I’ve repeated a refrain several times over the past few weeks: a combination of incompetence and arrogance has plagued the Biden White House. The administration clearly doesn’t know what it’s doing, yet it’s also too stubborn to reverse course.
The best example of this phenomenon is the fact that gas prices are through the roof, and that’s due in large part to the White House’s doubling down on eliminating fossil fuels and running with a quixotic green agenda. (Remember, all will be well if you just buy an electric car.) On top of that, the Biden administration bungled the baby formula shortage and made it worse than it could have been.
Over the weekend, I wrote about how CNN is trying to help the administration pin its problems on a trio of issues: Biden’s attempts to balance his jovial reputation with the seriousness of the Oval Office, his penchant for older forms of communication, and the dysfunction among White House staff. The trouble is that none of those factors contribute to the administration’s trouble with the public when it comes to policy.
But there’s one piece of advice that, if the White House heeded it, could turn the administration’s fortunes around. Of course, we all know that nobody in Biden’s circle would dream of it because it would involve overcoming both the incompetence and arrogance that plague the entire administration.
There’s a saying that’s a bit of a cliche, even though it’s true. You hear it in addiction recovery and other circles: “Admitting you have a problem is the first step.” If Biden and his team could admit that they’ve caused many of the problems that plague the country, they could save face with five months to go before the midterms and nearly two years until 2024.
Related: Why Is CNN Ignoring Biden’s Real Issues?
A Biden mea culpa could buy him some goodwill from those who had high hopes for his presidency from the start. Many voters on the fence between the two parties might consider coming back to the Democrat fold if the president showed some humility.
If someone at the White House said, “We messed up, but we’re going to fix it,” the administration would then have the opportunity to undo some of the damage that it has done to this country, which could again build more affinity with voters. If the Biden administration actually did something to help ease prices at the pump and alleviate inflation in general, voters might be more willing to give Democrats a chance in November and even give the president another shot at the Oval Office in 2024.
A reversal of course on the part of Joe Biden and his team wouldn’t just benefit them and the party; it would also help everyday Americans of all stripes. Alas, it would also hurt the Republicans, who are fighting tooth and nail against the party that controls the executive brand and both houses of Congress.
But here’s the thing: we can all rest assured that nobody is going to offer that bit of advice to the White House, and even if someone did, the Biden administration wouldn’t heed it. That’s the best news of all because the way things are right now set us up for that red tsunami that’s hopefully coming in November and could last until 2024.
