Description:Lakers legend Kobe Bryant will be memorialized outside Crypto.com Arena. KCAL News reporter Rick Montanez has the details on the ceremony.
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Originally Published: 08 FEB 24 10:05 ET
By Web Staff
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ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — A Republican candidate for Missouri Secretary of State has posted a video of a book burning on social media.
Valentina Gomez posted a video in which she uses a flamethrower to light fire to books on the social media platform X Tuesday afternoon.
“When I’m Secretary of State, I will burn all the books that are grooming, indoctrinating, and sexualizing our children. MAGA. America First,” she captioned the video.
The books she burns appear to be “Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens” and “Naked: Not Your Average Sex Encyclopedia.”
“It’s extremely problematic. That type of hate-filled rhetoric has deadly consequences in our community,” said Brittany Dyer.
Brittany and Heather Dyer have been a couple for 11 years and live in Springfield, Missouri. They’re especially alarmed by Gomez as she continues to campaign against LGBTQ books in public libraries.
“DEI, LGBTQ and Critical Race Theory ends the second I get into office,” said Gomez in a video on X.
“Obviously. the rhetoric is beyond hateful and bigoted,” said Heather Dyer.
The couple saw Gomez at an event at a Springfield library last week, where Gomez can be seen holding two LBGTQ books.
First Alert 4′s sister station was also at the event, which included a talk by Riley Gaines, who advocates to keep trans women out of women’s sports. Gomez was interviewed.
“I’m fighting the political machine, I’m not backed by any special interests,” said Gomez. “Let’s get, excuse my language, our s*** together and pull up our pants and fight back.”
Gomez is seeking the job as Missouri Secretary of State, who runs state elections, but also is in charge of state funding for libraries.
‘I’m gonna defund all the libraries that are having LGBTQ, DEI, Critical Race Theory material in the children’s section,” said Gomez.
And while the Secretary of State does control state funding for libraries, local libraries are primarily funded at the local level, with their own library boards that make taxing decisions.
Gomez said she is a “self-made millionaire” and went to Tulane, where she competed in D1 swimming.
She was born in Colombia. She also is a vocal opponent of illegal immigration.
“Many of them are sleeper agents that will act against the public,” said Gomez in another X video.
And she even spoke at a November St. Charles County council meeting in favor of a resolution that aimed to stop legal immigrants from coming to the region.
“We have to stand up and fight for our US citizens,” said Gomez in November.
After seeing the video, First Alert 4 reached out to Gomez and her campaign treasurer for an interview. We never heard back.
Gomez’s LinkedIn also says she works at Nestle Purina.
“Ms. Gomez does not speak for Purina with her words and actions. The behavior in this video runs counter to the expectations we have for our employees,” stated the company.
According to her website, the 24-year-old is a real estate investor, financier and strategist.
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Valentina Gomez
Embargo: St. Louis, MO; **This image is for use with this specific article only** Missouri Secretary of State candidate Valentina Gomez posted a video in which she uses a flamethrower to light fire to books on the social media platform X.
KMOV
08 Feb 24
Originally Published: 08 FEB 24 10:05 ET
By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
Editor’s note: This story has been updated from 2022. CNN’s Mira Cheng contributed to the revised version.
(CNN) — Adeadly outbreakof listeria in 11 states has been linked to dozens of dairy products, including popular Super Bowl snacks queso fresco and Cotija cheese, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced. But what can you do reduce your risk of becoming infected?
What to know
Listeria is a hardy germ, so determined to stick around that it can continue to grow while refrigerated, which even fellow bacterial villains salmonella and E. coli cannot do.
In the United States, listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, killing about 260 a year, according to the CDC.
“Even with adequate antibiotic treatment, the disease has a high mortality rate” of 20% to 30%, the US Food and Drug Administration said.
Adults and children with healthy immune systems may simply develop a mild or unpleasant illness that will not require hospitalization or antibiotics. However, anyone immunocompromised, such as older adults, organ transplant patents, those with cancer or kidney disease, diabetes or people with HIV/AIDS, can become seriously ill and die.
Pregnant peopleare about 10 times more likely to become sick from listeria, and the illness can be fatal to the fetus. Pregnant Hispanicsare at highest risk, likely due to eating traditional soft cheeses such as queso fresco and other foods made with milk that is unpasteurized, the FDA said. Foods made with raw milk are 50 to 160 times more likely to contain listeria, the agency said.
