By Dr. Samuel B. Hoff
The inauguration of President Joe Biden is scheduled for noon today. This article compares the political landscape facing the Biden White House with previous administrations since 1960 and offers advice for achieving success in the initial months of this presidency.
Biden’s team takes office with the Democrats in control of both chambers of Congress but with the residue of the postelection theatrics by the Trump White House still reverberating. Other chief executives who entered office with their party controlling Congress over the last half-century have had their own challenges: John Kennedy won election with a narrow popular vote victory; Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush entered office after a close electoral vote in the preceding election; and Bill Clinton and Donald Trump started their terms having garnered less than a majority of the popular vote in the election. (Although Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 victory was convincing, he was soon burdened with decisions on which direction to take in America’s conflict with North Vietnam.)
Under the aforementioned circumstances, mistakes at the outset of an administration can be damaging. In Kennedy’s case, allowing a mission to overthrow Cuba, which was planned by the previous White House, led to the Bay of Pigs fiasco. While it was meant to heal, President Carter’s amnesty for Vietnam War draft evaders was announced immediately and led to a backlash among veterans who served honorably. In George W. Bush’s case, it was difficult to escape the postelection tactics by which the 2000 election was ultimately decided. Bill Clinton and Donald Trump wasted no time in reversing actions taken by the previous administration but did so in a manner that upset many in the opposition. Still, those presidents did have some early success: Kennedy created the Peace Corps; Carter permitted Vietnam’s admission into the United Nations; George W. Bush created the Executive Office of the President group on faith-based initiatives; Clinton began the process of balancing the federal budget; and the Trump White House received kudos for its reprisal against Syria for deploying chemical weapons during that nation’s civil war.
As the Biden team enters office, it confronts a nation suffering severely from the coronavirus pandemic, from economic distress and from Donald Trump’s own actions, which earned him a second impeachment and probable Senate trial in the spring. Though many presidents have begun their terms facing a crisis, few, if any, have confronted the plethora of problems Biden has inherited.
Taking into consideration all these factors, there is still a path to early success for President Biden and his administration. First, speeding up distribution of the coronavirus vaccine will reduce suffering and save lives, for which there will be immense goodwill. Second, tackling the economic downturn will both save and bring back jobs for millions of Americans eager to work. Third, taking some action or initiating a policy meant to unify the nation may not be supported by all, but it will demonstrate Biden’s commitment to bipartisan governing. Finally, shoring up America’s alliances abroad will furnish reassurance to those nations that traditionally look to the United States for leadership.
While a Senate trial to consider removing Donald Trump after the fact will naturally divert some of the attention from Biden’s work, the move is necessary given Trump’s defiance of the Constitution and defiling of his office. More than most, Biden’s long Senate tenure taught him that the upper chamber can handle multiple issues at once.
Whether in domestic or foreign affairs, the Biden White House knows that present political circumstances argue against taking extreme actions at the outset where unwarranted. That orientation could impact its entire governing philosophy, giving moderates hope and ideologues disappointment. However, as long as President Biden links campaign promises and his inaugural speech with subsequent policies, it will demonstrate not only his honesty but his determination to indeed build back better.
Dr. Samuel B. Hoff is George Washington Distinguished Professor Emeritus of history and political science at Delaware State University. A specialist on American institutions, he served in three congressional staff positions between 1978-86.
