Biden talks to NYT’s Thomas Friedman

I am calling Joe Biden’s approach to his job as president, Bidenism. His will likely be a slow but well thought out leadership.

As reported on Politico Playbook the cautious JOE BIDEN spoke to TOM FRIEDMAN of the NYT: “Biden: ‘We’re Going to Fight Like Hell by Investing in America First’”: “Biden’s top priority, he said, is getting a generous stimulus package through Congress, even before he takes office. … But the big question is whether he can get it past McConnell today or tomorrow if the Republicans continue to hold the Senate. A significant number of Republican senators could decide that they want to become deficit hawks again under a President Biden, after four years of uncontrolled spending under Trump that has brought the national debt to record highs.

“Biden was careful about how he talked about McConnell, who has been careful not to call Biden ‘president-elect.’ Biden obviously wants to keep the prospects of cooperation open — but also make clear that he may have more leverage with the American people than the G.O.P. realizes if Senate Republicans opt for full-on obstruction.

“‘Let me put it this way,’ he said, ‘There are a number of things that when McConnell controlled the Senate that people said couldn’t get done, and I was able to get them done with [him]. I was able to get them to, you know, raise taxes on the wealthy.’ ‘I think there are trade-offs, that not all compromise is walking away from principle,’ Biden added. ‘He knows me. I know him. I don’t ask him to embarrass himself to make a deal.’ …

“On China, he said he would not act immediately to remove the 25 percent tariffs that Trump imposed on about half of China’s exports to the United States — or the Phase 1 agreement Trump inked with China that requires Beijing to purchase some $200 billion in additional U.S. goods and services during the period 2020 and 2021 — which China has fallen significantly behind on. ‘I’m not going to make any immediate moves, and the same applies to the tariffs,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to prejudice my options.’”