The CDC said it is aware of 26 people from 11 states who have been infected with the current outbreak strain of listeria between June 2014 and December 2023. The two deaths associated with the infections were reported in California and Texas.
Recent interviews with sick people and facility screenings led the CDC to identify queso fresco and Cotija cheese made by Rizo-López Foods as the source of the illnesses.
Deli meat and hot dogs were a common source of listeria outbreaks in the 1990s, according to the CDC, likely because of the difficulty in cleaning the resistant bacteria from every nook and cranny in deli food preparation devices.
However, listeria outbreaks have been linked to cantaloupe, celery, ice cream, leafy greens such as spinach, soft cheeses and sprouts, the agency said.
How to protect yourself
Keep the kitchen clean: Clean your refrigerator regularly with hot water and liquid soap. Prepare meats and vegetables separately and be sure to sanitize food preparation areas, the CDC said.
Keep the fridge cool: Because listeria can easily grow in cool temperatures, keep your refrigerator at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) or lower. The freezer should be at zero Fahrenheit (minus 18 degrees Celsius) or lower.
Raw milk: Eating foods made from raw milk is “one of the riskiest” ways to become infected with listeria and other harmful germs, the CDC said.
Soft cheese: If you are pregnant or at high risk, don’t eat soft cheeses, “such as queso fresco, queso blanco, panela (queso panela), brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or feta, unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk,” the CDC said.
However, know that some soft cheeses have been contaminated during cheese making, the agency said.
Sprouts: You can’t just rinse bacteria off alfalfa, clover, radish, mung bean or any type of sprout, the CDC said. High-risk individualsshould not eat raw or even lightly cooked sprouts. Always thoroughly heat sprouts first — even homegrown versions can harbor bacteria, the CDC said. When eating out, be sure to ask that no raw spouts be added to your food.
Leafy greens: Certain leafy greens such as kale, spinach, lettuces and wild rocket grow lower to the ground and are more likely to become contaminated by listeria in the soil. Always thoroughly wash any greens to be safe, the CDC said. Use these steps:
• Wash up for 20 seconds with soapy water both before and after handling any leafy greens.
• Don’t soak greens in the sink — that just spreads any bacteria on one leaf to all the leaves.
• Remove any torn, bruised or outer leaves.
• Under running water, scrub each leaf gently and then dry the leaves with a clean cloth.
Melons: Melons are another source of listeria infection. Eat cut melon right away and throw away any unrefrigerated for four or more hours, the CDC said. Refrigerate cut melons at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) or colder for no more than seven days.
Deli meats and hot dogs: If you are pregnant or at high risk, don’t eat cold cuts such as bologna, hot dogs, lunch meats, fermented or dry sausages or any other deli meats unless they are heated to steaming hot (165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius) just before serving, the agency said.
“Do not eat refrigerated pâté or meat spreads from a deli or meat counter or from the refrigerated section of a store,” the CDC said. “Meat spreads and pâté that do not need refrigeration before opening, such as products in cans, jars, or sealed pouches, are a safer choice. Refrigerate these foods after opening.”
Anyone eating these foods at home should be careful not to allow juice from hot dog and lunch meat packages to get on other foods or food preparation surfaces, plates and utensils. Always carefully wash your hands after touching any type of hot dog, lunch or deli meat, the agency said.
Be aware of how long you store such foods in your home. Factory-sealed unopened packages of hot dogs, lunch and deli meats should be thrown away after two weeks in the fridge, the CDC said. Toss opened packages of deli meats or any sliced by a deli after three to five days, and hot dogs after one week.
Cold smoked fish: Don’t eat cold smoked fish “unless it is canned or shelf-stable or it is in a cooked dish, such as a casserole” if you are at high risk, the CDC said.
Shelf-stable foods, such as canned tuna, sardines and salmon, will not increase the risk of listeria. But not all canned foods are shelf-stable, the CDC said.
“Some canned foods are labeled ‘Keep Refrigerated.’ Examples of such items include cold smoked fish, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, and mackerel,” the CDC said. “Cold smoked fish items are often labeled as ‘nova-style,’ ‘lox,’ ‘kippered,’ ‘smoked,’ or ‘jerky’ and typically found at seafood or deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens.”
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Listeria prevention
**This image is for use with this specific article only** Listeria can grow in cold environments, even the refrigerator, experts say.
