Despite Joe Biden's recent claims about the strength of the American economy under his leadership, much of the electorate remains unconvinced and, as Fox News reports, Bob Cusack of The Hill believes that unless a shift occurs in the relatively near future, the president's re-election bid is doomed to fail.

Cusack, who serves as the outlet's editor-in-chief, offered his take on the situation during a Friday appearance on America Reports.

Biden's “big problem”

The president has made headlines in recent weeks for his proclamations about the supposed success of his “Bidenomics” economic strategies as well as his Inflation Reduction Act, but in Cusack's estimation, there comes a point when the rhetoric must match reality in order for his reelection bid to succeed.

With regard to recent economic data that appears to belie Biden's confident public assertions, Cusack said, “These numbers, if they don't improve, Joe Biden's not going to get a second term – I mean, it's as simple as that.”

Cusack continued, noting that “at the beginning of the summer, the White House put out a press release saying Bidenomics is working, but people don't believe it.”

“And that's a big problem,” he added.

Specious victory lap

Even so, the president has been working hard to convince Americans to put faith in his words rather than their daily financial realities, recently delivering remarks at the White House commemorating the signing of the Inflation Act and touting the benefits he says have inured to the populace, as ABC News explains.

Declaring the Act to be one of the “most significant laws” ever enacted, Biden claimed that the legislation is “taking on the special interests and winning” and “delivering on promises that have long been made to the American people to lower cost for families.”

According to Biden, the approach broadly described as “Bidenomics” is working to reduce health care costs, “increase America's energy security; restore fairness to a tax code; create good paying jobs here in America; and to address the potential threat of climate crisis.”

As the AP noted, however, Republicans such as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have countered those contentions by pointing out that inflation hit a four-decade high during Biden's tenure and noting that "[r]eal wages are down and gas prices are up” and adding that the country is now “paying the price for failed leadership.”

Delayed response?

Despite McCarthy's line of attack, Cusack suggested that in the eyes of many, Republicans have been late to the game in pointing out the weaknesses in Biden's economic record and need to pick up the pace as the campaign season progresses.

Acknowledging that the multiple recent indictments of former President Donald Trump have in some ways flooded the zone in terms of news coverage in recent weeks, it is incumbent on Republicans wishing to unseat Biden to compel voters to answer the time-honored campaign year question of “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”

As Cusack pointed out, he has heard from prominent voices from the Democratic side of the aisle that even they understand that the GOP has a veritable ace in the hole when it comes to discussing the economy under Biden, and he wonders when Republicans plan to unleash what are likely to be effective critiques along those lines.

Given that recent polling suggests that a majority of voters are dissatisfied with Biden's handling of the economy and upwards of 70% disapprove of his approach to inflation, Cusack's observations are well-taken and hopefully additional voices on the Republican side will begin to act accordingly in order to capitalize on those sentiments.