Biden makes moves that foreshadow campaign
Busy agenda angers some liberals as he develops platform
While President Joe Biden was in Philadelphia on Thursday touting a budget proposal with broad Democratic support but little chance of becoming law, a contentious piece of legislation was headed to his desk — one that had exposed rifts in his party over crime and self-governance in the nation’s capital.
Mr. Biden’s decision to sign the bill overturning D.C.’s new criminal law — after his administration initially opposed it — could help him fend off Republican attacks aiming to paint Democrats as soft on crime.
But it also sparked a rare rush of criticism within Mr. Biden’s party just as he was preparing to roll out a $6.9 trillion budget that managed to unite Democrats on a range of issues while putting Republicans on defense over popular programs like Medicare.
That dichotomy illustrates the opportunities and perils facing Mr. Biden as he cruises toward securing his party’s presidential nomination without a significant primary challenge while also presiding over a divided government.
As he gears up for re-election, Mr. Biden plans to use his presidential platform to attempt to exploit Republican weaknesses on kitchentable issues like Social Security and drug prices while fending off attacks on crime, immigration and other areas where Democrats are vulnerable with swing voters, according to aides and allies, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy.
In a campaign- style speech that included 16 references to “MAGA Republicans” on Thursday, Mr. Biden unveiled both his budget and his case for another four years in office.
“Amid the economic upheaval of the past four decades, too many people have been left behind or treated like they’re invisible,” Mr. Biden said at a Philadelphia union hall. “Not anymore. I promise you, I see you.”
As House Democrats adjust to life in the minority and as the White House undergoes staff changes in what some aides have deemed “Chapter 2” of the Biden presidency, the president faces the challenge of shepherding his party through a period of turbulence and transition while building momentum for the launch of his reelection bid.
Though an official announcement is likely weeks away and key decisions on the campaign’s headquarters and director remain pending, Mr. Biden has been sharpening his re-election pitch at presidential events across the country. He has spent the last few weeks contrasting his vision with that of Republicans and telling voters he’d like to “finish the job” by making progress on a range of economic issues.
Mr. Biden’s Republican detractors — empowered by a slim majority in the House and a sense that Mr. Biden’s age and low approval ratings make him a weak incumbent candidate — have sought to disrupt the president’s smooth glidepath to the general election. They are forcing votes on wedge issues to expose Democratic divisions, challenging Mr. Biden’s policies in the courts and using their oversight powers to investigate controversies and allegations of wrongdoing by the president’s administration and family.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., mocked Mr. Biden for “pulling a 180” on the D.C. crime bill in a floor speech last week, saying the president and Democrats were clearly “panicking” at the unpopularity of their stance.
“I think somebody at the White House may have shown the president his latest poll numbers on this issue,” said Mr. McConnell, one of several Republicans who have been excited to see their Democratic colleagues pushed into a defensive position.
After the White House released a statement on Feb. 6 opposing the GOP-led D.C. crime resolution as an infringement on the city’s autonomy — and after a majority of House Democrats voted against it three days later — Mr. Biden announced on March 2 that he would sign the bill if it reached his desk. The president said he continued to back D.C. statehood, but could not support the city council’s sweeping reforms, which included lowering statutory maximum penalties for offenses including robbery and carjacking.
“173 House Democrats voted for reduced sentences for violent crimes,” ads from the National Republican Campaign Committee state. “So crazy even President Biden won’t support the anarchy.”
Mr. Biden’s decision to sign the legislation left some House Democrats feeling blindsided. The perceived tack to the center on crime raised additional concerns because lawmakers have also felt surprised by recent immigration policies they say mark another abrupt rightward shift by the president.
The moves come as Democrats are experiencing vulnerabilities on both issues. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a Democrat, recently lost her re-election in a race where crime was a key factor. The perception that Democrats were soft on crime may have also hurt Democrats in several House races in New York last November. The Biden administration has also struggled to contain a record surge of migration at the border, and administration officials fear that the lifting of a key pandemic-era immigration restriction in May could fuel another rush of migrants.
Liberals, in particular, were incensed not only by the perceived shifts toward the center, but by the lack of consultation before the moves were made. Some pointed to the exit of former chief of staff Ron Klain as a turning point in relations with the White House.
“There are definitely some concerns,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.. “This is a very sensitive time, I think, with personnel shifts at the White House. Historically, I think progressives have felt very confident in being heard.”
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., echoed the sentiment, noting that there “is a transition” in the White House that coincides with a new House Democratic leadership team finding its own footing.
“I think it will take time for us all to get back on the same page,” she said.
Easing the concerns of liberals who make up part of the Democratic base was a priority for Mr. Klain. When it became clear that Mr. Biden would win the presidential nomination over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in early 2020, Mr. Klain took the initiative to ensure the campaign began to foment and strengthen relationships with congressional liberals.
His successor, Jeff Zients, is less of a known commodity among lawmakers.
“Out of the gate, since being named as chief of staff, Jeff has spoken with a wide range of lawmakers, including leading progressives, to express his interest in hearing perspectives and working together as part of our robust outreach,” said one White House official.
Administration officials said Mr. Biden continues to have strong support among Democrats, pointing to recent statements from a wide range of lawmakers supporting his re-election. And Mr. Biden is driving policy moves, not staff, officials said.
“President Biden’s values and agenda have demonstrably unified congressional Democrats across the full spectrum of the party — as well as the country more broadly — and are consistent with what he ran on and fought for over many years,” said White House spokesman Andrew Bates. “That agenda has delivered the strongest legislative record in modern history, from judicial confirmations to gun reform to climate change and Medicare. It has also meant historic bipartisan progress.”