Media top headlines January 20
In media news today, Biden appears to lose his cool after a reporter’s question on divisiveness, NPR stands by mask report as three SCOTUS justices refute its claims, and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow says Biden used his long press conference to show Putin he has ‘stamina.’
The New York Times suggests President Biden should take a note out of his predecessor’s playbook and loosen up on coronavirus restrictions to appeal to voters, based on a new focus group.
The study made up of 14 independent voters revealed that most participants don’t obsess over COVID-19 and back the president eradicating some mandates. Opinion editor Patrick Healy summarized that emulating former President Trump’s approach to the pandemic could do Biden’s polling some good.
"How do independent voters feel about President Biden and America after his first year in office?" he asked. "Let’s put it this way: His weak approval ratings might go up if he pulled a Trump and just declared that America was moving on from the pandemic and he was going all in against inflation and high gas prices. Never mind about voting rights or avoiding another Jan. 6. It’s the economy, Joe."
Even though all 14 independents hold various political perspectives – four said they’d vote for Biden in 2024, four were for Donald Trump, and six were for a hypothetical independent bid from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. – a majority expressed they’d like for politicians to know that COVID-19 is no longer a top concern.
U.S. President Joe Biden holds a formal news conference in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
"I don’t care about COVID anymore," Jules from Virginia said. "I want my kids to have a regular life. I don’t want the masks. I don’t want them social distancing. I do not worry about them getting sick."
Travis from Kansas encouraged White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci to admit when he’s wrong.
"I feel like he just continuously can’t be ever cornered and wants to continuously move the goal posts, and that’s in the name of science," he said. "And I don’t think he’s probably a bad person, but I can’t stand to listen to the guy."
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When asked if they believe Biden has the capability of getting the pandemic under control, only three participants out of the 14 raised their hands. And when asked who believes COVID is the no. 1 issue in the country currently, again, only three agreed.
A lone protester stands outside the U.S. Supreme Court as it hears arguments against the Biden administration's nationwide vaccine-or-test-and-mask COVID-19 mandates, in Washington, Jan. 7, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Meanwhile, when Biden was asked Wednesday what he envisions the nation will look like under coronavirus in a year’s time, he answered he hopes for higher vaccination rates.
"I hope the new normal is people have seen what their own interest is and have taken advantage of what we have available to us," he said. "I would hope that what happens is the rest of the world does what I’m doing and provides significant amounts of the vaccine to the rest of the world."
But what Americans are really most worried about, according to the focus group, is the state of the economy as inflation jacks up everyday pricing. Seven participants agreed that inflation is the country’s no. 1 issue, including Kristine from Arizona who said she feels her own personal security is "threatened."
A driver fills a tank at a gas station Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Marysville, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
"It affects my everyday life, from everything that I do and choose to do throughout the day," Nick from Pennsylvania said. "I’ve had COVID multiple times, and I’m concerned with that, but inflation is hitting us every day in our pockets and everything that we do."
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When asked if anyone is confident the president and the Democratic Party could improve the economy and inflation, nobody raised a hand.