President Biden
Joe BidenNoem tells the response to the coronavirus in South Dakota, and includes blockades in CPAC speech on the trail: Cuomo and Newsom – a story of two fighting governors Biden celebrates vaccine approval, but warns that current improvement ‘MORE can stop ‘ brought back dual meetings in the White House that had declined under his predecessor, and tried to find a common ground with Republicans, even though they were far apart on issues related to the next round of coronavirus relief.
Biden’s first meeting with lawmakers in the Oval Office was with Republican senators on the Coronavirus proposal, and he has since met with dual members of Congress on issues of infrastructure and later the supply chain. Biden’s outreach to Republicans has also extended beyond Capitol Hill to governors and local leaders as his government grapples with the coronavirus and recent winter storms in southern states.
The meetings are another example of a return to more traditional government under Biden, and he is expected to do so regularly.
White House spokesman Michael Gwin said the president was “pleased to welcome lawmakers from both parties in the White House to work together to address the challenges we face, and he will continue to do so during his term of office. “
“Biden’s brand brings people together, so it’s always helpful to remind voters that he’s trying to unite,” said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. “For now, it helps him stay above the fight.”
While Biden is struggling to get across the aisle, the right test will be whether the involvement yields any results. Talks with Republicans over COVID-19 relief have not brought either side closer to a compromise. Democrats continued to pass Biden’s $ 1.9 billion proposal through budget reconciliation, creating tensions with Republicans.
“There are clearly issues where there is dual consensus, but it requires presidential leadership and political capital to prevent the far-left or far-right government from stopping it,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist and former spokesman for George W. Bush’s Withuis, said.
Biden’s effort to work across the aisle is a reflection of his promise to be a ‘unifier and a president for all Americans’.
“He said he wanted Republicans at the table from the beginning,” said a longtime Biden adviser. “You can no longer camp there for a year and a half and then not do it.”
The adviser said Biden had always aimed to show the rhetoric and ‘break fever’.
“It is part of the agreement to make the opposition and not the enemy,” the adviser said. ‘Part of the purpose is to talk to them. It is also a message he is sending not only to Republicans but to Democrats as well.
“He is not under the illusion that we will get 67 votes, but that is how policy-making works,” the adviser went on to add that Biden is a “creature of the Senate”.
Biden has devised plans to pass a repair and infrastructure package, and the Democrats also submitted an immigration proposal on Capitol Hill, offering its next tests to work with Republicans. Biden would need Republicans to join the Democrats in order to pass an immigration overhaul.
In addition to Biden’s contacts, the White House says officials remain in constant contact with Republican offices on Capitol Hill and in the states.
Former President Obama also tried to reach out to Republicans in the first months of his presidency; he met on his first day in Washington with dual House and Senate leadership in January 2009, before being inaugurated, to discuss the economic recovery.
“President Obama wanted to do everything in his power to reach out to the Republican Republicans,” said Phil Schiliro, who served as director of Obama’s legislative affairs. “If there was no receptivity, he did not want the lack of interest to prevent us from moving forward.”
The Obama outreach initially included several small dual social events, including a gathering for the Super Bowl and a few cocktail parties in the White House. But it ended shortly after it began, because Obama found that they were largely unsuccessful in helping his legislative agenda.
“He hated them,” said one former senior administration official.
He did, however, continue to hold occasional meetings with two groups’ only when matters required [and] not for the sake of a dual society, ”said another former official, referring to meetings on government funding and the Iran deal.
Pray the contrasts with former President Trump
Donald TrumpNo calls for South Dakota’s coronavirus response, locks CPAC speech on track: Cuomo and Newsom – a story of two fighting governors McCarthy: ‘I would bet my house’ GOP takes lower chamber in 2022 back MORE, who strives for an outsider persona and not for the ability or willingness to work across the aisle. While there were some moments of duality during the Trump era, such as the adoption of the First Step Act, they were fleeting and drowned by constant friction between the then president and Democrats.
“From the moment Trump won, the Democrats were committed to defeating him four years later. “The Democratic base had no interest in working with Trump,” Conant said. “Trump has never presented himself as president to all Americans. If you did not support Trump, he considered you the opposition from day one. ”
Trump did hold several meetings with dual leaders in the White House, but they were put off at the end of 2019 when House Democrats began accusing. Trump’s last meeting with dual congressional leadership took place in October 2019 regarding Syria. The meeting ended with the Democrats storming and both parties uttered insults, and Trump never spoke to the speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiMcCarthy: ‘I’ll Bet My House’ GOP takes back the lower chamber in 2022. After the vote against the coronavirus relief package, Golden is asking for more duality in Congress. Democrats do not trust IDP on 1/6 commission: ‘These people are dangerous’ MORE (D-California) after that meeting.
Nevertheless, all five coronavirus accounts for emergency funding approved by the House and the GOP-controlled Senate by the Democratic-controlled House last year were twofold, although Trump played little role in the negotiations and even the fate of the final legislation passed in December. adopted, briefly threatened. Instead, it was the then Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin
Steven MnuchinOn The Money: Schumer Calls on Democrats to Stick with the .9T Account | Collins Excludes Biden Assistance GOP Assistance Plan | Powell fights inflation fears Mnuchin expects to launch investment fund seeking support from Persian Gulf region: reports Larry Kudlow debuts with major ratings on Fox Business Network MORE which gave rise to discussions with Pelosi about coronavirus relief.
Conant described the lack of dual support for Biden’s coronavirus assistance package as an ‘ominous start’, saying the White House was likely to want and need Republican support to adopt key immigration and infrastructure policies.
“I think Biden is well positioned to do that if he is sometimes willing to break with the very left,” Conant said. “You can not expect duality if you are not willing to give something to the other side.”
Democrats currently hold only narrow majorities in Congress, with Vice President Harris casting a decisive vote in the Senate 50-50. The battle over Biden’s nomination of Neera Tanden for the office of management and budget, which sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) Manchin Progressive sting on Senate setbacks Politics, not racism or sexism, declares opposition to the Biden cabinet nominees. House Democrats pass vague .9T COVID-19 bill with minimum wage increase MORE (DW.Va.) opposes, also emphasizes the work the president has to do to keep his own party together while also trying to work across the aisle.
According to participants, Biden’s first meeting with GOP senators on February 1 was cordial, but Biden still remained committed to his $ 1.9 billion relief proposal, which Republicans consider too expensive.
Biden’s outreach continued when he met a dual group of senators on infrastructure on February 11 and this week with 11 lawmakers, including six Republicans, on addressing vulnerabilities in supply chains. Sen. John Cornyn
John Cornyn Politics, not racism or sexism, explains opposition from Biden cabinet nominees Biden promises support for Texas amid recovery from winter storm Partisan headwind threatens Capitol riot commission MORE (R-Texas.), Who met with Biden on Friday on a trip to storm-stricken Texas, described the meeting as “very positive.”
“The political process has its pros and cons, and I hope it’s an opportunity for us to do something really important in a dual way,” Cornyn said. ‘So far, the $ 1.9 billion COVID-19 emergency relief bill is strictly enforced along party lines. I think it’s a shame. ”