Biden approval rating falls to new low at one year mark

President Joe Biden has ended his first year in the White House with a clear majority of Americans for the first time disapproving of his handling of the presidency in the face of an unrelenting pandemic and roaring inflation.

According to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published on Thursday, more Americans disapprove than approve of how Biden is handling his job as president 56 percent to 43 percent.

As of now, just 28 percent of Americans say they want Biden to run for re-election in 2024, including only 48 percent of Democrats.

Asked on Wednesday at a wide-ranging news conference about his flagging popularity, Biden responded, “I don't believe the polls.”

Biden’s approval rating dipped to 50 percent by late September in the aftermath of the chaotic and bloody US military withdrawal from Afghanistan as well as amid surging coronavirus infections and the administration’s fitful efforts to push economic, infrastructure and tax policies through Congress.

The latest poll shows that Americans' confidence in Biden's handling of the pandemic, seen as a strength early in his administration, has further eroded as the Omicron variant spreads.

Americans are even more downbeat about his handling of the economy, with just 37 percent approving. Growing angst about his economic policies comes as inflation rose at its fastest pace in nearly 40 years last month, a 7 percent spike from a year earlier that is increasing household expenses and eating into wage gains.

READ MORE: Biden touts 'enormous progress' in first year despite pandemic

Better position than Trump

However, not all is lost for Biden. Many Americans continue to be at least somewhat positive toward the president, his character and his governing.

The new AP-NORC poll shows Biden is in a better position than Trump was at a similar point in his presidency. In February of 2018, just 35 percent of Americans said they approved of Trump.

Overall, 28 percent of Americans say they have “a great deal of confidence” in Biden to effectively manage the White House - down from 44 percent who said that one year ago just after Biden took office.

Another 33 percent say they have some confidence, while 38 percent say they have hardly any confidence in Biden to manage the executive branch.

Reverend Joseph Courtney, 32, an Episcopal chaplain in Los Angeles, said that Biden in some ways has been pretty much the president he expected, bringing a measure of confidence to the electorate by empowering experts and scientists in the country’s battle against the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic.

But Courtney said that Biden has yet to deliver on his promise to build consensus with Republicans or even some of the more conservative lawmakers in his Democratic party.

READ MORE: US defends Covid response as Omicron spikes amid testing woes