POLITICO Playbook: The best (and worst) of Biden’s town hall
By EUGENE DANIELS, TARA PALMERI, RYAN LIZZA and RACHAEL BADE 02/17/2021 06:12 AM EST
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DRIVING THE DAY
There’s almost nothing President JOE BIDEN loves more than talking to voters. It’s where he’s at his most empathetic, if loquacious, best. Tuesday night’s CNN town hall in Milwaukee put Biden’s virtues and flaws on full display: There were genuine moments of reflection, a few policy reveals and meandering monologues without a clear point — leading to many apologies for talking too much (at least five according to our count).
Here are Playbook’s superlatives from the hour-plus event, Biden’s first with voters since he took office.
Quickest real-time backtrack: When Anderson Cooper asked when everyone who wants to be vaccinated would be, Biden answered: “By the end of July of this year.” That would be a fast timeline and a difficult promise to keep. Biden then clarified that the vaccines would be available to all by the end of July. Not the same thing.
Most tender moment: Biden loves kids — and it showed when a mom said her daughter (standing alongside her) was scared of dying from Covid-19. Consoling the girl, the president explained that children are less likely to get the disease. “I wouldn’t worry about it, baby,” he said. “I promise you.”
Harshest toss under the bus: There had been a bit of … confusion about whether the administration would consider a school that’s open just one day a week as an “open school.” Biden cut Cooper off, saying: “No, that’s not true. That’s what was reported. It was a mistake in the communication.” As in, the press secretary got it wrong.
Best moniker: In the first of several times that DONALD TRUMP came up Tuesday night, Biden referred to his predecessor as “the former guy.”
Biggest progressive slap-downs: So far, Biden and the progressive wing of his party have had a nice honeymoon. But two things some liberal activists really want got the “no-from-me-dawg” treatment: Biden reiterated he doesn’t want to defund the police, but instead thinks “we have to put more money in police work.” Later, a woman asked about the government canceling $50,000 in student loan debt per borrower. “What will you do to make that happen?” she asked Biden.
“I will not make that happen,” he answered.
Most relatable quote: Talking about his new life in the White House, Biden said: “I don’t know about you all, but I was raised in a way that you didn’t look for anybody to wait on you. And it’s — I find myself extremely self-conscious. [There are] wonderful people working at the White House.”
Best shade: Biden said he’s talked to his living predecessors since he took office. “All of them, with one exception, picked up the phone and called me,” he said with a smirk. We wonder who that might be?
Most surprising reveal: Biden said he’d never been in the White House residence before he moved in, despite his eight years as veep.
Most vulnerable moment: Biden can be an introspective guy. Reflecting on his first few weeks in the job, he said at the conclusion of the town hall: “I literally pray that I have the capacity to do for the country what you all deserve need be done.”
Headlines from the town hall:
— NYT: “Biden suggests vaccines will be available for every American ‘by the end of July’”
— POLITICO: “Biden focuses on K-8 in recasting benchmark on opening schools”
— WAPO: “Biden indicates he’s open to negotiation on $15 minimum wage”
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