biden has populist support
Yes, but Trump has a huge amount of support, too. Let's not forget that over 70m voted for Trump this time around - that's more, for example, than Obama ever got.
Biden's selling point essentially was "I'm not Trump"... the election was all about Trump and Trumpist politics, he's a polarising character, and he can get voters to turn out - both for him and against him - like no-one else.
This isn't a Trump-bashing thread. "Lame duck" covers every outgoing president during the transition. It doesn't have to be an oppositional thing, either. For example, George W was praised effusively by Obama for how easy he made their transition. This time, though, voters from both sides know that Trump won't go quietly or happily. The question is what he might do during the next couple of months. And the associated question, given how much of a vote-winner Trumpism is/was, is to what extent will other prominent Republicans continue to work with him and further his agenda?