Listen to the men who are (one) president of the United States or (two) trying to get that job again and you might think this country has at least two very different economies.
President Joe Biden is trying to win a second term this year by selling an economic rebound, with data to back it all up. But voters sure seem slow to buy that.
Former President Donald Trump paints a picture of looming economic collapse with his standard “only I can fix it” messaging. He went so far this month to openly wish for an economic “crash” in the country this year.
Everyone else is giving off wait-and-see vibes. That’s bad news for both Biden and Trump.
Ask economists and people who understand political messaging. They’ll tell you, like they told me, that Biden needs voters to feel much better right now about their economic outlook. And Trump needs people to fear it’s all teetering on the edge of a cliff.
The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle. The economy is improving, but it’s not all the way back. Inflation is slowing, but things still cost more than they used to. The numbers look good, but numbers don’t always go in the direction you want.
When will voters see the realities of the economy?
Larry Sabato, director of University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, told me the economy “is usually a lagging indicator” for voters showing confidence that we’re in an upswing.
“It takes people a while to believe good news in particular,” Sabato said. “Fortunately for…
