Five days, two countries and frustration. On his return, Tuesday, September 12, from a long journey to India and Vietnam, rich in announcements and official meetings supposed to illustrate his vigor at work, Joe Biden found the worries of Washington. Its polarized media, little interested in the G20 summit or the strategic partnership established with Hanoi. Its House of Representatives, where a fierce Republican opposition is determined to take revenge for the legal indictments which hit Donald Trump.
“You have barely aged a day and I would even say that you look even better than before,” had dared Nguyen Phu Trong, the general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, himself aged 79. A zealous politeness in contrast to the impression left on site by Joe Biden during a press conference on September 10. After several discussions, the American president was questioned about the lack of consensus on the climate crisis. He responded with a long, disjointed statement, not very coherent at the end, evoking a John Wayne film and an Indian story. Before concluding, later: “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go to bed. »
The question of Joe Biden’s physical and mental state is at the heart of Democratic concerns. “You will live to be 90!” “, said one of the Philadelphia workers who came to listen to him on September 4. The president made the sign of the cross, before retorting: “I’ve been doing this longer than anyone. And you know what ? I will continue to do so with your help. » At 80 years old, Joe Biden nevertheless struggles to convince by taking refuge behind his experience. He knows that every unsteady step and every stammer is studied as a sign of potential weakening. In a sensational article Wednesday in the Washington Post, the editorialist David Ignatius calls on him to renounce a candidacy, while vowing to “admiration” for his assessment. According to two recent polls, nearly three-quarters of Americans consider Joe Biden too old to hold the highest office again. His entourage watches over, tries to preserve him as much as possible, reminds us that Donald Trump is still 77 years old. But the latter does not project such fragility.
A balance sheet not valued enough
The frustration of the White House also comes from the feeling that Joe Biden’s economic record is not sufficiently valued and recognized in public opinion. The administration is talking about reindustrialization of the country, a priority for systemic competition with China. The unemployment rate is exceptionally low, at 3.8%. But inflation has dramatic consequences for the working and middle classes.
You have 56.27% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.