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.