Cozen Oconnor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

Eric Adams - a former New York City police captain, state lawmaker, and Brooklyn Borough President -distinguished himself in the Democratic primary running on public safety, economic inequality, and making the city feel orderly, functional and fun again. In his first 100 days in office, Adams projected an aggressive confidence as he announced policies aimed at combating an image of NYC as hobbled by the pandemic and beset by rising crime. He dropped many COVID-19 precautions, even as virus cases have risen, and he ordered homeless encampments removed from public spaces and the subways, despite complaints from activists. Then Mr. Adams was thrown a curveball: he marked his 100th day as mayor by going into quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 and, in a stunning turn of events, all of the above issues converged the next day in a Brooklyn subway station when a deranged gunman opened fire and injured 26 people. Cozen O'Connor-New York Public Strategies’ Ken Fisher, Katie Schwab, Stuart Shorenstein, Ros

On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th justice, making her the first Black woman to join the Supreme Court. It was a history-making moment for Judge Jackson, but also for President Biden, who served as vice president to the first Black President, selected the first Black woman to be named vice president, and is now linked to another groundbreaking first. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Towner French speak of a larger meaning of the incoming justice’s elevation and discuss the ways many of the most pressing cultural issues today impact how we engage politically.

The nine words about Vladimir Putin that President Biden ad-libbed in his speech in Warsaw last weekend seemed to imply the U.S. seeks regime change in Moscow, causing the White House and the State Department to quickly clarify Biden’s remarks. On Thursday, Biden ordered the largest-ever release of oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the next six months, in an effort to tamp down gasoline prices that have buoyed inflation. And a few days earlier, the U.S. and EU announced a joint task force to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels, causing Biden to engage in a political balancing act as he touted his Administration’s commitment to tackling climate change. As the war in Ukraine grinds into a second month, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux discuss how domestic political pressures may stand in tension with Biden’s stated commitments to protecting democracy outside of U.S. borders, and how balancing both the domestic and international pressur

On Wednesday, Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court moved forward with the conclusion of her confirmation hearings, which featured tense exchanges over her sentencing record and the recognition of the historic nature of the proceedings. On Friday, House Republicans wrapped up their annual retreat in Florida, during which they sought to project unity and cobble together key parts of their proposed agenda in a bid to retake the House majority in 2022 midterm elections. Meanwhile, in meetings this week of NATO, the G-7 economies and the EU, President Biden and other leaders offered unified support and boosted assistance for Ukraine, one month after Russia launched a full-scale invasion. Public Strategies’ Mark Alderman, Towner French, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux debate key moments and takeaways from the Senate confirmation hearings and the House GOP retreat.

The FY 2022 $1.5 trillion omnibus spending legislation moved at the congressional version of warp speed last week, passing the House less than a day after it was introduced and clearing the Senate 24 hours later. On Tuesday, President Biden signed the massive package, providing a substantial increase in spending for domestic spending and national security and $13.6 billion in emergency assistance for Ukraine. The same day, after losing an hour of sleep over the weekend, a groggy Senate unanimously passed a proposal to make daylight-saving time permanent. On the heels of Biden’s high-stakes call with Chinese President Xi Jinping focused on China’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Tristan Breaux break down this week’s political developments and discuss some of the key events scheduled for next week, including Biden’s trip to Brussels for an extraordinary NATO summit and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation h

On Friday, the U.S. moved to revoke “most favored nation” trade status for Russia, and ban imports of its seafood, vodka and diamonds, as it joined the EU and G7 countries in ratcheting up economic pressure on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. The day before, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, the Senate passed a $1.5 trillion spending package to fund the federal government for the current fiscal year, capping off a fierce and urgent push to respond to the geopolitical unrest roiling Europe and approve $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine. On the anniversary of the American Rescue Plan becoming law, and the second anniversary of the WHO’s pandemic declaration, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin break down the government response to Russia’s invasion and discuss how the one-two punch of rising energy prices and the intensifying geopolitical crisis could complicate the Fed’s efforts to rein in inflation and put the brakes on the rapid economic rebound.

On Tuesday, President Biden delivered his first State of the Union address at a precarious moment, after a year marked by continuing struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic, declining political fortunes for him and his fellow Democrats, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and, now, Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The speech offered Biden an opportunity to try to pull some discontented voters back onto his side, all while giving due gravity to the situation in Eastern Europe. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux offer the main takeaways from the President’s address and discuss how the fast-shifting international crisis sparked by Russia’s violent invasion is already reshaping political views in the U.S. and impacting the domestic economy.

