Despite improving economic conditions, US President Joe Biden said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it psychologically difficult for Americans to be delighted with their surroundings.
During a Saturday interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, Biden addressed concerns that some Democrats may have that the party's agenda is not moving forward rapidly enough, despite the fact that Democrats are in control of both Congress and the White House.
Biden suggested that COVID-19's psychological toll has precluded certain Americans from perceiving the gains made under his administration.
"I think the biggest impact of the psychology of the country has been COVID," the president explained, adding that as of today, over 1 million people in the US have died due to the virus. "And so, I think it's hard for people to get their arms around the fact that we have the fastest growing economy in 40 years. Wages are actually up, not down. Unemployment's the lowest it's been under, you know, it's just incredibly low, and it's around in the three-point range."
Biden expressed a belief that it is tough for Americans to comprehend such things when they "wake up in the morning and wonder whether or not" their loved one will die from COVID-19.
According to the president, COVID-19 has had a "phenomenal negative psychological impact" on the public mind.
"And so you have an awful lot of people who are, notwithstanding the fact that things have gotten so much better for them economically, that they are thinking, but, how do you get up in the morning feeling happy? Happy that everything’s alright," he said.
In the interview, Biden also expressed his desire to be remembered as a president who restored "some decency and honor to the office," as well as for assisting the American middle class and restoring international partnerships.
He added that he hoped his legacy would be that he "was able to bring people together, bring the politics of America together."
Meanwhile, Biden's approval rating, according to the results of recent polls, is under 40%, and dissatisfaction with the president's policies and personal qualities is growing among voters, which, ahead of the November midterm elections, could play into the hands of the Republicans.