Politico reports Biden is ‘finally’ going to stop ‘trying to work with GOP’ and instead go on ‘attack’
'Fascinated by the idea that there was ever any real effort at bipartisanship from Biden,' one user tweeted in response
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A recent Politico piece reported that President Joe Biden is "finally" rethinking efforts to reach across the aisle and work with Republican lawmakers because of their "obstructionism."
On Sunday, Politico’s John Lemire began his piece declaring, "The fever didn’t break. And for the Biden White House, efforts at bipartisanship have finally taken a backseat."
Apparently, Biden has been trying hard for bipartisanship, so much so that Democrats have been annoyed. "To the frustration of many Democrats and some of his closest advisers," Lemire continued, "President Joe Biden has steadfastly spent more than a year in office insisting on trying to work across the aisle with Republicans."
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Lemire assessed that Biden’s efforts for government unity have "produced some notable legislative successes. But it’s also been colored by a fair dose of in-your-face GOP obstructionism."
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"Now, more than a year later, Biden no longer believes that most Republicans will eventually drop their fealty to Donald Trump and show a willingness to engage. He himself admitted he was wrong," Lemire stated, claiming Republicans have revealed themselves to be too MAGA or, Biden's new focus-group tested phrase, "Ultra MAGA."
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"To many Democrats, the admission was long overdue. Even some in Biden’s orbit had been urging a far more aggressive response, according to four White House officials and Democrats close to the White House," Lemire added.
"Much of the communications staff, including just-departed press secretary Jen Psaki, advised a more aggressive stance," he reported.
Lemire also noted that Biden’s wife urged him to get away from the bipartisanship. "And first lady Jill Biden told confidants that she was urging her husband to be less scripted and more on the offensive."
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According to the author, Biden has also recently claimed, "he no longer recognizes the GOP, which he now views as an existential threat to the nation’s democracy."
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Lemire linked to his piece on Twitter with the words, "The fever didn’t break. And for the White House, efforts at bipartisanship have finally taken a backseat… To the frustration of some of his closest aides, Biden had insisted on trying to work with GOP… But it’s now time to change course - and attack."
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Critics on Twitter jumped on Lemire's tweet and article, wondering when Biden had ever put any effort into being bipartisan.
GOP communications specialist Matt Whitlock tweeted, "Fascinated by the idea that there was ever any real effort at bipartisanship from Biden. Legislatively they’ve almost exclusively focused on what they could pass on a party-line basis (ARP, Build Back Better, ending voter ID) or try by executive action (student debt bailout)."
"'Bipartisan' according to the media means to offer those you disagree with the opportunity to support your legislation. If they don’t, they’re 'partisan'," said Douglas Karr founder of the Martech Zone.
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Others reminded everyone of some of Biden's most divisive lines as president.
Vice President of Communications at Axiom Strategies Matt Wolking wrote, "5 months ago, Biden was so bipartisan that he said if you opposed his totally partisan bill to takeover elections nationwide you were racist like George Wallace and Bull Connor and siding with the Confederacy. But now he will go on the attack and that's 'changing course'?"
"Besides Biden comparing Republicans to Bull Connor, he can't even work with two Senators from his own party," tweeted Chuck Ross, investigative reporter at The Washington Free Beacon.
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Radio host Jesse Kelly snarked, "Mr. ‘Pandemic of the unvaccinated’ is done being nice, guys."
"In January, he compared republicans to Bull Connor, George Wallace, and Jefferson Davis. but yeah, definitely just trying to get along," tweeted T. Becket Adams, Program Director of the National Journalism Center.