Biden Retools Economic To-Do List as Inflation Shadows Midterms
- White House surprised by inflation, intransigent lawmakers
- President celebrates jobs, manufacturing with eye on midterms
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President Joe Biden’s top advisers are repackaging his economic message to the American public as his approval ratings sink and his legislative agenda stalls in Congress, just months before crucial midterm elections.
Within the last week, Biden has taken pains to put more emphasis on growth in wages, union jobs and domestic manufacturing, according to a senior administration official. At the same time, he’s given less weight to areas that remain sore points with voters, like inflation and the legislative machinations of his stalled Build Back Better plan, as well as the partisan strife over Covid-19 vaccinations, masks and testing.