President Joe Biden addressed reporters Wednesday after appearing to weather historic and political headwinds in the midterm elections, avoiding landslide Republican victories even as his presidency now enters a new period of divided government.
The results, he said, are a sign that American democracy is intact, even though it has been under threat in recent years.
“We had an election yesterday,” Biden said during a post-Election Day news conference.
Joe Biden said the results are a sign that American democracy is intact, even though it has been under threat in recent years. (Supplied)
“And I think it was a good day for democracy,” he said.
“Our democracy has been tested in recent years, but with their votes, the American people have spoken and shown once again that democracy is who we are,” he said, adding that “while the press and pundits predict a giant red tide. , it didn’t happen.”
“I know you were a little annoyed by my relentless optimism,” Biden told reporters in the room, “but I felt good the whole way through.”
The results were neither the “whacker” George W. Bush described during his own post-term news conference in 2006 nor the “shellacking” Barack Obama said Democrats suffered in 2010.
Donald Trump has endorsed a series of fundamentally flawed midterm candidates. (AP)
Instead, the failure of the so-called “red wave” to materialize Tuesday night left Democrats, including those in the White House, feeling excited and vindicated after an election season that questioned the ‘Biden’s political aptitude. At the time of Biden’s remarks, CNN was unable to project future House or Senate majorities.
“While any seat lost is painful…Democrats had a strong night. And we lost fewer seats in the House of Representatives than the first midterm elections of any Democratic president in the last 40 years. We had the best half-term for governors since 1986,” he added. Biden remarked.
The president, who will turn 80 later this month, said he is in “no rush” to announce a re-election bid in 2024, reiterating that his timetable remains “early next year “.
“Our intention is to run again. That has been our intention, regardless of the outcome of this election,” he told reporters.
Although his intention is a re-election, Biden added that it is “a great respect of destiny”.
“And this has all been a family decision. I think everyone wants me to come forward, but we’ll talk about it. And I’m in no rush one way or the other to make that judgment, right, today. , tomorrow, when you want, no matter what my predecessor does,” he added.
And he had a message for opponents of another presidential bid: “Look at me.”
An early voting station in Florida. (AP)
Biden said he will invite bipartisan congressional leaders to the White House to discuss where they can work together when he returns from his next trip abroad, adding that he is ready to work with elected Republicans on a range of issues . “The American people have made it clear, I think, that they expect the Republicans to be ready to work with me as well,” he added.
Still, the president drew a red line on a number of Republican proposals, saying he would veto legislation he sees as worsening inflation, cuts to Social Security and Medicare, as well as any attempt to ban abortion.
Biden also said he “might” be talking to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who is mounting a bid for House speaker, later Wednesday.
A voting center in Cranston, Rhode Island. (AP)
The future of both parties
The results seemed more likely to provoke introspection among Republicans than Democrats, as former President Donald Trump teases an imminent announcement that he will run for the White House again. Many of the candidates Trump endorsed in draw races lost or were locked in contests that were too early to call.
For his part, Biden said Wednesday that he does not plan to do anything different in the second half of his presidential term. Instead, he said that as the agenda items begin to take effect, Americans would see the benefit.
“They’re just finding out what we’re doing,” the president said. “The more they know about what we’re doing, the more support there is.”
Still, Biden and his team still face the prospect of two tough years of governing if Republicans take control of the House. The president’s agenda would likely be greatly reduced without a Democratic majority. And Republicans have promised investigations into the administration and the Biden family.
Biden said he believes the American public wants the government to “step up and do things for them,” not lead investigations into him, his family or his administration.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pa. (AP)
“It’s just, almost comedy,” Biden said of the potential probes. “I can’t control what they’re going to do. All I can do is continue to try to make life better for the American people.”
Exit polls also indicated a still-simmering dissatisfaction among voters about the country’s economic health. About three-quarters of voters nationally said the economy is “poor” or “not good,” and the same share said inflation has caused them severe or moderate hardship. About two-thirds said gas prices have been causing them difficulties.
Voters have a poor view of how things are going in the country in general, with more than 7 in 10 saying they are “dissatisfied” or “angry”.
For the president, improving the nation’s widespread dark mood will be an ongoing challenge even as Democrats beat expectations on Tuesday. Without a majority in the House, their tools to achieve this will be more limited.
Biden spent most of his campaign season focused on economic issues, including areas where he had taken steps to cut costs. But he drew some criticism, even from some Democrats, for expanding his closing message to include abortion rights and the defense of democracy.
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Heading into Tuesday, Biden advisers were ready to defend the tactic and were ready with historical data showing Democrats faring better this year than in previous midterm cycles, which typically result in losses for the president’s party. in exercise
Ultimately, though, Biden is likely to avoid finger-pointing and second-guessing. Even with the House losses, this year’s results are among the best for the ruling party in recent memory.
By comparison, Democrats lost 54 seats in 1994, when President Bill Clinton was in office. And Obama’s first midterm election saw his party lose 63 seats.
It also remains to be seen whether the results alter Biden’s thinking about running for a second term. The president has said he intends to run for re-election and members of his team have begun initial preparations ahead of a final decision.
But a decision is not likely to come until next year after he discussed the matter with his family over the holidays.