voters also will decide on Proposition 1, which would amend the state constitution in this way: “The state shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion.”

The outcome won’t be decided until voters go to the polls.

But Rasmussen Reports offers some insight into voter sentiment. The poll found that 66% of California voters support Proposition 1 versus 27% who oppose it.

The survey of 1,006 likely California voters was conducted Aug. 10-11 and released Aug. 23.

HILLARY AND HOLLYWOOD

Those who attended the Venice Film Festival were intrigued when 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton strolled the red carpet in a sky blue gown on the opening night of the glittering event earlier this week.

“Just why was Clinton there?” asked the Hollywood Reporter, speculating that she was a guest of Netflix, which is supporting “In Her Hands” — a documentary produced by Mrs. Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton. It will premiere on Netflix in mid-November.

Netflix, however, said it was not the force behind Mrs. Clinton’s appearance in Venice, advising that the festival itself had hosted her as a guest.

Mrs. Clinton is also a speaker at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival, which begins Sept. 8. She will offer insight on HiddenLight, the mother-daughter team’s production company — along with their forthcoming Apple TV+ docuseries titled “Gutsy,” which premieres Sept. 9.

The eight-part series is based on the Clintons’ “Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience” which includes conversations with Gloria Steinem, Jane Goodall and Wanda Sykes, among others.

Mrs. Clinton herself talks about her marriage to former President Bill Clinton, agreeing that staying in the marriage was one of the “gutsiest” things she had ever done.

“That doesn’t mean that’s right for everybody,” she added in the exchange.

WEEKEND REAL ESTATE

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POLL DU JOUR

• 65% of registered U.S. voters disapprove of the way President Biden is handling inflation.

• 60% disapprove of the way he is handling the economy.

• 60% disapprove of the way he is handling gas prices.

• 60% disapprove of the way he is handling gun policy.

• 58% disapprove of the way the president is handling crime in the U.S.

• 58% disapprove of the way he is handling the issue of abortion.

• 55% disapprove of the way he is handling issues of climate change.

• 54% disapprove of the way he is handling the situation with Russia and Ukraine.

SOURCE: A CBS News poll of 2,126 registered U.S. voters conducted Aug. 24-26.

• Helpful information to jharper@washingtontimes.com.