Surveying American Voters on Biden’s Legacy: Memories

Thu Jan 23 2025
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Key points

  • Biden left the office with a low approval rate says the survey conducted by New York Times
  • Trump voters were direct in their criticism of the former president
  • Fourteen per cent cited perceived mental decline as their most imminent memory
  • Republicans referred to riding prices as the main impact of his presidency

ISLAMABAD: Former President Biden left the White House on Monday with a low approval rating and a complex legacy. Americans’ positive and negative impressions of Biden in a poll conducted by The New York Times and Ipsos largely divided along partisan lines.

According to the survey conducted by the New York Times, participants who voted for Donald Trump were direct in their criticism of Biden. While those who voted for Kamala Harris had mostly positive points of view, though some also expressed dismay.

What respondents said about Biden in this survey offers an early look at his legacy in the public’s perception.

The New York Times surveyed more than 2,000 Americans. People were asked for their most distinct memory of Mr. Biden’s time in office.

Here’s what they said, in their own words.

Survey results

  • “Economy wrecker”

Trump voter in 2024

  • “The economy improved”

Harris voter

  • “Giving money to Israel and Ukraine”

Harris voter

  • “Allowing migrants illegally”

Did not vote

  • “Very high border crossings”

Trump voter

  • “His declining cognitive abilities”

Harris voter

  • “Trying to help the common people”

Harris voter

  • “He was a total disaster”

Trump voter

  • “A return to normal presidential responsibility and decency”

Harris voter

Comments on Biden’s age

  • “He usually didn’t have a clue what was going on around him”

Trump voter in 2024

  • “His declining health and confusion”

Trump voter

  • “His dementia”

Trump voter

  • “He’s old”

Harris voter

  • “His performance in the debate was shocking”

Harris voter

  • “I think Joe Biden has a good heart, but he’s too old to be effective”

Harris voter

  • “He’s just not all there”

Did not vote

Many Americans recall Mr. Biden more for his traits than his policies.

Fourteen per cent cited his age or perceived mental decline as their most imminent memory, a greater share than any specific policy.

Another 4 per cent mentioned memories related to his empathy and kindness.

Biden economic policies

  • “Gas prices skyrocketing”

Did not vote in 2024

  • “Out of control spending, reduced energy creation and inflation”

Trump voter

  • “He worked hard for the middle class and added protections and laws to help most Americans”

Harris voter

  • “High gas prices”

Trump voter

  • “I honestly don’t know much of what Joe Biden did, but I know the economy has suffered”

Harris voter

  • “Inflation, inflation, inflation”

Trump voter

  • “Better economy”

Harris voter

  • “Prices have gone way up”

Harris voter

Republicans referred to riding prices as the main impact of his presidency, while Democrats were largely more positive, referring to the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, many Democrats and independents had concerns about the cost of living.

Immigration issue

  • “Open border”

Trump voter in 2024

  • “The huge numbers of illegal immigrants that have entered the country”

Trump voter

  • “Unsafe borders, terrible economic policies, weak leadership”

Harris voter

  • “So many immigrants living on welfare”

Trump voter

  • “Immigration ran amok for several years and now it is too late to try and curtail the problem”

Harris voter

  • “His indifference to open borders”

Harris voter

  • “Skyrocketing illegal immigration”

Did not vote

 

Mr. Biden’s immigration policies, among Republicans, were among the most mentioned memories.

These recollections were often expressed with evident frustration and were interlinked with economic concerns.

Biden’s foreign policy

  • “Getting out of Afghanistan. It was horrible”

Trump voter in 2024

  • “His epic debate failure and his retreat from Afghanistan, sacrificing troops’ lives doing it”

Harris voter

  • “Continuing to send weapons overseas during the Israel and Palestine conflict and not allowing Ukraine to use them against Russia”

Harris voter

  • “His inability to tell Israel that genocide is wrong, no matter the provocation”

Did not vote

  • “More interested in foreign aid than the American people”

Trump voter

  • “Helping a lot outside the country”

Harris voter

  • “War”

Harris voter

  • “Supporting war with billions”

Harris voter

Democrats and Republicans similarly expressed concern about spending on external conflicts that they believed stalled domestic spending.

Overall, 60 per cent of Americans in the study said the United States was very focused on helping other states and needed to focus more on problems at home.

Legislative achievements

  • “Coming out of Covid, avoiding recession, dealing with global supply issues”

Harris voter in 2024

  • “He got us through the pandemic, he probably saved many people from dying of Covid”

Harris voter

  • “Covid stimulus and rebuilding the economy after Covid”

Harris voter

  • “He fixed us from Covid mess”

Did not vote

  • “Build back better”

Harris voter

  • “Getting the bipartisan jobs act passed”

Harris voter

  • “Infrastructure”

Harris voter

  • “Forgiving student debt, Covid lockdowns”

Trump voter

  • “His attempt to unburden some of us with student loans”

Harris voter

  • “He forgave my loan”

Trump voter

Some Americans referred back to memories of the pandemic, however, those who did remember Mr. Biden’s work to help pull the country out of it. Many referred to his work on the economic recovery after the pandemic and his efforts to avoid a recession.

Some, particularly Democrats, also mentioned key pieces of post-pandemic legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act and infrastructure spending.

Biden’s corruption

  • “Corrupt”

Trump voter in 2024

  • “Corruption to enrich him and his family”

Trump voter

  • “Endless scandals and fraud”

Trump voter

  • “He is a criminal”

Trump voter

  • “Pardoned his son, bad policies”

Did not vote

  • “Pardoning his son”

Did not vote

  • “The lies and corruption”

Did not vote

A small no of Republicans mentioned corruption, with many saying Mr. Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, as evidence.

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