Grading Biden on the F.D.R. Curve

Matter of Opinion

New York Times Opinion

Society & Culture, Ross Douthat, News, New York Times, Journalism

4.2 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2021

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If you’re fully vaccinated, you might give President Biden an A-plus on his first 100 days. But how’s he doing on everything else? A president’s first 100 days are considered a major milestone. Franklin D. Roosevelt came out with legislation that became part of his New Deal. Lyndon B. Johnson started a war on poverty. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and Donald Trump, what can we expect from the rest of Biden’s presidency? This week, Jane Coaston talks to two progressives who have different takeaways: Anand Giridharadas, author of The Ink newsletter and “Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World,” and Osita Nwanevu, writer at The New Republic. Mentioned in this episode: “Joe Biden Isn’t Close to Being a Historic President Yet,” by Osita Nwanevu in The New Republic. “Welcome to the New Progressive Era,” by Anand Giridharadas in The Atlantic.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Jane Kostin and this is the argument.
0:05.6	Today I'm talking to two progressives about Biden's first 100 days.
0:12.9	One who's impressed right by his trim so far and has high hopes, and one who would give
0:16.8	him an F. A president's first 100 days are considered a major milestone.
0:21.8	It's a window of time that matters, a first impression.
0:24.3	It's also a chance to get big stuff done before the honeymoon has worn off.
0:28.5	FDR rolled out transformative legislation that became part of his new deal.
0:32.8	LBJ launched a war on poverty. Biden got a nearly $2 trillion relief bill passed on day 50.
0:39.3	But the jury's out on whether he's done enough, whether he's done the right thing,
0:43.6	and whether what he's done in the sign of what's to come.
0:46.4	My guests disagree with each other on all of the above.
0:49.7	Ossita Oneeva was a writer for the New Republic, and Anand Girardas writes the Inc news letter
0:55.2	and is the author of Winners' J-Gall.
1:02.4	Thank you so much for joining me today.
1:04.4	Thank you so much for having me.
1:05.6	Yeah, thanks, Jonathan.
1:06.8	Both of you wrote pieces analyzing Biden's first 100 days.
1:11.4	Both of your pieces have very different takes, and I think the headlines say a lot.
1:16.7	Ossita Yours was, Joe Biden isn't close to being historic president yet,
1:21.2	and that's in the New Republic.
1:22.7	Anand, you wrote, quote, welcome to the new progressive era in the Atlantic.
1:26.8	So Anand, I'll start with you.
	...

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