Former Obama adviser says Biden’s approval rating ‘very, very dark’

President Biden’s numbers in a new Wall Street Journal poll look “very, very dark,” according to former Obama adviser David Axelrod.

“Job approval down, ratings generally down, most of the comparisons with [former President Donald] Trump… not good,” Mr. Axelrod said on the podcast he co-hosts, called “Hacks on Tap.”

In the poll released over the weekend, Mr. Biden had an approval rating of 37%, while 61% said they didn’t approve. In a hypothetical match-up between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump, 47% said they would vote for the former president, while 43% chose Mr. Biden.

More than 50% of those surveyed said the president’s policies have negatively impacted their lives, while only 37% said the same about Mr. Trump’s policies.

“You know what I worry about … from a Biden standpoint, is there are the kinds of things you get when people are starting to rationalize their votes – ‘Oh look, they’re ready to fire Biden, that’s a problem,’” Mr. Axelrod said. 

He said it was “unbelievable” to him that Mr. Biden’s team keeps pushing the “Bidenomics” slogan, pointing out the White House has used signs with the slogan at many of Mr. Biden’s more recent speeches.

Mr. Axelrod has said before that he believes Mr. Biden has a 50/50 shot of winning the 2024 election.