Poll shows Americans positive, for President Beden's leadership

It's been two weeks since the administration's shift, and most Americans say they trust President Biden and his ability to cope with domestic crises, including the deadly pandemic.

61% of those participating in a recent survey expressed positive views on the new president's response, according to the survey conducted by the Associated Press and NORC news agency, the Centre for Public Development Research.

Although support for President Biden comes largely from the Democrats, about 25% of the republics say they have a positive opinion of his actions in the first days in office.

Even at this moment of deep divisions in the country, figures show that as with its predecessors, President Biden is on his honeymoon with the Americans. Nearly all presidents of recent decades have enjoyed an average of over 55% public support in the first months in office, according to Gallup organisation surveys. Except President Trump, for whom public support never went over 50% in Gallup polls, even at the beginning of his presidency.

President Biden's popularity will soon be tested. It has inherited the problems of pandemic that have advanced out of control during the previous administration, a vaccine campaign at a rate below expectations, deep economic uncertainty and shock caused by the January 6th violence in the Capitol. This combination of challenges, historians say, is like the time when President Lincoln faced the threat of Civil War, or when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had to find solutions to the Great Depression.

Mr. Biden's advisers understand that the president will be tried by the Americans for the measures he takes in response to the pandemic that has caused over 450,000 victims. The president has asked Congress to approve his $1.9 trillion aid package that would include funds to intensify the vaccine campaign, open schools and support local and state governments burdened by the impact of pandemic.

“We need to take big, not small actions,” Mr. Biden said in talks with the House of Representatives Democrats on Tuesday. He signalled that he is ready to eliminate some elements from his plan, but not to the extent the republics seek. A group of Republican senators proposed a $618 billion stimulating package.

About 3/4 of Americans say they have at least some trust in Mr. Biden's ability to respond to the pandemic, while 1/4 say they have virtually nothing. But even those who have faith express reservations. Only 40% of participants say they have “very trusting” in Mr. Biden's ability to respond to all topics involved in the survey.

From the beginning, Mr. Biden has distinguished his reaction to pandemic compared to his previous administration. He has followed an integrated strategy against pandemic, has raised health experts' profiles, putting them first in informing the public, unlike President Trump, who often clashed with members of the working group against COVID.

According to the poll, 8 of the 10 participants have at least some trust in President Biden that he will rely on expert advice in decision-making. Nearly 3/4 of respondents have enough or much trust in the president to manage challenges properly.

A poll conducted by Associated Press also - NORC in December indicated that Americans listed pandemic and economic problems as the major challenges of the new administration. The two topics are interrelated, as the pandemic has caused a serious economic blow in the country, suspending community activity throughout the country as a result of restrictions against the spread of the virus.

About 2/3 of Americans say they have at least some trust in President Biden to address the economic and employment problem properly.

In the first two weeks in office, Mr. Biden has signed a number of executive orders on his political priorities and has broken up a number of policies of the previous administration. Among them, the US return to the Paris Treaty, the suspension of new oil and gas extraction permits on federal soil, and the annulment of President Trump's policy to stop the journey of persons from predominantly Muslim countries.

But these executive measures do not have broad implementation, as the president needs Congress authorisation to advance his agenda. President Biden's party has an extremely narrow majority in Congress, which makes it necessary to support a part of the republics to adopt legislative measures.

Only 20% of Americans say they have great confidence in Mr. Biden's ability to work with Republicans in Congress, although 45% of them express a measure of confidence.

The 65-year-old from Richland in Washington, Tom Tierney, who voted for Mr. Biden in November, says there is little trust that the Republicans will be ready to work with the new president. He calls on the president not to waste time if the Republicans block his initiatives in Congress.

I think Mr. Biden will have to be strong and tell you you don't want a compromise,” says Mr. Tierney, who is represented as a moderate independent.

President Biden was elected at a time of crisis in the country, but the January 6th riots in the Capitol further exacerbated the political climate. The rebellion highlighted the frustration that had caused in part of the electorate President Trump's baseless claims that the elections were manipulated.

In the inaugural speech, President Beiden underlined how resistant, but how fragile democracy is, at a time speaking from the Capitol steps where violent scenes had opened up a few days ago.

70% of Americans express confidence that President Beden respects the country's democratic institutions.

39-year-old Miguel Castillo from Columbus, Georgia, who voted for President Trump in 2020, is not greatly impressed by President Biden's current measures. But he wishes, for the sake of the country, for the new president to be successful.

Whatever the president does affects all of us as Americans. I hope he has a good presidency. I hope you don't fail”

Associated Press poll - NORC included 1,055 adults and developed from January 28th to February 1, with a group considered a representative of the vast American population. The poll had an error percentage of 3.8%.