President Joe Biden was in a celebratory mood as he stepped onto the South Lawn of the White House, sporting his trademark aviator sunglasses. As of that morning, the latest monthly inflation data had shown slower than expected price increases in the US economy.
A few hours later, to the tune of “True Colors” featuring singer Cyndi Lauper, surrounded by cheering congressmen from both parties, he signed bipartisan legislation protecting same-sex marriage across the country. “It’s been a long road, but we’ve made it. And we’ll keep working forward, I promise you,” he said.
The December 13 outdoor ceremony capped off a remarkably positive year for Biden, including a better-than-expected performance by Democrats in the midterm elections, the release of Brittney Griner, an American basketball star held in Russia, and the announcement of a multibillion-dollar investment in semiconductor manufacturing in the politically volatile state of Arizona.
What could have been a devastating year for him — including dealing with Russia’s war in Ukraine, persistently high inflation, infighting among Democrats and what many feared would be a midterm thrashing — is ending on a note. good for the White House.
That put Biden, who turned 80 last month, in a better position to decide whether to seek re-election in 2024. An announcement by the president about his political future is expected early next year, and his recent successes have silenced some democratic voices. who asked him to give up due to age.
“The productivity of his administration in partnership with Congress is undeniable in the context of a national narrative that is a version of ‘to hell with everything,'” says Tina Smith, a Democratic senator from Minnesota. She adds that she would expect any president with Biden’s record of achievement to try for another term — and if so, will support him.
“He led the party and fought for issues that are much more aligned with centrist voters than the GOP is,” says Joel Benenson, a Democratic pollster who worked for former President Barack Obama.
Biden’s approval ratings have improved in recent months, although they remain below the median line. According to the Realclearpolitics.com polling average, 52% of Americans disapprove of his performance as president, while 43% approve. The 9-point gap is much smaller than at the low point in July, but it will remain a concern for the White House and Democrats.
“There’s not a huge outcry from the American public for this particular leader, there’s [apenas] a clamor for the normality that he brought, to some extent,” says Jeffrey Engel, founder and director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University in Texas.
Some of the most encouraging news for Biden in recent months has come on the economic front. Aside from the consumer price index slowdown, job growth remains solid, quelling fears that a recession triggered by the Federal Reserve’s aggressive monetary tightening is looming.
In their latest economic projections, Fed officials predicted higher unemployment, higher inflation and higher interest rates in 2023. But they still expect the US economy to continue growing, albeit at a slow pace of 0.5%, and to accelerate again in 2024.
“The positive economic news shows us that we are on the right track and that the policy decisions were correct,” says Smith.
On the foreign policy front, Biden concluded the year by receiving a state visit from French President Emmanuel Macron — a symbol of the western unity he helped forge against Vladimir Putin after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. While this had little domestic political impact, it helped cement confidence in his national security team after the disastrous withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in his first year in office.
“Biden grew up in the Cold War, in the shadow of Harry Truman and some of the achievements that helped keep the peace for years — he overcame difficulties and stood firm, even after some hesitation at first,” says historian Alvin Felzenberg, former member of the government commission that investigated the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. “He worked hard to restore the confidence of allies.”
In weighing the 2024 decision, Biden will want to avoid two disturbing precedents. The first is an internal primary challenge that would split Democrats and jeopardize their chances in general elections — like those that helped convict Gerald Ford in 1976, Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George HW Bush in 1992.
But if Biden decides to step aside, he will want to do so early enough to allow potential Democratic successors to mount successful campaigns, unlike Lyndon Johnson’s late announcement in 1968 that paved the way for Republican Richard Nixon to win the White House.
After a year in which Biden has disarmed and confounded critics inside and outside his party, however, the belief in the White House is that the president is holding the best political hand he’s had in months.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
