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**MARCH 25, 2021**

Meyerson on TAP

Prez Meets Press; Does Good (and Well)

President Biden took the occasion of his first press conference to sound
some themes that he hasn't sounded quite so forcefully before.
They're themes that can only help his legislative agenda and, by
extension, the general welfare.

Asked about Republicans' voter-suppression efforts and their potential
effect on the Democrats' political prospects, he answered by brushing
aside their political consequences to call them "un-American," singling
out provisions like those which forbid providing water to people
standing in line to vote and call for closing the polls at 5 p.m., just
when most people are getting out of work. This is called taking the high
ground, and it's a good ground to take.

Asked about U.S. relations with China, he provided an equally
high-ground response, saying that the fundamental question is whether
democracies can respond to the challenges of the 21st century as
effectively as autocracies. Ultimately, as he pointed out, this is the
case for his forthcoming physical and human infrastructure bills that
will make the nation's economy more vibrant and less inegalitarian. He
didn't say so, but I will: The Republicans (presumably, just about all
of them) who oppose these bills will have effectively become China's
useful idiots.

In other words, the themes that Biden sounded and the arguments he made
were exactly those that the Democrats need to deploy to build maximum
support for their initiatives. He also made clear, in a veiled sort of
way (however oxymoronic "veiled clarity" may be), that his approach to
legislating will be to wait until Senate Republicans have blocked
popular legislation (or in the case of the Democrats' voting rights
bill, fundamentally "American" legislation) before he'll call for
axing the filibuster-but that he won't hesitate to call for axing it
then.

Biden not only did good; he did well. His answers were clear, and he
displayed his customary empathy (not only in describing Americans'
challenges, but even by praising journalists' coverage of conditions
at the border he has not yet fixed). He did consult talking points when
answering questions on foreign policy, and while Fox News made a big
deal of this, I doubt this will distress anyone except die-hard
Trumpistas. And keep in mind: While JFK was acclaimed for delivering
unprecedentedly polished press conference performances, it was the less
articulate LBJ who actually delivered the landmark legislation of the
'60s.

~ HAROLD MEYERSON

Follow Harold Meyerson on Twitter

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