In this discussion, Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times, delves into the reasons behind Joe Biden's sliding approval ratings and the Democratic Party's identity crisis. He highlights the disconnect between legislative achievements, like the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, and public perception plagued by inflation concerns. As midterms approach, Burns examines the strategies Democrats are adopting to reconnect with voters amid a challenging political landscape.
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Biden's Broad Coalition and Identity Crisis
Biden's declining approval rating stems from trying to appeal to a broad coalition, from center-right to far-left.
This created an identity crisis where he struggled to choose a clear political direction, disappointing almost everyone.
question_answer ANECDOTE
COVID Relief Bill Debate and Strategy
On election night, Democrats faced a slim House majority and uncertain Senate control, prompting debate on a COVID relief bill.
Biden pursued a massive $1.9 trillion relief package, encouraged by Schumer's advice to go big and mobilize public support.
insights INSIGHT
Reinforced Belief and Delayed Choice
The initial success of the COVID relief bill reinforced Biden's belief in being both a unifier and a transformer.
This further delayed the inevitable need to choose between the two, setting the stage for later conflicts.
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Trump, Biden, and the Battle for American Democracy
Alexander Burns
Jonathan Martin
This book provides a deeply reported account of an eighteen-month crisis in American democracy, covering the 2020 election, the coronavirus pandemic, the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and the political brinksmanship of President Biden’s first year in the White House. It exposes the internal divisions within both parties and the strain on the two-party system, raising vital questions about the sustainability of American democracy. The authors draw on hundreds of interviews and never-before-seen documents and recordings from the highest levels of government to deliver a masterful and disturbing narrative of a critical period in American politics.
During his campaign for president and in his first year in office, Joe Biden tried to be all things to all people. But trying to govern on behalf of such a broad political coalition has left his administration with something of an identity crisis.
In alarming figures for Democrats ahead of the midterms, Mr. Biden’s approval rating has reached the lowest level of his presidency, while 70 percent of Americans say that the country is on the wrong track.
Guest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.
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The $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief law unleashed a giant wave of spending on local construction projects and programs. But Democratic candidates aren’t getting much credit for it.
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