(The Hill) — President Joe Biden talked about the coronavirus vaccine and his polling numbers in his first appearance on a late night show since he became president.
Appearing via video on Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show,” Biden talked about the coronavirus booster shot, encouraging everyone to get the additional dose.
“The way to avoid this virus is to get two shots, and then get the booster shot. It’s available, we have the medicines available. It will make a gigantic difference,” Biden said. “It’s patriotic to get this done. Not a joke.”
Biden and Fallon also touched on the president’s polling numbers, which have been at a low for weeks due to the pandemic and inflation.
When asked if Biden keeps track of polling numbers, the president jokingly told Fallon “not anymore,” Fox News reported.
“I was paying attention when they were in the mid-60s, but now that they’re in the 40s, I don’t pay attention,” Biden quipped.
On a more serious note, Biden said his low polling numbers are due to Americans’ anxiety about the ongoing pandemic and inflation, which he said is “going to come down.”
“They’re being told that Armageddon’s on the way,” Biden said. “The truth is the economy’s grown more than it has any time in close to 60 years, the unemployment rate is down to 4.2% — it’s going to go lower, in my view.
“But in the meantime, people are worried and they’re worried about whether or not, you know, they have a brother or sister, uncle or aunt who has gotten COVID and they don’t know what to do about it,” Biden added. “There’s a lot of anxiety and my job is to be straightforward, shoot from the shoulder, let people know exactly what the truth is, and lay out how I’m going to try to make life better for them.”
In recent polls, the top concern among Americans has been the economy and inflation as people are seeing prices in their everyday life, such as gas and groceries, increase.
More concerns are beginning to surround the coronavirus pandemic as well, as the U.S. is preparing to deal with the new omicron variant.