A mere month after the election, the verdict is clear: Joe Biden lost. Despite heading into the 2024 campaign with some accomplishments under his belt, three key figures ultimately defined his presidency: 30, 40, and 97.

These numbers represent the approximate percentage of Americans who felt the country was on the right track (30%), approved of Biden's job performance (40%), and believed things were better under Trump (97% of Trump supporters). This last figure presented a significant hurdle for Biden, as it demonstrated the unwavering support of Trump's base.

Biden's primary objective upon taking office was to restore faith in American governance. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration's deregulation efforts, and a prevailing sentiment that government was the problem, Biden aimed to showcase the ability of government institutions to address critical issues, both domestically and internationally, particularly in the context of growing competition with China.

Biden's strategy involved tackling COVID-19 through vaccination, passing a substantial infrastructure bill, and ultimately running on a platform of national revitalization in 2024. While he achieved notable milestones, such as vaccinating a significant portion of the population and enacting the infrastructure bill, these accomplishments failed to resonate with voters on a personal level.

The emergence of new COVID-19 variants, against which the initial vaccines were less effective, fueled public skepticism and impacted the election. The infrastructure bill, while significant, lacked tangible results that voters could experience before the election. Similarly, while strengthening NATO and forming alliances to counter China's influence were strategically important, the ongoing war in Ukraine and public skepticism towards international institutions limited their political impact.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan proved to be a pivotal moment in Biden's presidency. The chaotic scenes at the Kabul airport significantly damaged his approval rating, from which it never recovered. While some argue that Biden's actions on the international stage will yield positive outcomes in the future, these potential benefits were not realized in time to influence the election.

Despite potential long-term benefits from his policies, Biden's inability to translate these achievements into tangible improvements for voters ultimately led to his political downfall. His focus on institutional change, while potentially beneficial in the long run, failed to resonate with an electorate seeking immediate and perceptible results.