67% of Americans Say "Biden Should Resign"... Biden and Trump in Close Race in Approval Ratings

ABC Broadcasting and The Washington Post Joint Investigation
November 11 Biden Press Conference, a Turning Point for His Position

Seven out of ten American voters believe that President Joe Biden, who is at a crossroads of resignation following a poor performance in the presidential TV debate, should withdraw from the race. However, Biden continues to maintain a close race in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup against the Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to ABC News and The Washington Post (WP) on the 11th (local time), a survey commissioned to Ipsos was conducted from the 5th to the 9th among 2,431 Americans. When asked whether President Biden should resign based on the TV debate, 67% of respondents answered yes.

Among Democratic supporters, 62% said he should resign, and 54% of Biden supporters also said he should step down. Additionally, 85% of all respondents said Biden is too old to serve another term. For former President Trump, 60% of respondents said he is too old in response to the same question.

Only 14% of respondents considered President Biden mentally sharp. In contrast, 44% said the same about former President Trump. Regarding physical health, 13% said Biden is healthy, while 44% said Trump is physically healthy.

At 81 years old this year, despite concerns about cognitive ability, Biden shows a close contest in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup against Trump. Biden’s approval rating stands at 46%, just 1 percentage point behind Trump’s 47%. In a hypothetical matchup between Vice President Kamala Harris, the leading candidate if the Democratic nominee changes, and Trump, Harris holds a 3-point lead with 49% support compared to Trump’s 46%.

The WP analyzed, "In eight other polls conducted after the debate, former President Trump led President Biden by an average of 3.5 percentage points," adding, "This survey shows results contrary to those conducted after the TV debate."

Since the TV debate on the 27th of last month, President Biden has faced pressure to withdraw from the presidential race due to concerns about his age and cognitive ability. As calls for resignation grew both inside and outside the Democratic Party, Biden sent an open letter to Democratic lawmakers on the 8th expressing his intention to complete the race. However, the resignation controversy has not subsided, with even former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had supported Biden, urging him the day before to reconsider his candidacy and make a decision.

Meanwhile, on the final day of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, Biden will hold an unscripted solo press conference in the evening. The plan is to demonstrate his vitality and dispel concerns about his age. Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, also stated at a briefing that NATO allies praised Biden for strengthening both the United States and NATO. He added that during conversations among NATO leaders, there were no concerns expressed about Biden’s domestic political situation or the possibility of former President Donald Trump’s re-election. Observers in Washington believe that Biden’s press conference will be a critical turning point in deciding his future.