Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., slammed President Biden Monday on his economic policy, warning he needs to take Americans' inflation concerns "seriously" as his approval slides to a new low following his 2024 re-election announcement. Kennedy joined "The Brian Kilmeade Show" to discuss how Biden's economic woes have impacted his presidency and his 2024 candidacy as consumers battle rising prices.
PRESIDENT BIDEN TURNS HEADS WITH INSTAGRAM POST BRAGGING ABOUT INFLATION FALLING FROM ITS ‘PEAK’
JOHN KENNEDY: I think President Biden needs to engage with the American people more. Now right or wrong, [the] vast majority of Americans think that President Biden is older than the Adirondack Mountains and that he is not fit for the job. And the only way he can dispel that perception is to go out front and say, 'Here's what I believe, and here's where I am.' President Biden's economic plan is the proximate cause of this mess. He's been trying to convince people that folks' 401ks and banks are crashing because the economy is so good, and nobody believes that. And the other factor is inflation… People in Washington, they're not subject to inflation. Washington is recession-proof. … Particularly in food prices… We've had a drop in the price of eggs, for example, but over a year, they're up like 35%. Now, people in Washington, they laugh… They don't eat the whites, they don't eat the yolks. They don't notice the price of eggs, but the American people do and the inflation is gutting the American dream like a fish. And the president needs to take it seriously.
Step one would be to agree to reduce the rate of growth of spending and debt accumulation, so we can help on the fiscal side, help with what [Fed Chair] Powell is doing on the monetary side. And the more we reduce spending and debt accumulation, the less Jay Powell has to raise interest rates. So a vote against reducing spending and debt accumulation is a vote for higher interest rates, and I may be wrong, but I think it's highly unlikely.
SEN. COONS GOES ON DEFENSE AS ONE ISSUE CONTINUES TO HURT BIDEN IN POLLS WITH HIS OWN PARTY
Meanwhile, President Biden is facing significant headwinds at the start of his re-election campaign, with the vast majority of Americans saying he doesn’t have the physical or mental capacity to serve another term, according to a new poll.
An ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday found that 63% of American adults do not think Biden, 80, has the "mental sharpness" it takes to serve effectively as president, compared to only 32% who believe he does and 5% who have no opinion. The number shot up nine percentage points since the same poll was conducted a year ago when 54% said he didn’t have the mental capacity for the job.
The poll found that 26% of Americans believe "only Biden" is too old for the presidency, compared to 1% who said the same for only Trump. However, 43% believe both men are too old for the office.
Biden's job approval rating also hit a new low at 36%, down six points since the same poll was conducted in February, compared to 56% of respondents who disapprove of Biden’s performance so far.
The majority of Americans also think Trump did a better job at handling the economy than Biden, with 54% supporting Trump’s performance compared to only 36% who think Biden is doing a better job.
Fox News' Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.
