Nothing ‘sleepy’ about Joe as Biden marks first 100 days
US PRESIDENT HAS PROVED HIS DOUBTERS WRONG SO FAR
BEFORE his election, Joe Biden was cast by some as a doddery old man barely able to string two sentences together.
His critics, none more so than White House rival Donald Trump, nicknamed him “sleepy”, painting a picture of someone unable to keep up with the work required to lead America.
However, today, 100 days into his Presidency, Biden has proven he is anything but the hesitant, bungling leader many predicted.
This new President has hit the ground running and started building a record every one of his younger predecessors would be envious of.
He inherited a country torn apart by Trump and reeling from the pandemic. His report card so far, however, is impressive.
He won approval for a massive £1.4trillion pandemic relief program and rejoined the battle against the existential threat of climate change.
But Biden receives the highest marks for his handling of the Covid vaccine roll-out in his first 100 days.
Scientists had already developed highly effective vaccines before he entered the Oval Office.
Whereas Trump sat back, taking a very much hands-off approach that left vaccine distribution down to individual governors, Biden has focused much of his attention on the logistical challenge of distributing the shots and overseeing supplies.
Last week, America celebrated its goal of administering 200 million doses well ahead of schedule, following in the footsteps of the UK.
Our two nations have suffered hugely throughout the pandemic, with grimly high death rates.
Since March last year, as Covid19 spread across the world and borders closed, the US has banned all non-essential travellers from Britain. But recently, there has been a glimmer of hope.
While much of mainland Europe is entangled in vaccine delays, the UK and the US vaccination programmes continue at pace.
Pre-pandemic, the transatlantic travel corridor was one of the busiest on the planet.
Unsurprisingly, the major UK aviation players are extremely keen, as are the 20 million Brits who travel here each year, for the routes to be reopened.
This week, the chief executive of British Airways, Sean Doyle, said there was a “great opportunity” for Britain and the States to open a corridor given their vaccination success rates. Although governments have yet to agree the details of how and when a restart will work, airlines are readying their planes, pilots and crew for flights this summer, hoping for a return after more than a year of pandemic restrictions.
Much like Britain led the world in its vaccine roll-out, it must now work hard to lead us all back to travel, and help make the rules simple and accessible.
A corridor between the UK and US would be hugely beneficial to our so-called ‘special relationship’.
If our two nations can come together and resolve to bring the world back to the one we knew before Covid, it could be Biden’s biggest accomplishment.