Mar 15, 2022·edited Mar 15, 2022Liked by Josh Barro
My pithy statement is that the Biden administration needs to demonstrate it cares more about how these events are impacting Americans than how they impact the midterms or their reelection prospects.
A little less pithily, I would like to see the Administration treat us like grown-up rather than whiny children who can be scolded to shut up. The inflation we are experiencing is largely to due to factors outside of the Administration's control. That doesn't make it any less painful.
I would like the see the Administration model some leadership in this regard, and stifle this general instinct to pretend things aren't happening, or that only the Wrong Kind of People are upset about it, or it's all connected to the Koch Brothers or some other dark forces, or whatever.
I agree with a decent amount of this, but #4 is not a good strategy unless it comes with action. Biden is bizarrely portraying himself as incapable of doing anything. He blames Putin for some of the issues (which is true to an extent, but let's not pretend that inflation wasn't rising significantly before the invasion of Ukraine), but then he acts like he has no control over anything. He makes excuses and blames others which is weak leadership. I'm not saying he should say everything is his fault, but he needs to shift the blame AND follow up with action to help alleviate inflation and gas prices.
I don't understand the White House's PR strategy. His Chief of Staff and Press Secretary rarely serve Biden well. Honestly, it's been very poor for his entire presidency.
My pithy statement is that the Biden administration needs to demonstrate it cares more about how these events are impacting Americans than how they impact the midterms or their reelection prospects.
A little less pithily, I would like to see the Administration treat us like grown-up rather than whiny children who can be scolded to shut up. The inflation we are experiencing is largely to due to factors outside of the Administration's control. That doesn't make it any less painful.
I would like the see the Administration model some leadership in this regard, and stifle this general instinct to pretend things aren't happening, or that only the Wrong Kind of People are upset about it, or it's all connected to the Koch Brothers or some other dark forces, or whatever.
Buy that may just be me.
A long podcast with you and Andrew Sullivan would be great.
I agree with a decent amount of this, but #4 is not a good strategy unless it comes with action. Biden is bizarrely portraying himself as incapable of doing anything. He blames Putin for some of the issues (which is true to an extent, but let's not pretend that inflation wasn't rising significantly before the invasion of Ukraine), but then he acts like he has no control over anything. He makes excuses and blames others which is weak leadership. I'm not saying he should say everything is his fault, but he needs to shift the blame AND follow up with action to help alleviate inflation and gas prices.
I don't understand the White House's PR strategy. His Chief of Staff and Press Secretary rarely serve Biden well. Honestly, it's been very poor for his entire presidency.