One person that Biden could perhaps learn from is Bill Clinton— during his first term
As the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan continues to smolder, and new Covid cases average 145,000 per day, Biden is eager for a fresh start, a reset button that would put him on track. One person that Biden could perhaps learn from is Bill Clinton — during his first term.
“Clinton had a rough start to his administration, in part because of his team’s youth and inexperience, and in part because he, like Biden, ran as a moderate but began governing as a liberal,” says Tevi Troy, senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and author of Fight House: Rivalries in the White House, from Truman to Trump.
“To his credit, Clinton did make adjustments in response,” says Troy. “First, he brought in David Gergen, who was not only an old White House hand but had also served in Republican administrations. Clinton did not at that time change the administration’s political orientation, though. He did make more of a change after losing both the Senate and House in an off-year election repudiation in 1994.
“At that point, he secretly brought in the more conservative consultant Dick Morris — code-named Charlie — to help bring the administration closer to the center. Morris alienated the progressive White House staff, but he also helped moderate Clinton’s policies and tone. As a result, Clinton successfully won reelection in 1996. While this may be a good model for Biden to follow, there is little indication at this point that he is likely to move in that direction.”
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