OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A driver died after a vehicle crashed into an outer perimeter gate of the White House complex, and the incident late Saturday was being investigated as a traffic crash, police said.
President Joe Biden was spending the weekend in Delaware, and the Secret Service said there was no threat to the White House.
“The male driver, who was not immediately identified, was found dead in the vehicle following the crash shortly before 10:30 p.m., according to a Secret Service statement. The Metropolitan Police Department said the vehicle crashed into a security barrier at the intersection of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Police were called to the scene at 10:46 p.m. and said one adult male was pronounced dead from the crash into a security barrier around the complex,” the Associated Press reported.
“The Secret Service said security protocols were put in place and that there was no threat to the White House. The Secret Service and police will continue to investigate,” the outlet added.
A driver dies after crashing into a security barrier around the White House complex, authorities sayhttps://t.co/KI5Q271F6Z
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) May 5, 2024
The incident comes after a new poll found that former President Donald Trump is beginning to gallop away from Biden in a series of recent polls, which is becoming a “crisis” for the current commander-in-chief, according to a noted political analyst.
In an appearance on Fox News Thursday evening, Hugh Hewitt compared what is currently happening between Trump and Biden in the polls to a famous horse race.
“The former president is establishing a lead—the sort of lead if you are watching the Kentucky Derby or any of the other, Belmont Stakes—you’d be tearing up tickets if you didn’t have money on the horse named Trump,” Hewitt told anchor Bret Baier.
“He is pulling away,” he declared. “I want to go back to the CNN poll. He is 11 points ahead of Joe Biden on voters 18 to 34. That’s a crisis for him.”
Meanwhile, a striking new survey unveiled on Friday has sparked widespread speculation among political observers that Trump is poised to decisively defeat Biden in November, particularly if the figures hold steady.
“Trump’s lead over President Joe Biden has nearly doubled in the new Rasmussen Reports poll and could go even higher after today’s unexpected jump in unemployment. The latest 2024 election numbers shared with Secrets had Trump at 46%, Biden at 36%, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at 9%,” the Washington Examiner reported. The outlet added that Trump led Biden by 6 points in the same survey last month.
In a five-person race that included two other improbable candidates, Trump has widened his lead over Biden to 12 points, with 48% of likely voters endorsing him compared to Biden’s 36%. The latest survey suggests that Trump has garnered support from backers of both Biden and Kennedy.
The survey also reveals that Trump has managed to retain his popularity among black voters, who traditionally vote for Democrats at a rate of 90% or more. As per the survey, Trump’s approval rating among black voters stands at 21%, whereas Biden’s approval rating is as low as 61%.
While the survey analysis doesn’t detail the reasons behind Trump’s surge, the results align with a week where he has captured significant attention by hosting daily press conferences outside the court during a New York City hush money trial.
The trial and subsequent events involving Trump garnered substantial media coverage, especially from left-leaning TV networks such as CNN.
Additionally, according to the Examiner, Trump has intensified his focus on his second-term agenda by outlining his plans for MAGA movement supporters should he win re-election.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been contending with economic challenges, notably inflation and public dissatisfaction with escalating prices. Furthermore, his Middle East policies have triggered widespread campus protests, exacerbating the strain on his political position.
Rasmussen’s national poll mirrors others, indicating Trump’s advantage in pivotal battleground states, which is essential for determining the election’s outcome.
Additionally, as the outlet noted, it emphasizes the trend of Biden’s recent rise in popularity declining.
“It is notable that Rasmussen’s model uses a sample percentage very close to the outcome of the 2020 race. And that means it includes a slightly higher percentage of Democrats. In this poll, 35% of those surveyed were Democrats, 33% were Republicans, and 32% were independents,” the Examiner reported. “The survey also asked about voter enthusiasm and found that 71% of likely voters are excited about voting in November. Democrats, however, aren’t as enthusiastic as Republicans, 71%–81%.”
According to Gallup, Biden’s approval rating stands at a record low of 38.7 percent at this juncture in a president’s first term, marking the lowest point in the nation’s history since the polling firm commenced its surveys, as reported by the Washington Times.