Biden ‘struggling’ to inspire Dems, who say he’s too ‘passive’ and full of ‘excuses’: New York Times report

A Thursday New York Times report painted a depressing account of Biden’s favor within his own party, claiming that Democrats find him too "passive" as a leader and "struggling" to inspire his supporters and allies.

This is the latest piece in a sea of recent mainstream media articles exposing Biden’s unpopularity within his own party.

New York Times White House correspondent Michael D. Shear opened his piece with a scene depicting Biden’s passive detachment from what is animating Democrats. "Forty-eight hours after a horrific mass shooting on the Fourth of July, President Biden flew to Ohio on Wednesday for a speech on pension plans."

He added, "With inflation soaring and Democrats still fuming about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Mr. Biden’s public schedule included no events or announcements on either topic."

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He summed up the depiction, "At a moment of broad political tumult and economic distress, Mr. Biden has appeared far less engaged than many of his supporters had hoped." According to Shear, many Democrats "are pleading for a fighter who gives voice to their anger," but "Mr. Biden has chosen a more passive path — blaming Congress, urging people to vote and avoiding heated rhetorical battles."

The author cited former spokesman for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Bill Neidhart, who is disgruntled with Biden’s performance. He stated, "The economy seems to be running out of control. Fundamental rights are being stripped away. And the White House just isn’t coming with anything."

Of course, the White House denies that Biden is missing the mark. Shear mentioned, "Inside the White House, administration officials say Mr. Biden has been quick to respond to the country’s crises, even if he doesn’t get the credit they believe he deserves."

Still, as Mr. Neidhart told the outlet, "few Democrats see the same kind of energy or passion from the president now" as he had when he "aggressively campaigned for a trillion-dollar economic stimulus" earlier in his term. 

The report observed, "On the big issues of the day, the president in recent months has often cited the limits of his power," adding that, "Mr. Biden’s usual answer is that it is up to lawmakers."

Shear provided the example of Biden admitting that "No executive action from the president can" alter the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, and added that while Biden might be right, his critics aren’t satisfied with such an answer.

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"But critics say his measured approach simply does not meet the moment, leaving him struggling to inspire his supporters and allies to action," he wrote.

"Activists, elected leaders, and everyday Democratic voters say they are eager for Mr. Biden to push the legal limits," Shear stated. Activists don’t need Biden to be an "always-mad-trigger-happy" leader, but admit they are underwhelmed when he ends up "staying calm & barely responding when the crises in front of us are massive," Shear noted, citing a progressive activist from Twitter. 

The author mentioned Democratic leaders, including Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., calling for "more urgency from the White House, especially on economic issues," though Khanna urged the need for Democrats to be more supportive of the president. "The Democratic Party needs to rally around President Biden heading into the midterms and heading into the president’s re-election," Khanna stated.

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Moving on, Shear acknowledged, "As Mr. Biden faces increased criticism, his approval ratings are taking a hit." Shear cited Sanders 2020 campaign Colorado co-chair Radhika Nath, who slammed Biden’s "lack of energy and enthusiasm." 

"The moment calls for inspirational leadership, not for excuses and reasons why we keep following tired old playbooks," she claimed. 

Towards the end of the piece, Shear stated, "But the sentiment appears to have deepened during the past several weeks, as inflation has risen, the court has ruled on abortion and blaring headlines describing mass shootings have become weekly occurrences."