Biden campaign co-chair says emphasis will be on jobs instead of poll numbers

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), the national co-chair for President Biden’s 2024 campaign, said on Sunday that Biden’s team will focus on job numbers over polling results as the president’s reelection bid kicks off.

“The numbers we’re going to be talking about are the 12 million jobs created in the first two years that Biden’s been president, the lowest unemployment in 50 years. The 850,000 new manufacturing jobs,” Coons said on ABC’s “This Week,” when asked about polling indicating lackluster enthusiasm for the president’s 2024 run.

“And I’ll remind you, our president often says, ‘Don’t compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative.’ When folks get polled on a head-to-head if Donald Trump should be the Republican nominee again, [Biden] wins, and [Biden] wins decisively because, two years later, President Biden is stronger,” Coons said.

Biden has an “incredible record to run on,” the senator said, while Trump is “weaker” after his recent indictment by the Manhattan district attorney and after having “spent years just re-litigating 2020.”

“I look forward to talking about the numbers based on what we’ve gotten done with President Biden in the White House, on infrastructure, manufacturing, prescription drugs. It’s a great record to run on,” Coons said.

The Biden campaign’s national-co chair also dismissed concerns about the president’s age as he tries for another four years in the Oval Office, citing his “great delivery” at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner and the State of the Union earlier this year and calling him “agile” and “capable.”

ABC’s Martha Raddatz pressed Coons about “stumbles” and “ramblings sometimes” that have given some concern about the president.

“Martha, I’d say, compare him to the alternative. Recognize the value of experience and seasoning. Recognize that his values align better with where we want America to go,” Coons said.

“And in my meetings and conversations with him, in public, in private … Joe Biden is fit, capable and ready to serve another term.”