Biden Sends Memo To Media Outlets Over Coverage
On Tuesday, the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign sent a memo to news outlets stating that there has been a discrepancy in the media's coverage of polling data. This comes after a recent set of polls showed President Biden trailing former President Trump in a hypothetical 2024 rematch.
The memo, written by Biden-Harris 2024 communications director Michael Tyler, was first exclusively sent to The Hill and will now be distributed to other major media outlets and television networks.
Tyler argued that media coverage over the last few days has been alarmist and fails to take into account historical examples of polls being wrong. He pointed to a Gallup poll that predicted a significant loss for President Obama in 2012, only for him to win by a wide margin. He also noted that a year out from the 2022 midterms, all major outlets predicted a grim forecast for President Biden, but he went on to win the election.
The memo cited polling data from October 17 to November 6, including polls from NPR/PBS/Marist, Yahoo News/YouGov, USA/Suffolk, and Quinnipiac University, which showed Biden leading or tied with Trump during that time period.
Tyler also emphasized President Biden's accomplishments, such as capping the price of insulin, making investments in infrastructure, and lowering prescription drug prices. He argued that no other president has ever run for reelection with such a popular record of achievement.
However, recent polls have shown Biden struggling in certain areas, particularly on the economy. A CBS News poll released Sunday found Trump leading Biden in a hypothetical matchup, and voters are expressing concern about the president's handling of inflation.
Tyler accused media outlets of "fretting over the same polls that have gotten it wrong time and time again" and highlighted the campaign's efforts to reach out to key demographics such as Latino, Black, young, and women voters.
He also quoted a prominent economist who stated that most successful pundits are chosen for their strong opinions, rather than their accuracy in making predictions.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre echoed the campaign's sentiment, urging reporters to treat the latest polls with skepticism. She pointed to previous instances where polling data did not accurately predict the outcome of an election.
Biden allies have been trying to calm Democratic anxieties over the recent polls, emphasizing the president's record-breaking number of votes in the 2020 election and his successful defeat of Trump. They insist that the race will be closely contested but believe that Biden has a strong chance of winning reelection.
The memo is reminiscent of one sent by the White House in September, which urged media outlets to ramp up scrutiny of the House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
In conclusion, the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign is pushing back against the media's coverage of recent polling data, arguing that it is misleading and failing to consider past examples. They believe that President Biden has a strong record and are confident in their efforts to reach out to key voter demographics.