Poll: Plurality Says Media ‘Easier’ on President Biden

A plurality of Americans says members of the mainstream media have been “easier on Joe Biden” than it has been on other presidents, according to McLaughlin & Associates’ April National Survey.

The survey, conducted April 8-12, among 1,000 likely general election voters, asked, “Comparing the way the news media has treated other presidents, do you think the news media has been harder on Joe Biden, easier on Joe Biden, or has the news media treated him the equally the same as other presidents?”

A plurality, or 45 percent, said the media have been “easier” on Biden, followed by 35 percent who said he has been treated “equally the same,” and 14 percent who said it has been “harder” on the 78-year-old president.

Unsurprisingly, opinions are sharply divided on party lines. Sixty-seven percent of Republicans say the media have been “easier” on Biden, compared to 19 percent of Democrats. A majority of independent voters, or 52 percent, agree with that sentiment.

A plurality of Democrats, 49 percent, believe media have treated Biden the same, and 24 percent believe the treatment has been harder.

Additionally, 76 percent of those who voted for former President Trump in 2020 believe the media have been easier on Biden, compared to 53 percent of Biden voters who believe it has been harder on the 46th president.

As NewsBusters reported:

The public’s perception of a pro-Biden bias is confirmed by a recent MRC study which found broadcast evening news coverage of the new President has been more positive than negative (59% positive vs. 41% negative). By contrast, our analysis of the same time period in 2017 found 89% negative coverage of President Trump, vs. just 11% positive.

The survey also showed Americans remaining relatively unconvinced of Biden keeping his campaign promise to “unite America and improve race relations,” with 46 percent expressing the belief that he has kept that promise, compared to 42 percent who disagree and 11 percent who remain unsure.

That coincides with an NBC News survey released over the weekend which showed 80 percent expressing the belief that America is “mostly divided” despite Biden’s promise to forge a new path of unity in his presidency.

Biden is expected to deliver a primetime address to Congress on Wednesday marking his first 100 days in office.

“The core of that [speech] will be him laying out the specifics of the American Families Plan, his commitment to child care, to education,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, previewing the address.