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08 Feb 24
Even though the Cowboys aren’t in the Super Bowl, several Cowboys legends are still going to be part of game day. We found out Emmitt Smith will be part of a Super Bowl commercial featuring Choctaw Casinos and Resorts. He shared what the experience has been like.
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Originally Published: 08 FEB 24 10:57 ET
By Jeanne Sahadi, CNN
New York (CNN) — A majority of Black Americans say they feel at least somewhat successful but nevertheless feel financial pressures regardless of income, according to a new survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center.
The survey of more than 4,700 Black Americans sought theirviews on what constitutes success — how they define it, how they view themselves in that context and the concerns they have in achieving it.
“Most Black Americans (66%) consider themselves at least somewhat successful,” Pew researchers wrote in their analysis.
They noted that a quarter (26%) of people surveyed characterized themselves as “extremely” or “very successful.” Those with the highest incomes were most likely to fall in this category.
When asked what was essential to feel successful, a majority of respondents said being able to provide for their family (82%); being happy (80%); having enough time to do things they want (65%); having a job or career they enjoy (56%); owning their own home (52%) and using their talents and resources to help others (50%).
Being debt free is seen as a top marker of financial success
When asked to define financial success specifically, a majority selected “being debt free” (67%) and having enough money to do what they want (65%) as “essential.” Just under half (49%) selected “owning a home.”
More than two-fifths chose passing down financial assets to the next generation (44%); and having multiple streams of income (43%).
Meanwhile, 35% selected “retire early” and 22% chose “owning a business.”
In terms of gender, Pew noted, “Black women are more likely than Black men to say being debt-free, being able to pass down financial assets and being able to retire early are essential to their personal definition of financial success.”
And there are differences based on income. “Black adults with lower levels of family income are more likely than those with middle or upper incomes to say being debt-free and owning a business are essential.”
What it takes to be successful: College degrees and mentors matter less than confidence
Survey respondents selected a number of factors that in their view make success possible. Top of the list was self-confidence (79%) and financial stability (75%).
“Far fewer see personal relationships having a significant role in success,” Pew researchers said.
A small majority (54%) said having supportive family members is necessary, while a smaller share said having connections (41%) or mentors (39%) was essential. Just 20% identified having a college degree.
Pressures on the road to success
A majority of respondents (54%) said they worry on a nearly daily basis about one or more of several financial concerns: paying their bills (31%); the amount of debt they have (29%); being able to save enough for retirement (28%); being able to buy enough food (24%); being able to pay the rent or mortgage (23%); and the cost of health care (22%).
And regardless of income, most Black adults said they feel financial pressures.
For instance, 64% of upper-income respondents and 70% of low-income ones said they felt pressures to provide for their families, while 50% of those with high incomes and 53% of those with low income said they feel pressure to own their own home.
But when it comes to emergency savings, there were notable differences between income groups. Overall, 28% of respondents said they could not cover expenses for three months if they lost their main income. But low earners (41%) were more than five times as likely as those with high incomes (7%) to say so. Less than a fifth of middle income earners (18%) said the same.
A higher paycheck, of course, can make it much easier to set aside emergency savings. In an analysis of Black Americans’ income in July, Pew noted that only 6% of Black adults in the US made $100,000 or more in 2021. But among those who said they would need $100,000 to live the life they want, 62% indicated they think they will reach that income level in the future.
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Office workers
**This image is for use with this specific article only** More than 60% of Black adults in the United States say being debt free and having enough money to do what you want are top indicators of financial success.
mihailomilovanovic/E+/Getty Images
08 Feb 24
Originally Published: 07 FEB 24 09:16 ET
Updated: 07 FEB 24 10:29 ET
By Kaitlyn Schwanemann, CNN
(CNN) — For the first time in nearly 30 years, Pandora Anderson Campbell stepped inside Spring Valley African Methodist Episcopal church in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, andcouldn’t stop smiling.
“I could feel the spirit of the ancestors. I don’t know how to explain it,” Campbell told CNN.
Five generations of Campbell’s relatives were christened at the church.
Campbell, who also grew up in the church, said she remembers itbeing a haven for the local community, where parishioners could come to worship, eat the pies her grandmother baked after Sunday sermons, sing and spend time together.
“It was a pillar to the community. People came from everywhere to worship,” Campbell said, addingthough the congregation was predominantly Black, the church was open to all.
