Lame Jokes Are Not Enough — What Matters Now for Joe Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden is gaining ground in the polls. But the president can score points with the general public if he concentrates on fulfilling the duties his office.

There’s no question that the more than 5,000 people who raised over $26 million for Joe Biden at a fundraiser in New York City didn’t come just to see him on Friday night. They also wanted to see Barack Obama. The former president is revered by many Democrats, but he has made himself scarce in recent years. Some of Biden’s nostalgic party friends were also looking forward to seeing Bill Clinton, but this former president is a bit out of fashion.

This must have annoyed Biden. But for a long time, the incumbent president has felt that he shouldn’t shy away from comparison to his celebrated predecessors. However, in comparison to Clinton and Obama, Biden has only won one presidential election, and he knows that he cannot defeat his arch enemy Donald Trump again in November if Democratic voters are lacking in numbers. So, he cracked a few lame jokes at the fundraiser and renewed his warning about Trump’s return. This will have been well received by those present — as some of them paid $500,000 for a ticket. But the president can score points with the general public if he concentrates on fulfilling the duties of his office.

Here’s the best example of this. When a container ship destroyed a bridge in the port of Baltimore on Tuesday, within only a few hours Biden had sent his condolences to those affected and assured Baltimore that the majestic Francis Scott Key Bridge would be quickly rebuilt — and the billions necessary to do so would come from the federal government if needed. In any case, Biden would “move heaven and Earth” to accomplish it.

Appearances such as this help Biden gain ground against Trump in polls. The president needs to show the American people that he is working hard. In a recent interview with CH Media, conservative strategist Craig Shirley said, “he has to do things that are presidential.”* This is the only way to show the American people that he has earned a second term in office.

*Editor’s Note: This quote, though accurately translated, could not be independently verified.