(Chicago) Four days before the midterm elections, Joe Biden assured that the Democrats will outsmart the polls, which nevertheless promise them a rout, and warned against the possibility of having “two horrible years” he loses his majority in Congress and the Senate.
Updated yesterday at 11:35 p.m.
Visiting Chicago, the president hammered home an optimistic message. “I absolutely don’t believe we’re in trouble,” he said. “I think we are going to win. Really. »
However, he painted a gloomy picture in the event of Republican victories. “If we lose Congress and the Senate, it’s going to be two horrible years,” he warned.
“The good news is that I will have the power of veto,” which allows the president to block future Republican legislation, he added. “Democracy is really at stake.”
PHOTO SAUL LOEB, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
President Joe Biden
Earlier in the day, he had boasted from California of the massive investments made over the past two years, particularly in semiconductors and the climate. He also promised to tackle inflation, the highest in 40 years, which arouses the discontent of many voters.
America retains “strong points”, he insisted. The labor market remains in good shape, with an unemployment rate of 3.7% and 261,000 jobs created in October.
“As president, I will not accept the argument that the problem is that too many Americans are getting good jobs,” he said.
Democrats are on the defensive ahead of the November 8 ballot. The polls predict a large Republican victory in the House of Representatives, which must be completely renewed, and recently lean for a narrow Republican majority in the Senate, where a third of the seats are at stake.
Trump dreams of 2024
On the strength of this scenario, Donald Trump is signaling more and more clearly his intention to regain the White House.
“I will very very very likely represent myself. Be ready, ”launched the former Republican president Thursday evening, at a rally in Iowa. “We’re going to take back Congress, we’re going to take back the Senate,” he added. “And in 2024, we will take back our magnificent White House. »
The billionaire, who never conceded defeat in 2020 and has been flirting for months with the idea of running for a new term, continues to exert his grip on the Republican Party.
He has dubbed a large number of his candidates for these “midterms”, is increasing the rallies to support them and will probably take credit for their success if they deprive Joe Biden of his Democratic majority in Congress.
A Republican success on Tuesday would allow him to announce a presidential candidacy, thus pulling the rug out from under the feet of potential rivals like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
“We can bet on a quick announcement,” admitted Thursday Kellyanne Conway, his former adviser to the White House and close ally.
Citing anonymous sources, the news site Axios bet Friday on the date of November 14 for such an announcement, which could also weigh on the various legal files concerning Donald Trump.
The real estate mogul is being investigated for his role in the Capitol raid, managing White House archives and is being sued by New York State courts over his financial affairs .
Democratic strongholds under threat
In this state, in the hands of Democrats for more than 20 years, the tide could turn on November 8.
To help struggling Governor Kathy Hochul, the party has sent former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris to her side.
Other Democratic strongholds, such as Oregon or Colorado, also seem weakened by the discontent linked to galloping inflation, which the Republicans attribute to Joe Biden.
To counter this message, the president insists on his efforts to protect the working classes and employment.
The Democrats are also campaigning on the right to abortion and the safeguard of democracy, threatened according to them by the Trumpist wing of the Republican Party, which they accuse of maintaining a climate conducive to political violence.
A speech amplified in recent days by the violent attack suffered in San Francisco by the husband of Nancy Pelosi, the leader of the Democrats in Congress. A week after the attack, Mme Pelosi said Friday that her partner, who had surgery for a fractured skull, was discharged from hospital.
The investigation revealed that she was the real target of the attacker, David DePape, a man who seems to have drunk conspiracy theories propagated online by the far right. Before pleading not guilty, he explained to the police that he wanted to “break the kneecaps” of the parliamentarian if she did not confess the “lies” of the Democratic camp.
While American election workers are regularly targeted with threats, “the message is clear, there is reason to be concerned. But we can’t be afraid,” said M.me Pelosi, in tears.
The Democrats play a lot in this election: if they lose control of Congress, the end of Joe Biden’s presidency will be paralyzed. In the event of a heavy defeat, Mr. Biden, who is approaching 80, will find it difficult to represent himself.