Lillian DeBaptiste said before she was elected mayor of West Chester, a township in neighboring Chester County, she spent much of her childhood at Spring Valley. Her father, who is now 99, was a master of ceremonies there.
DeBaptiste echoed Campbell’s fond memories of the church, calling it a “little slice of heaven.”
“They were so full of hospitality … as is African American tradition, celebrating not only in spirit but with food. I remember the wonderful, plentiful food,” DeBaptiste recalled to CNN.
Spring Valley AME was built in 1880andDeBaptiste said the surrounding Black community was primarily made up of farmworkers. The church, she said, offered people a place to “put their love, sweat and tears into, and for something they owned – not someone else’s property.”
The church flourished for nearly a century, and renowned artists Andrew Wyeth and his son, Jamie, were among the congregation that filled the pews on Sundays.
But over the years, as the town developed and real estate became too expensive, DeBaptiste said the Black community moved elsewhere in search of better jobs. Attendance dwindled until the church was eventually abandoned in the 1980s.
Then, in the late 1990s, afire destroyed the parish hall that was once the site of community gatherings, as well as other parts of the church.
At the time, the Concordville Fire & Protective Association and local media suspected it was an arson fire because the building wasn’t secure and didn’t have an electrical system that could have sparked the flames, according to Concordville Safety Officer Fred Field.
Despite investigating, the exact cause of the fire was never found and no arrests were made, Field said.
Although parts of the structure were restored, the church remained vacant until 2014, when the Township of Concord purchased the property and began preservation efforts, with guidance from the town’s historical society.
Campbell said as the town began to restore the church, her then 98-year-old grandmother expressed a desire to visit Spring Valley one last time. The community arranged for a group of people to go to the church and on the day of the visit, John Gillespie, vice president of the township council, told CNN he saw a woman retrieving a shovel from her trunk.
“She said she was looking for the graves underneath the property, and I said, ‘What?’” Gillespie said. “She said, ‘I have death certificates I can show you!’”
Using ground-penetrating radar, the township started investigating the site and ultimately uncovered 10 objects resembling caskets under the land surrounding the church. The townshiperected a memorial tombstone dedicated, “To all persons known and unknown buried here at Spring Valley AME church.”
Now, after nearly a decade and more than $470,000 spent on restoration, the Spring Valley African Methodist Episcopal church reopened its doors Saturdayas an African American history museum.
The site is protected by the Concord Township Historic Preservation Ordinance and is the only Black church in its township, according to the historical society.
Gillespie said the township is collecting artifacts and exhibits to display in the museum, primarily consisting of donations from the church’s founding families.
Jamie Wyeth also contributed his ownartwork, as well as the original welcome sign that once greeted the congregation on the church front doors. Gillespie said the township is also collecting items to bury in a time capsule on the property in the coming months.
Campbell said she hopes locals will frequent the reopened site and acknowledge the Black community that made the town what it is today.
“We were there – there were all sorts of blue collar jobs – some of them were sharecroppers. We contributed to the history of Chadds Ford and the Concord Township, and I think this will bring about a remembrance of that,” Campbell said.
She also said she hopes nearby school districts will take students to the museum and keep its legacy alive.
Campbell has been thinking about what to place in the time capsule, hopefully for her great grandchildren to find.
“I hope that when they open it up 100 years from now, or whenever they do it, they’re one race, and that’s the human race. Not divided by the color of your skin,” she said. “This story speaks of the spirit of the church, and the importance that it had in the past, and is now seemingly going to have in the future.”
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Spring Valley AME church
Embargo: Philadelphia, PA; **This image is for use with this specific article only** The historic Spring Valley African Methodist Episcopal church in Concordville, Pennsylvania, reopened as an African American history museum after it was abandoned in the 1980s, and then destroyed in an arson in 1997.
KYW
07 Feb 24
Spring Valley AME church ceremony
**This image is for use with this specific article only** The town held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the reopening of the Spring Valley AME church as a Black history museum.
Courtesy TGoldmanPhotography
07 Feb 24
Church artifacts
Embargo: Philadelphia, PA; **This image is for use with this specific article only** Items are on display at Spring Valley African Methodist Episcopal Church.
