during a week in which President Biden Though Biden remains optimistic about his chances for a second term, people in Scranton, Pennsylvania — Biden’s own birthplace — shared with Fox News Digital their perspectives on his first term performance and the issues most important to them this year.
Resident Michael said the president has left many marks on his hometown.
“Well, the street is named after him. You can start there,” Michael said, standing along Biden Street — formerly called Spruce — in the city’s downtown.
He cast doubt on the qualifications of both major parties’ candidates, saying, “You know what the madness of politics is? You can’t win either way.”
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The former Central Scranton Expressway – now the President Biden Expressway – splits off from I-81, which continues toward Binghamton, NY (Charles Kraatz)
“What are we going to do now? Vote for a convict; a criminal – or a man who doesn’t know anything.”
Resident Lauren, who declined to give her last name, said her main issue is women’s reproductive rights. Lauren said she is unhappy with developments on the abortion issue during Biden’s tenure.
Walking with a companion near Boscov’s department store on Lackawanna Avenue, Thomas, a local resident, said he fully supports Biden and said he has “done a lot for the economy.”
He cited some recent drops in food prices, and praised the city’s decision to rename the Central Scranton Expressway connector to I-81 after its native land.
Steve later spoke to Fox News Digital outside the city’s bus terminal along the Lackawanna River.
He said he was going to the welfare office; a trip he never thought he would have to make.
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Gary spoke to Fox News Digital from outside the Scranton market (Charlie Kraatz/Fox News Digital)
“(The economy) has tanked,” he said. “It’s terrible right now. Everything — every decision (Biden) has made, it’s put us in a situation where we can’t even live,” he added, explaining where they’re heading.
“This is the first time this has happened in my life. It’s horrible. I can’t even explain it. If we keep going like this, everyone will end up living in the forest.”
Another man, Bryan, said Biden’s tenure has been a “disaster” but stopped short of claiming that returning former President Trump to office would be the answer.
“Honestly, I think they’re the same thing.”
“(Biden’s) presidency has been a disaster. Our country has only gotten worse. Everything since then has been worse. But that’s been the case with everybody (who has been in office) for the last 20 years. So I don’t know what the answer is.”
However, Bryan said he was still undecided about his choice of candidate.
Heather, who was on vacation from her job at a local restaurant, said, “Trump 2024” when asked about Biden.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous – he can’t even get a full sentence out,” he said.
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John, of Scranton, said he’s supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this year. (Charlie Kraatz/Fox News Digital)
His friend John said he could not make any predictions about Biden’s first four years. He said of the US economy in the long term, “We go down, then we go up.”
At Northern Light Espresso Bar on Biden Street, owner Jennifer Saunders told Fox News that digital business is doing well these days.
She said restaurant-related prices and costs are higher, however, she added that she avoids passing the difference on to the consumer.
“I try not to do that as much as possible, but I have to stay in business … it’s a tough balance,” she said.
Saunders said he doesn’t necessarily blame those in power for such market forces. Instead, he said the impact of COVID-19 has hurt the economy in the long term.
Joe Biden speaks to reporters outside his childhood home on N. Washington Avenue in Scranton in 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty)
As far as the election goes, Saunders said the 2020 election looks like the “lesser of two evils,” and the 2024 re-election looks like the same.
Locally, however, Saunders said things are improving, and called Scranton a “great city” to live, work and visit.
Josie, who describes herself as an “anarchist,” was leaving a Pride Month event in neighboring Wilkes-Barre, said neither candidate is “for the people,” but she did have one perceived advantage to Biden:
“I think he’s completely detached from the struggles of all normal people. At least his team doesn’t actually want me to die, though,” he claimed, referring to Trump.
“Honestly, what happened to Israel is absolutely horrific,” Josie said.
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A sign made popular by NBC’s “The Office” is displayed at the Mall at Steamtown in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (Charles Kraatz)
In downtown Scranton, a young man named John said he was abandoning both major party candidates in favor of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
John said Kennedy has an impressive policy agenda and personality.
“I like his character. I like the way he speaks about various issues and his plans to deal with them,” he said.
John said he believes Kennedy is coming to power at the right time, and he wants him to win an unexpected victory in November.
“(Biden) is not a world leader,” Joe said. Another Scrantonian.
“The economy isn’t as good as he says it is,” Joe said as he walked past the government building, which is named for another famous resident of the city, former Democratic Gov. Robert Casey, made famous in the Casey v. Planned Parenthood case.
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Lauren from Scranton gave her opinion about President Biden, saying women’s reproductive rights are most important to him. (Charles Kreutz/Fox News)
Similarly, Monday was the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, and Scranton Democratic Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti chaired a rally associated with the Biden campaign outside the courthouse.
Following her remarks, Gebhardt Cognetti spoke with Fox News Digital about why she’s supporting her fellow Scrantonian this fall.
Taking a dig at “Dobbs,” Gebhardt Cognetti said Trump would try to “eradicate women’s rights” if he won a second term. She praised Biden for supporting working-class cities like Scranton, which she said need to remain attractive for investment and raising families.
Speaking on Gebhardt Cognetti’s program, Jane, who has been a registered nurse for the past 28 years, said health care has always been her top political issue.
“My general message has always been, ‘Donald Trump is dangerous to your health,'” he said.
“You look at the Affordable Care Act, you look at the protections that are in place for patients with pre-existing conditions. Overall, there is no better choice than Joe Biden on health care.”
Fox News Digital’s Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report,
