President Biden criticized reporters on Friday, accusing them of not providing fair coverage of the economy.
In his remarks about the September jobs report, Biden blamed journalists for the lack of resonance of his economic message with voters.
“You are all not the happiest people in the world,” the president expressed his frustration with the gathered reporters. “You get a little more attention when you report something negative. I don’t mean that you are picking on me. It’s just the way things are. When you turn on the television, there is not much coverage about a boy saving a dog as he swims in the lake. Instead, it’s about someone pushing a dog into the lake. I understand it.”
Biden also advised the reporters to focus more on the war in Ukraine and other international issues rather than finding faults with the economy.
“There are reasons for people to be concerned about what’s happening in Russia and other parts of the world,” the president said. “I believe that the American people are smart and know what their interests are. They know they are better off financially than before.”
The Labor Department reported that employers added 336,000 jobs last month, exceeding economists’ predictions by 170,000 and marking the strongest gain since January.
The unemployment rate remained steady at 3.8% last month, near historically low levels. In addition, employers raised pay by 4.2% as they competed for a limited pool of workers.
On the positive side, the White House announced the third Investment in America tour, which aims to showcase Biden’s economic agenda, known as Bidenomics.
The report also revealed that average real wages have declined over the past year as rising prices continue to erode worker gains.
Biden has made an improving economy following the COVID-19 pandemic a central pillar of his re-election campaign. He and administration officials have been travelling across the country, arguing that the economy is in a better state than under the previous administration.
However, numerous polls show that Biden’s claim of an economic recovery is not resonating with voters. Most Americans remain skeptical about the turnaround of the economy.
Inflation, which has slightly cooled down since reaching a 40-year high last year, has overshadowed Biden’s argument about job growth and wage increases.
According to Real Clear Politics’ aggregate of several prominent polls, a significant 60% of voters disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy, while only 36.7% approve.
Some polls indicate even higher disapproval ratings, with a recent CBS News poll revealing that 65% of voters believe Mr. Biden’s handling of the economy has been poor, compared to 35% who approve of his performance.