KYW
07 Feb 24
Originally Published: 07 FEB 24 08:46 ET
By Web Staff
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WSVN) — After a harrowing fall on a yacht during a visit to Fort Lauderdale in 2021, Nashville resident Alyson West returned to Broward Health Medical Center more than a year later to share her recovery with the neurosurgeon who gave her a second chance at walking.
“I had fallen on Oct. 2, 2021, with some friends,” said West, recalling the incident that led to her serious injury.
While visiting South Florida, she fell 12 feet on a yacht, resulting in a fracture to her C6 vertebra and damaged nerves near the back of her neck, raising concerns about potential paralysis.
“I ended up breaking my C6 in complete,” said West.
Dr. Christopher Roberts, Chief of Neurosurgery, stepped in with two surgeries to address the complex injuries.
More than a year later, West returned to Broward Health for a reunion with Dr. Roberts. Their initial meeting was filled with warmth, hugs, and smiles. The highlight came as West, now 27, stood up and took a few steps to showcase her remarkable progress.
“It’s really cool because, like, I haven’t gotten to be able to show him how I have progressed since the last time he saw me,” said West. “There’s been a lot of improvement and a lot of good things, so it’s cool to be able to show him that there’s success. It worked; it helped.”
West, who can now drive with her left foot, has resumed her work as a pediatric crisis counselor at a Nashville hospital.
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Originally Published: 06 FEB 24 08:15 ET
By Jordan Valinsky, CNN
New York (CNN) — Bud Light is back at the Super Bowl, this time with a funny “genie” to grant drinkers’ wishes. The beleaguered beer brand could have used a few miracles itself after one of its rockiest years ever.
The 60-second spot, called “Easy Night Out,” is part of Bud Light’s year-long rebrand that debuted at last year’s Super Bowl. This year’s goofy ad features a “new character in the Bud Light universe,” a Bud Light-drinking “genie” who grants wishes to drinkers on a wild night out, the brand announced Tuesday.
Bud Light sales tumbled over the past year after a conservative-media-led backlash to a sponsored social media post featuring a transgender influencer. The brand has been in crisis mode ever since, and the Super Bowl commercial is part of its effort to turn around perception.
“We wanted to get back to the humor the brand has been known for,” Bud Light’s vice president Todd Allen told CNN. “Consumers are expecting us to bring a little bit of light-heartedness and irreverence back, so we listened and that’s what we’re bringing forward.”
The ad also features other celebrities that the brand already had been featuring, including musician Post Malone (who helped launch Bud Light Seltzer in a previous Super Bowl ad), former NFL star Peyton Manning, and, for the first time, Dana White, the CEO of UFC, with which the beer maker recently signed a reported record-breaking sponsorship.
Bud Light launched its new campaign — “Easy to Drink. Easy to Enjoy” — at last year’s Super Bowl with a buzzy ad featuring actor Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh in hopes of reviving the beer’s sales that were already slumping against its rivals.
But a one-off sponsored Instagram post with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney last April garnered negative attention from right-wing media figures, then caught anger from the left for the company’s response and derailed the brand’s attempt at marking a “new era” for itself.
Parent company Anheuser-Busch reshuffled the executives overseeing Bud Light, with Allen taking over for Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light’s former vice president of marketing, who was placed on leave after less than a year in the position.
For him, it’s “always been a dream” of his to work on Bud Light, but with sales still down 30% year over year, it’s an indication that Bud Light’s hard pivot toward male-skewing interests isn’t entirely working.
Allen said that Bud Light is still the number one in volume shipped to bars, restaurants and stadiums, despite it losing its top spot in off-premises (grocery and beer stores) sales to Modelo and facing tighter competition from Miller Lite and Coors Light.
“All the actions we’ve taken are significantly improving favorability with all of our drinkers,” Allen said. “We’re continuing to move forward and we couldn’t be more excited.”
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Bud Light Commercial
**This image is for use with this specific article only** Bud Light hopes this “genie” in its Super Bowl ad works miracles for the brand.
Courtesy Bud Light
06 Feb 24
From Nat King Cole Park on the South Side to the Jesse White Community Center on the North Side to Douglass Park on the West Side, Chicago has countless parks named after Black history makers. Throughout February, the Chicago Park District is celebrating Black History month with various events, including a special presentation recognizing the city’s key African American figures.
