Americans' mood ahead of Trump-Biden rematch

Anxiety seems to be the common mood of many Americans at the prospect of a Trump-Biden rematch, as they do not really put their trust in either face.

With resounding victories on Super Tuesday, US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are almost certain to become the Democratic and Republican candidates running for the White House this year, repeating the confrontation in 2020.

However, over the past several months, public opinion polls have shown that the majority of Americans are not interested in a Trump-Biden rematch.

US President Joe Biden (left) and former President Donald Trump. Photo: AP

“Have you ever heard, ‘You’re making a choice, but it’s not the choice you want?’” Shalonda Horton, 50, said as she walked into a polling place in Austin, Texas, to vote for Mr. Biden on March 5. “When I go in there, I’m going to say, ‘God, please help me.’”

In Los Angeles, Jason Kohler, who describes himself as a progressive Democrat, said he was only reluctantly voting for President Biden.

"Voting is a citizen's duty, so I feel it is my responsibility to vote," he said.

Americans often complain about politicians , but observers say it's rare to see so many Americans dissatisfied with the direction of the country in this year's presidential race. Rarely have so many voters said they wanted a different leader. Voters dislike both President Biden and former President Trump so much that they now have their own nickname: "the haters."

Kathleen McClellan, 69, a Republican voter from Louisiana, had hoped Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would be the new Republican nominee for 2024, but would be reluctant to vote for Mr. Trump again.

“I voted for Donald Trump in 2020 because I was really happy with his record in office,” she said. “In 2016, I voted for him largely because I couldn’t relate to Hillary Clinton. At that time, I didn’t know what to expect from Trump.”

"I will not vote for a Democrat for many reasons, but even if I were to consider it, my Democratic nominee is not Joe Biden," McClellan added. "I wish younger candidates from both parties had a chance this time, but the reality is that it is what it is."

Shloka Anantharayanan, 37, a Democrat from New York, voted for Mr. Biden four years ago and plans to do so again this year.

Anantharayanan said she does not want to return to the Trump era of isolationism, nor does she want to see the Supreme Court increasingly tilted toward Republicans and the rights of women and minorities restricted.

Meanwhile, Samian Quazi, 35, an independent voter from California, abstained in 2020, but this time plans to vote for Mr. Trump, even though he is not the candidate he really likes.

"In 2020, I felt like both candidates were uninspired and ignored the concerns of the American people," he said. "Now that I know enough about how each candidate would operate as president, I truly feel that Trump is the lesser of two evils and I will vote for him this time."

A staunch opponent of interventionism in foreign affairs, Quazi said President Biden has ignored the concerns of the American people in his handling of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. "I don't support wasting American taxpayers' money on those wars," he explained.

“I hope Trump can push the ‘America First’ slogan so we can reverse course from Biden’s worrisome foreign policy,” Quazi added.

Fred Bright, 60, a Republican voter in Nevada who did not vote for anyone in 2020, is now also feeling tired and frustrated with both Democrats and Republicans.

"I am disheartened by the prospect of Trump becoming the Republican nominee. I am saddened that the Democratic Party is so determined to support someone who is so old and clearly mentally unfit," he said. "No one deserves to be president. Barring some unforeseen development that I cannot even imagine, I will not vote for either Trump or Biden."

Bright hopes a third-party centrist candidate will run to give him more options. “I don’t subscribe to the notion that a third-party candidate will hurt one party’s candidate more than another,” he said. “I also don’t subscribe to the ridiculous notion that ‘if you don’t vote for X, you’re really on Y’s side.’”

Ebun Ekunwe, 75, a Democrat from Texas, voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, then switched to supporting Mr. Biden in 2020. She plans to vote for the Democratic candidate again in November.

“There is no Republican Party in this country anymore,” she said. “It is now the party of Trump, as Donald Trump Jr. told us a few years ago. The person who can force his party to follow his agenda can easily bend the country to the Trump family’s agenda. That could be the end of democracy.”

“Biden may be weak on immigration, he may be old and his economic policy may not have a huge impact, but he is a good guy,” Ekunwe stressed.

Jim Sullivan, a 52-year-old Indiana Republican, said he faces a “tough question” in this year’s general election. He will not vote for President Biden but believes former President Trump is divisive.

Sullivan had placed his hopes on Nikki Haley, believing she would have a better chance against President Biden. According to him, Trump was a "new factor" in the 2016 election and the international situation was stable at that time, which helped him get elected.

"But that's not the case right now," he said. "Trump is a very unstable person, so after he wins the nomination, I'll see who he surrounds himself with, including his vice presidential pick. If Trump can attract really serious people, that could make a difference. We need a really mature person to handle things."

Vu Hoang (According to BBC, AFP, Reuters )

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