Washington
CNN
—
The White House – and That of President Joe Biden re-election campaign – are eager to promote lower prices on everything from gas to the cost of turkey for thanksgiving as they seek to convince skeptical Americans that the president’s policies are working.
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and top economic and communications officials were asked to tout improving numbers as the holidays approach, two White House officials said, organizing meetings on how to communicate the price reduction to the public.
The White House will also air economic substitutes on regional television to get the message across next week, a White House official said.
Zients, along with other economics and communications aides, used social media to promote information about lower gas prices, travel and Turkey.
“Good news for families. There’s still work to be done,” Zients posted Monday on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, alongside an article. It’s similar to a tactic used by his predecessor, Ron Klain, who regularly monitored and promoted lower gas prices on social media.
The holiday push to highlight falling prices comes as the White House and Biden’s campaign have struggled to make a difference with voters who say they are feeling economic hardship despite improvements in some economic indicators.
A new NBC News poll found that only 38% of voters nationally approve of President Biden’s handling of the economy. A recent New York Times/Sienna College Poll conducted last month found that 52% of registered voters in key states had a poor view of the economy.
And the economy is expected to be an important issue for voters between now and 2024, with 66% of registered voters nationally saying the economy will be extremely important to their votes, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that while he and other administration officials were focused on highlighting these positive economic indicators, he also argued that even if Americans believe it there is more to do, they “agree” with the path taken by Biden.
“That doesn’t mean we can say everything is perfect. And we recognize it. Americans have had a rough few years, especially when you think about Covid,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash on “Inside Politics,” adding, “We’re not saying all the work is done, we’re here -down. highlighting the good work we do.
As Americans gather around their Thanksgiving tables this year, the price of the average meal is down from its all-time high, signaling some relief from soaring inflation. The average party cost is down about 4.5% from last year, according to the American Farm Bureau’s annual survey.
A classic 12-course Thanksgiving meal for 10 people will cost an average of $61.17, compared to last year’s record average of $64.05.
Gas prices also fell just in time for the Thanksgiving travel rush. The national average price of regular gasoline fell 55 cents per gallon over the past two months to $3.33. according to AAA. That exceeds the typical seasonal fall in gasoline prices in the fall and leaves the national average at a 10-month low.
U.S. consumer price inflation slowed more than expected last month, after rising over the past two months. The consumer price index rose 3.2% for the 12 months ended in October, up from 3.7% in September, and reached the lowest annual rate since March 2021, according to Bureau of Labor data Statistics published last week.
CNN’s Betsy Klein, Matt Egan and Sam Fossum contributed to this story.
