OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President Joe Biden’s job approval ratings continue to crater amid a worsening inflation rate, sky-high gasoline and diesel fuel prices, and a host of other issues facing the country.
In fact, according to the Real Clear Politics average of polling, Biden’s approval rating now stands at just under 38 percent.
Another day, another fresh all-time low for Biden job approval on RCP, under 38 for the first time. pic.twitter.com/EIJMMNucHb
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) June 29, 2022
The Daily Wire adds:
Biden’s plunge to his lowest point yet came five days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which Democrats have hoped would catalyze a resurgence of support for Democrats.
Biden, in a desperate effort to boost his flagging support, resorted to another hyperventilated, hyperbolic attack on conservatives.
“Folks, let’s get one thing straight: The ultra-MAGA agenda has always been about taking away women’s rights, in every single state,” he tweeted.
Other Democrats also breathlessly claimed that the ‘Roe’ ruling would energize the Democratic Party’s base and bolster Biden’s approval ahead of the midterm elections.
Sonia Ossorio, the president of the National Organization for Women in New York, claimed after the SCOTUS decision, “I don’t see how this cannot energize voters. Women are fed up.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) ranted, “Elect more MAGA Republicans if you want nationwide abortion bans, the jailing of women and doctors and no exemptions for rape or incest. Or, elect more pro-choice Democrats to save Roe.”
The president’s handlers appear to have settled on the term ‘MAGA’ and ‘Ultra MAGA’ as one to derogatorily refer to Republicans, especially those who support his predecessor. He first used the term during a May speech when he said, “Let me tell you about this ultra-MAGA agenda. It’s extreme, as most MAGA things are.”
“The White House works aggressively to paint Republicans and their policies as an ‘ultra MAGA agenda’ in a push to overcome the president’s brutal approval ratings and voters’ frustration with high inflation to help Democrats maintain control of Congress,” USA Today reported at the time.
Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, after she was asked about Biden’s attacks aimed at “Ultra-MAGA” Republicans if it would “jive” with his promise to bring unity, replied: “The President’s view is you can do both. He believes that there is work we can continue to do together… He is also not going to stand by and not call out what he sees as ‘Ultra-MAGA’ behavior, ‘Ultra-MAGA’ policies that are out of the mainstream of the country and are not in the interest of the American people.”
“It’s the president’s phrase and the president made those comments himself just last week as you know,” Psaki acknowledged. “I think what has struck him is how extreme some of the policies and proposals are that a certain wing of the Republican Party — that is taking up too much of the Republican Party — are for… So to him, adding a little ‘Ultra’ to it gave it a little extra pop.”
But others have said the label isn’t going to make much difference in terms of changing minds come November.
Fox News anchor Dana Perino remarked, “Just because he comes out and says ‘Ultra MAGA’ 20 times it’s not going to make inflation go away.”
“If it’s a choice between Biden or Trump, that’s what the team wants — that’s what the Biden team wants,” she added. “But everybody is dealing with inflation every day. It’s a referendum on the president. That’s what the mid-terms are about.”
For his part, former President Donald Trump — whose 2016 campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again,” or ‘MAGA’ — embraced Biden’s use of the phrase during a speech in Wyoming in which he campaigned for Rep. Liz Cheney’s GOP primary opponent, Harriet Hageman.
“They gave us a new name — they made a little mistake with this — but this is Ultra MAGA country: Ultra MAGA, even better!” Trump said to kick off the 90-minute speech.
“Over the next six months, the people of Wyoming are going to vote to dump your RINO congresswoman Liz Cheney. And you’re going to send the incredible Harriet Hageman to Congress, and together we are going to end crazy Nancy Pelosi’s political career once and for all. Crazy Nancy; she’s crazy,” he added.