There will be two markers for Joe Biden’s next 100 days: will he get his ambitious infrastructure spending through Congress? And will there be an eruption with Russia, China, North Korea or Iran? Both will determine his fate, writes Bruce Wolpe. | OPINION
We have not seen this tableau before: two women seated behind the US President as he addresses Congress on Thursday morning, Australian time, on the eve of his 100th day in office. The next in line of succession are indeed Vice-President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. And the VP is a woman of colour. It will be the most striking presentation of the country’s leadership since Barack Obama, the first African American elected president, made his maiden address to Congress in 2009.
The White House is back to normal. Biden and Harris get briefed every morning by the intelligence services. The press secretary gives daily media briefings, and she does not tell lies from the podium. After 100 days, no major officials have been fired, or interviewed by the FBI. Biden’s speeches rarely last more than 20 minutes. The COVID-19 advice comes from medical experts; there are no recommendations to use bleach in fighting the virus. No weekend crisis tweets from a gilded room in Florida.
Biden wants movement now. This is a huge lesson he learnt from Obama being entrapped for fruitless months on health care and climate, at enormous political cost to his presidency.