CNN data reporter Henry Enten said Wednesday that President Biden’s low job approval rating could be a “drag” on Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential contest.
“Donald Trump, 51%, the majority, think his presidency was a success, despite his personal popularity being eh. Look at this for Joe Biden, way down at 37%, I think that this is a real drag on Kamala Harris, despite her own personal popularity,” Enten said.
Enten also noted that Harris currently has a +1 favorability rating, according to polls, compared to former President Trump’s -9 net favorability rating.
“I think the net favorability ratings don’t actually get into the fact that there are a lot of folks who like the job he did as president, but don’t like him personally,” Enten said of Trump.
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CNN’s Kate Bouldan noted during the segment that Biden was no longer on the ballot, and wondered what history might show about how his low approval rating could impact the election.
“George W. Bush, obviously a Republican, didn‘t succeed him. Lyndon Johnson, there was no Democrat who succeeded him. Harry Truman, no Democrat who succeeded him. Now we’re looking at Joe Biden, could a Democrat succeed him despite his net approval rating being as low as it is? History isn‘t so kind,” Enten said.
“The bottom line is I think we can say Joe Biden is a drag on Kamala Harris, despite her own popularity, at least measured through net favorability,” he added.
Enten appeared surprised by Harris’ rise in popularity since becoming the Democratic nominee during another recent CNN appearance, considering her low approval ratings as vice president.
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“I just think that this is such dramatic movement, my goodness, gracious,” Enten said, noting Harris had a net favorability rating of -14 points when she entered the race.
“Just by getting into the race, look where she jumped to a month later, -3. And this week, for the first time, she popped a positive net favorability rating. That is more people viewed her favorably than unfavorably,” he added.
As of September 18, Biden’s net favorability is lower than Trump’s, sitting at -14.
“If you had asked me two months ago whether I thought Kamala Harris in the aggregate, would ever, during this campaign, pop a positive net favorability rating, I would have said you were crazy,” Enten said. “But the fact is, you weren’t crazy, I was just not thinking creatively,” he added.
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