Today, Explained We scored Biden’s first year
Dec 20, 2021
Evan Osnos, a staff writer at The New Yorker, dives into President Biden's first year in office, assessing efforts to unify a divided America post-January 6. He discusses the challenges of pandemic response, including vaccination and infrastructure initiatives like Build Back Better. The conversation also covers the unexpected obstacles Biden faced, such as COVID variants and inflation. Highlights include reflections on the complex U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and its humanitarian implications, showcasing the intricate balance of leadership during tumultuous times.
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Biden's Unity Bet
- Biden's unity plan aimed to improve people's lives to cool political tensions.
- He believed that showing a functional government could bridge divides.
Pandemic Response
- The Biden administration prioritized pandemic response through vaccines and messaging.
- Premature optimism and political opposition hindered progress.
Anti-Vaccine Campaign
- Conservatives launched a campaign to undermine the vaccine.
- This opposition became a major obstacle to controlling the pandemic.
