Morning Jolt: Biden’s Throwback Presidency: A Return to Dukakis

On the menu today: how the early months of Joe Biden's presidency give us a good look at what a Michael Dukakis presidency would have been like in 1989; and the administration's odd, vague, soft response to the hacking attack on the Colonial Pipeline.

The Long-Delayed Dukakis Presidency

Joe Biden is not a young, woke, revolutionary progressive, and in many eyes, including that of most Democratic primary voters, that made him the safer option. Biden is the oldest of old-school Democrats, a throwback to an earlier time and an increasingly distant era.

But being the oldest of old-school Democrats has its own set of flaws, ones that are becoming clearer the more Biden settles into the job.

The popular concept in the conservative commentariat these days is to point to the return of inflation and gas lines on the East Coast, and conclude, not-so-jokingly, that Biden represents the return of Jimmy Carter, and to insert jokes about disco and bell bottoms somewhere around here. And that's as fine, as far it goes. The moment is ripe for that comparison, as Biden did visit former president Carter and offered that weird optical-illusion photo suggesting the current president had somehow cruelly transformed the Carters into marionettes ...

WITH JIM GERAGHTY May 13 2021 WITH JIM GERAGHTY May 13 2021 Biden's Throwback Presidency: A Return to Dukakis On the menu today: how the early months of Joe Biden's presidency give us a good look at what a Michael Dukakis presidency would have been like in 1989; and the administration's odd, vague, soft response to the hacking attack on the Colonial Pipeline. The Long-Delayed Dukakis Presidency Joe Biden is not a young, woke, revolutionary progressive, and in many eyes, including that of most Democratic primary voters, that made him the safer option. Biden is the oldest of old-school Democrats, a throwback to an earlier time and an increasingly distant era. But being the oldest of old-school Democrats has its own set of flaws, ones that are becoming clearer the more Biden settles into the job. The popular concept in the conservative commentariat these days is to point to the return of inflation and gas lines on the East Coast, and conclude, not-so-jokingly, that Biden represents the return of Jimmy Carter, and to insert jokes about disco and bell bottoms somewhere around here. And that's as fine, as far it goes. The moment is ripe for that comparison, as Biden did visit former president Carter and offered that weird optical-illusion photo suggesting the current president had somehow cruelly transformed the Carters into marionettes ...   READ MORE

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