New Controversies Arise as Joe Biden Suffers from Faltering Poll Numbers

Joe Biden’s campaign has been under intense scrutiny since the moment he entered the race. He’s dealt with numerous controversies that have hamstrung his support and had an uneven debate performance.

With another round of debates next week, Biden is under pressure to stop the hemorrhaging of support and build some positive headlines. He’s off to a poor start this week.

The Washington Post examines the relationship between Joe Biden’s work as Vice President in charge of diplomatic relations with Ukraine at the same time his son was on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukranian natural gas company.

Washington Post: As Vice President, Biden Said Ukraine Should Increase Gas Production. Then His Son Got A Job With A Ukrainian Gas Company.

WaPo: “As Joseph R. Biden Jr. announced in April that he was seeking the presidency, his son Hunter quietly left his position here with Ukraine’s largest private gas company after serving for five years.

“From the moment Hunter Biden took the job in 2014, Republicans have said it presented a conflict of interest for the Bidens. Joe Biden, then the vice president, was the point person on Ukraine policy in the Barack Obama administration. He offered U.S. aid to Ukraine to increase gas production, which could benefit the Ukrainian energy industry.”

The fact-checking team at The Washington Post examined Biden’s claim that he was instrumental in getting 150,000 combat troops out of Iraq during Obama’s first term. Spoiler alert: he was given 2 Pinocchios for telling half the story.

Washington Post Fact Checker: Joe Biden’s Claim That He Got ‘150,00 Combat Troops Out Of Iraq’

Washington Post: “Biden had a big hand in withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq during Obama’s first term. It was a sensitive role and one Biden relished, by many accounts. But he was still the vice president during Obama’s second term, when thousands of U.S. troops returned to the country. It’s puzzling to see him leave that out of his remarks on the campaign trail and in the debate.

“The Biden camp argues that these are two very different conflicts and that the troop levels were much higher pre-2011 and much lower post-2014. However, as top Obama administration officials have said in public, the two conflicts are inextricably linked. The Islamic State gained a foothold in Iraq in large part because U.S. forces had withdrawn.

“Biden told half the story, so he gets Two Pinocchios.”

Biden’s support has fallen off dramatically since he entered the race, now polling at 25% in a new CBS poll. He is now in a pack of four with Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. The concerning part for Biden is that he continues to face an enthusiasm gap when compared to other candidates.

Bloomberg: Biden Leads in CBS Democratic Poll but Faces Enthusiasm Gap

Bloomberg: “Still, there’s an enthusiasm gap for Biden among some primary voters, the poll found. A majority of those surveyed, 56%, said Warren would fight “a great deal” for people like them, and 54% said the same of Sanders. Only 38% described Biden that way.

“When asked who has been the most “passionate” so far, Warren and Sanders each had 28%, while Biden had just 14%. Warren, who has touted her policy proposals, was seen as the most specific candidate, with 42%, while Harris was seen as the strongest with 32%.”