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President Biden’s handling of the evacuation efforts in Afghanistan is a “political disaster” that could cost Democrats dearly in the midterm elections, a former senior advisor to Hillary and Bill Clinton told Fox News.
“I think there is no doubt that this is a real political disaster for President Biden,” said Mark Penn. “Of course, we don’t yet know the long-term effects as events are still evolving as we speak.”
“He’s going to have to show extreme skill to get over it,” Penn continued.
Biden has been the subject of widespread and bipartisan criticism for its handling of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the ensuing effort to evacuate the Americans and Afghan allies. Penn warned that it could also cause significant problems for Democratic politicians in next year’s midterm elections.
MORE THAN 4,400 AMERICANS EVACUATED FROM AFGHANISTAN, SAYS THE PENTAGON: LIVE UPDATES
“He’s going to have to restore his credibility here,” Penn told Fox News. “He’s got some really big challenges, or he’s going to face some serious issues halfway through.”
Overall approval of Biden’s job fell in the wake of the Afghanistan debacle. Only 25% of adults surveyed approve of his handling of the situation, a recent NBC News survey shows.
“The fact that President Biden has an element here that dates from the 1920s is not yet representative of all of his work, which was really close to 60% [approval] two months ago, ”Penn, who is also a seasoned pollster, told Fox News. He added that Biden’s job rating had “gone down as Covid rose, and now it’s 50% or less in most polls.”
“Again, events are always changing,” Penn added. “We don’t know if he’s going to come back from this or if he’s going to fall again.”
According to a USA Today / Suffolk University, only 41% of Americans approve of Biden’s professional performance, while 55% disapprove of him. survey published Tuesday. Biden remains strong among Democrats with an overall approval rating of 87%, but maintains low support among crucial independent voters at 32%.
Daesh threats also weigh heavily on Afghanistan. Pentagon officials told lawmakers on Tuesday that the terror group’s threats targeting airport gates and planes jeopardize the evacuation, Politics reported.
“It is clear that the administration has sent mixed messages on whether or not ISIS to reactivate,” Penn told Fox News. “The administration says no, some of the other members of the administration say yes, the leaked stories say yes.”
“Look, we don’t know, we can’t get ahead of events, but clearly reestablishing a government led by those people who, in fact, sheltered the 9/11 terrorists is a dangerous proposition,” he continued.
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Penn also said ongoing events would make Americans less secure.
“I can tell you that the public will feel less secure with the Taliban returning to power, unless there is real evidence that the Taliban has given up on terrorism, and so far we have not. haven’t seen this, ”Penn told Fox News.
US troops are already leaving Afghanistan as Biden meets his August 31 deadline. Lawmakers have called for an extension to ensure every American leaves the country.
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