A president who says he will put science first until unions object to plans to reopen schools. An administration that is on a “war-like” footing until it wants a weekend off. And a White House that promised a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package before giving up on Republican support.
After the chaos of former President Donald Trump’s administration, Biden and his team have tried to put clear messaging at the heart of his administration.
But the risk is that reality will get in the way of the president’s “Obama-esque” rhetoric, according to Brett Bruen, a member of the Obama administration’s National Security Council.
“You have lofty ideals and ideas, but you’ve got to provide some ladders and opportunities for those to get rooted in the work of government,” he said. “As the honeymoon starts to wane, as aspirations of many in government are running up against the realities of a new administration, this is the moment where they need to put on the table what is the plan, what is the process.”
By way of example, he cited Biden’s visit to the State Department last week in which the president promised to restore morale among a diplomatic corps battered by four years under a previous commander in chief who saw them as an enemy.
“It was a major missed opportunity,” said Bruen, adding that the Biden administration was filling senior ranks with former State Department officials returning from the private sector — rather than promoting from within.
Biden has laid a series of clear demands on his team, as much to draw a line under the often freewheeling Trump years as to set a new course. He has promised to rely on science in tackling the coronavirus pandemic; to put America back in its role of global leader; and that he will seek unity in governing the country.
It has often proved harder in practice.
He endured a wave of scorn for spending last weekend at his Delaware home after saying he was putting the country on a “wartime” footing in its COVID-19 response. And he has been accused of pandering to teachers unions on vaccinations rather than sticking with the science of school reopenings.
His bipartisan hopes have also suffered. Talk of an aisle-crossing coronavirus rescue bill has given way to congressional Democrats’ reconciliation plans, which means he can get by with just votes from his own party.
On Thursday, Biden visited the National Institutes of Health, where he thanked scientists for their sacrifices and their work on developing a coronavirus vaccine before urging patience in tackling the pandemic.
“We can do this. We have the resources. We just have to choose to use them,” he said. “We have to do what all of you do here at NIH and across the scientific community: Keep the faith with purpose and vision.”
The visit was designed to show the urgency with which he is waging war on COVID-19. Yet, he is missing key lieutenants either because of delays in the Senate confirmation process or his own inaction.
The president does not have a confirmed Health and Human Services secretary or a surgeon general. And he has yet to announce picks to head the Food and Drug Administration, which approves vaccines, or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is responsible for two huge healthcare programs.
Doug Badger, visiting fellow in domestic policy studies at the Heritage Foundation, said some of the work could continue without confirmed officials.
“They do need new leadership at the FDA, which has continued to prevent rapid, at-home tests for COVID-19 to come to market,” he said. “We have manufacturers in the U.S. making millions of these every day, but they have to export them because the FDA won’t give Americans access.”
Scientists also fear Biden is coming unstuck on his promise to put science first when it comes to pandemic policy.
Apparently under pressure from teaching unions, the White House last week distanced itself from the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when she said that vaccinating teachers was not required for safely reopening schools.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said Dr. Rochelle Walensky was speaking in “her personal capacity” — despite the fact that she made her observation during a White House-organized briefing for journalists.
Experts in the field immediately smelled a rat.
“Biden said [he] wouldn’t interfere with scientists, but that’s what this walk back is,” tweeted Joseph Allen, associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Undermining new CDC Director 3 weeks in is not a good look.”
