The so-called clean-up campaign, he has told advisers, undermines him and smothers the authenticity that fueled his rise. He makes a clear and succinct statement - only to have aides rush to explain that he actually meant something else. Yet there are signs of managerial breakdowns that have angered both him and his party.īeyond policy, Biden is unhappy about a pattern that has developed inside the West Wing.
This article is based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former administration officials, lawmakers, congressional aides and other Democrats close to the White House who spoke on the condition of anonymity.Īn assumption baked into Biden’s candidacy was that he would preside over a smoothly running administration by dint of his decades of experience in public office. WASHINGTON - Faced with a worsening political predicament, President Joe Biden is pressing aides for a more compelling message and a sharper strategy while bristling at how they’ve tried to stifle the plain-speaking persona that has long been one of his most potent assets.ĭemocratic leaders are at a loss about how he can revive his prospects by November, when midterm elections may cost his party control of Congress.
