Biden Is Projected To Be The President-Elect. Here’s How It All Went Down.

I guess I have a brand, because my phone is exploding from everyone I know texting me about Biden talking about mandates. Maybe I should send him a copy of my book. In terms of the answer about whether we snap back to normal, I think that Biden’s use of the mandate idea is actually a way of side-stepping that question. As I note in my work, presidents use this idea when they’re embattled and struggling with legitimacy. I’m not sure how this will play out, but I don’t think polarization is going to end in the next 74 days. However, Biden is using that rhetoric, it seems, to define his presidency as a crisis presidency. He just mentioned Lincoln and FDR. These were not moments when the nation was united and at peace; they were challenging and incredibly divided times. But national leaders worked to address those problems because they were so pressing and the country depended on it.

Biden is citing a common Eucharistic hymn in his speech. He’s a Catholic, don’t forget!

All presidents since 1976 combined served less than 8 years in Congress. Biden will enter with the longest experience in Congress ever for a president: 36 years, not including 8 years as vice president. He has a long history of dealmaking ties to Senate leaders. But his presidency will be a test of whether that experience still helps pass legislation in a polarized era.