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Originally Published: 07 FEB 24 07:00 ET
Updated: 07 FEB 24 09:37 ET
Analysis by Harry Enten, CNN
(CNN) — The political eyes of the world are on Nevada this week for the state’s Democratic and Republican nominating contests.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley suffered an embarrassing defeat in the state’s nonbinding GOP primary Tuesday. But in the contests that award delegates, President Joe Biden easily won the Democratic primary while former President Donald Trump is expected to coast Thursday in the GOP caucuses.
That lack of competitiveness belies the fact that Nevada has seen some of the closest general election outcomes in the past two presidential contests. Perhaps that’s why Democrats should be concerned that Trump has led Biden in recent polling from the Silver State.
And Nevada is emblematic of a nationwide trend. Biden finds himself in a place no likely Democratic presidential nominee has been since 2004: clearly trailing for months on end.
Much was made this past weekend of an NBC News poll that put Trump at 47% to Biden’s 42% in a hypothetical general election. What stood out to me is that it was merely one of three polls (including CNN/SSRS and Reuters/Ipsos) released in the past week that gave Trump a 4- or 5-point advantage among registered voters.
Even when those findings are averaged with a Quinnipiac University poll from last week that had Biden ahead by 6 points, Trump is up by about 2 points. This is a lead that has been fairly steady over the past six months. The occasional poll, like Quinnipiac’s, will find Biden up, but the lion’s share of the data points to Trump in the lead.
(In fact, the states where Biden is currently trailing across the country would account for more than 270 Electoral College votes – enough for him to lose in a general election.)
This is a far different situation for Democrats compared with the past few cycles. Biden was never behind Trump during the 2020 campaign, and not just in the polling average. He didn’t trail Trump in a single national poll that met CNN standards for publication.
Going back further, Trump led only once, for a short period, in the 2016 average. That was after the 2016 Republican convention. Likewise, in the 2012 cycle, Republican Mitt Romney may have been ahead very shortly after the first GOP debate, but, in reality, President Barack Obama led wire to wire. Obama was also up for pretty much the entire general election campaign over Republican John McCain in 2008, except for briefly after the GOP convention.
President George W. Bush in 2004 was the last Republican to be consistently ahead of his Democratic opponent. That race against Democrat John Kerry would shift a bit during the summer of 2004 before Bush solidified his advantage after the Republican convention.
This year, however, is far different from 2004 insofar as Bush was the incumbent then like Biden is now.
Incumbents are usually never behind in early polling. Trump was in 2020. Before him? Almost no one since the advent of modern polling. Incumbents who briefly trailed at some early point in the campaign (such as Ronald Reagan during the 1984 election) had regained their leads by this time. Incumbents who would trail for much of the campaign (such as Gerald Ford in 1976) were still ahead at this point in the cycle.
Even Harry Truman and Thomas Dewey were trading leads in the early part of the 1948 cycle before Dewey settled into a polling lead for good and then lost in an upset.
The root of Biden’s problem is that he’s unpopular with the general electorate. His approval rating has been hovering within a few points of 40% for more than two years now, and it’s not getting any better for him. Biden has the worst approval rating at this point for any elected president through their first term.
This should worry Democrats because we’re getting to the point where current approval ratings have some correlation with approval ratings by election time. Every day that Biden’s approval rating is bad increases the chance that his approval rating will be bad when people start voting this fall.
What often changes the most between now and the general election is the popularity of lesser-known candidates (i.e., usually challengers).
Trump is an exception to this rule. He has near-universal name identification like Biden. Voters know Trump; they don’t like Trump; and yet, they seem to prefer him to Biden.
This would seemingly make it more difficult for Biden to influence the race to his benefit through attack ads.
Biden’s issues also aren’t just candidate-specific. Recent Gallup polling showed a record low level of adults self-identifying as Democrats in 2023. Just 27% of adults identified as Democrats (or 43% when you include independent leaners), which is the lowest figure for Democrats since at least 1988 (or 1991 when you include independents leaners).
The good news for Biden is that he’s not far behind. The average 2-point edge that Trump sports wouldn’t be considered safe if it holds through Election Day. We’re still nearly nine months away from the fall election. Trump is still facing four criminal indictments, which is something we don’t have any historical precedent for.
The bad news for Biden is that the precedent we do have is not promising: Incumbents shouldn’t be trailing at this point in a presidential campaign, and Biden continues to be fundamentally unpopular.
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Joe Biden
**This image is for use with this specific article only** President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event in North Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 4, 2024.
Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
07 Feb 24