Biden's hometown audits Bidenomics
Residents of President Biden's hometown tell FOX News Digital their views on how the president sees the economy.
SCHNECKSVILLE, Pa. – Locals in President Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pa., were not all in agreement with his recent claim to view the U.S. economy through their eyes, Fox News Digital discovered.
In a November 13 tweet, Biden said he doesn't "look at the economy through the eyes of Wall Street and Park Avenue."
"I look at it through the eyes of the people I grew up with in Scranton, Pennsylvania or Claymont, Delaware," Biden wrote.
Several residents who spoke with Fox News Digital offered mostly critical, but some mixed reviews on the comments made by their hometown son, who lived in a home near the city's northeastern border with Dunmore until age 10.
Mark from nearby Susquehanna, Pa., told FOX News Digital he doesn't believe Biden sees the economy from a local perspective.
BIDEN CLAIMS TO SEE THE ECONOMY THROUGH THE EYES OF SCRANTON, NOT WALL STREET
Joe Biden speaks to reporters outside his childhood home on November 03, 2020, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (Drew Angerer/Getty)
When asked if he has a preferred 2024 presidential candidate, he offered one name: "Trump."
Robert Jones of Scranton offered a similar reaction to Biden's tweet, saying he finds most politicians to be a "bunch of liars," but that Biden is the "worst president we ever had."
"This economy sucks. I mean, everything's going up except paychecks. I just think the economy sucks ever since Biden got in," Jones added.
When asked who he prefers in the 2024 election, Jones also indicated support for the GOP frontrunner.
Local resident Kevin told Fox News Digital he is disillusioned with most of the political class.
"I don't think any of them see through the eyes of the people. I think all of them see it through the eyes of Washington," he said.
"[The economy] has gotten worse," Kevin added, while noting he does not yet have a 2024 favorite.
"I'm a registered Democrat, but I'm not happy."
A sign popularized by NBC's "The Office" sits on display at the Mall at Steamtown, Scranton, Pa. (Charles Creitz)
While many residents had their oft-critical opinions, local leaders made their own feelings known in a pair of controversial roadway renamings.
Local media at the time captured photos of PennDOT replacing BGS signs on Interstate 81 at its split with the erstwhile Central Scranton Expressway just over a year ago.
A unanimous city council vote in 2021 changed the name to the "President Biden Expressway," and the downtown arterial the highway that becomes Spruce Street was renamed "Biden Street." That led some local businessowners to grouse about having to re-register their addresses and the costs associated with the process.
Jason from nearby Moscow, Pa., was not a fan of the renamings and ripped the president's recent posting. He said Biden's tweet was "not accurate" and that he "doesn't see the economy, period."
"He has no idea what's going on – it's an absolute mess," Jason said. "He abandoned Scranton when he was 4 years old. So the fact he keeps using Scranton is hysterical."
The former Central Scranton Expressway -- now the President Biden Expy -- diverges from I-81, which continues toward Binghamton, N.Y., 2023. (Charles Creitz)
He called the rebirth of Spruce Street as Biden Street the biggest waste of money in the city as of late.
Jason's comments echo the sentiments of former President Donald Trump. In a 2020 campaign stop near his opponent's hometown, Trump similarly declared Biden "abandoned Pennsylvania; he abandoned Scranton" when his family moved to Delaware.
Speaking in nearby Old Forge during a trip that included a stop at the borough's famed pizzerias, Trump said "he was here (in Scranton) for a short time and didn't even know it."
Nellie, of Scranton, was also critical of the expressway's renaming, saying she doesn't immediately associate Biden with Scranton.
"He's not a Scrantonian," she said, noting how the president moved to the Wilmington area as a youth.
"I don't think he has enough to say about what it really means to be ‘from here' – I've been here my whole life," she said.
On the 2024 race, Nellie said she usually opposes Republican political views, but believes Biden may not be able to fulfill a full second term, while adding Vice President Kamala Harris has not been in the forefront enough on important issues like the economy or Israeli-Palestinian war.
Traffic signal signage in downtown Scranton, Pa., reflects "Biden Street" as the new designation for Spruce Street. (Charles Creitz)
Down the block from the Lackawanna County Courthouse, Betty from neighboring Dickson City said Biden doesn't see the economy the way locals do.
"I feel like it's gotten worse, that's my personal opinion though… How could he be seeing it through our eyes?" she said.
But, she added, she is willing to give Biden more time on the economy.
"It's up in the air," she said. "I lean [Biden's way] over Trump."
Betty added she gives Biden some slack for having to deal with COVID-19 and other issues when he first took office.
"I feel like there's slim pickings when it comes to the [2024] candidates, you know, for the people anyway," she said.
Another Scrantonian named Mark told Fox News Digital it is hard to base Scranton on the nation or world when it comes to judging the economy.
"Washington is running all of the United States and should be. I know the governors make their own decisions and other elected officials – but enough is enough. The economy is horrible. Prices are way too high. People are struggling, and it's just getting worse," Mark said.
"I don't understand why. Like, are we going back to Reaganomics that [sic] was so horrible that only the rich purveyed?"
President Joe Biden laughs as he greets people after speaking about his infrastructure plan in Scranton, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
He added that he is similarly tired of scandals involving Trump and Biden controlling the political news cycle, making apparent references to alleged fraud by Trump, the finance-related allegations against Biden and coverage of "all the drugs," in an apparent reference to Hunter Biden.
"Enough is enough – it shouldn't be like that," he said.
Mark told Fox News Digital he recently returned to Scranton after about 25 years living elsewhere, only to find it sadly reminiscent of down days from its past.
"It's a dump. And it could be so much [better]… When I came back here several years ago, I thought, my God, that building's still empty… and it's like the same people sitting on the same barstools, you know, 25 years later," he said.
"There are a lot of businesses that are wonderful – very expensive – but they're wonderful. It's like everywhere: Everyone's trying to revive their downtown," he said, adding that he left Scranton because of the lack of work.
When asked his thoughts on the now-81-year-old Biden running for re-election, Mark quipped, "Why don't we bring back [Jimmy] Carter at 99."
"I don't really want to say I'm against him because of his age. But it's to the point where I'm like: Really?"
FOX News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.