Russia’s President Putin shook the world this week by sending troops into Ukraine and ordering its full-scale invasion despite fervent, months-long diplomatic efforts by President Biden and other western leaders to dissuade him from doing so. On Friday, Biden made history by announcing he would nominate federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Breyer. If she is confirmed by the Senate, Jackson would become the first Black woman to serve on the Court. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Tristan Breaux discuss the historic significance of Judge Jackson’s nomination and ponder the economic and social effects of Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine, domestically and globally. And, as Biden readies to deliver his first State of the Union address next Tuesday, they discuss whether this chance for him to reset his political fortunes is destined to be overshadowed by the crisis in Eastern Europe.

Last week, on a nearly party-line vote, the House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act of 2022, a nearly 3,000-page legislation aimed at increasing U.S. production of semiconductor chips, strengthening the supply chain to make more goods in America, and investing in scientific research and new technologies. The bill is the House’s counterpart to the Senate’s U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021, passed last June with the support of 19 Republicans. The House and Senate will now begin to reconcile the two very different bills with a goal to move a final legislative package soon. Public Strategies’ Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Tristan Breaux debate whether bipartisanship still matters if actions ultimately take place along partisan lines, and discuss other key developments inside the Beltway this week.

As Democrats look ahead to what will be a challenging midterm election, the party is publicly and privately gauging how to handle the violent insurrection. Many describe discussing the events of that day as a moral obligation. Others, without dismissing the gravity of the attacks, argue that the party needs to prioritize economic issues immediately impacting voters’ daily lives. Yet while Democrats may disagree over how to talk about the insurrection, many Republicans continue to embrace Trump’s version of the events of January 6th. And the former president, even as his actual voice has been diminished, continues to be a factor in the media’s news cycle and political coverage. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, Towner French, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux discuss Trump's continued importance in Republican politics and the electorate’s increased polarization along partisan lines, and engage in a thought-provoking discussion about whether, despite their differences, Americans actuall

On Thursday, Justice Stephen Breyer announced that he will retire from the Supreme Court after nearly three decades on the bench, giving President Biden a chance to fulfill his pledge to put the first Black woman on the Court. On Friday, major U.S. stock indexes rallied to finish one of their most tumultuous weeks in memory on a high note. Yet more volatility is expected, as the Fed pivots from stimulating the economy to fighting inflation, a tight labor market continues to be a challenge, and demand outstrips supply in many commodities. Meanwhile, as tensions mount between Washington and Moscow over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, questions are becoming sharper as to how the issue will reverberate through American domestic politics. As President Biden enters the second year of his presidency looking for a reset after a tumultuous first 12 months, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Towner French, along with guest co-host Brian Flaherty, discuss the calamity he is facing and,

President Biden took office a year ago, promising to tackle four crises that were roiling American life in 2020: fight the coronavirus, restore the economy, combat climate change, and make the country more equal. Biden’s record has been mixed, however, leaving many who clamored for the changes he promised feeling that not enough has been done to this point. On Wednesday, in a nearly two-hour news conference wrapping up his first year in office, the president defended his policies, citing millions of people getting vaccinated in 2021, passage of a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, and strong U.S. job gains over the past year, while acknowledging the setbacks caused by a new coronavirus variant, rising inflation, supply-chain bottlenecks, and widespread criticism over the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden also said he likely would have to break up his stalled healthcare, education, and climate agenda to pass his policies in Congress and promised a reset, saying he would engage more with Americans

After a year of promising to lower temperatures, seek unity and demonstrate competent leadership, President Biden has struggled. Unable to bridge the wide gap between moderates and progressives in his own party, he is ending the first year in office with arguably the worst week of his presidency: inflation hit a 40-year high; the Supreme Court blocked the centerpiece of his push to get more people vaccinated; he failed to win passage for both voting rights and his Build Back Better legislation, signature priorities of his first year; and talks with the Russians, aimed at avoiding war in Ukraine, broke off with no apparent progress. Many Democrats are calling for a reset, as they nervously look ahead to the November elections. With his poll numbers falling and his agenda stalled, how does president Biden prepare for Year 2 of his presidency? On the eve of the first anniversary of his swearing-in, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the challenges

Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic - with Omicron cases surging to record levels, hospitals overwhelmed, air travel disrupted, and widespread labor shortages - criticism and frustration are intensifying over the government’s Covid-19 response as the CDC’s muddy and often-changing guidance has only added to many Americans’ confusion. Meanwhile, recent surveys indicate that confidence in major U.S. institutions has edged down significantly, with over 80% of Americans saying they are worried about the prospects of American democracy and analysts connecting dysfunction in governance to deepening party polarization and Americans’ increased tolerance for political violence. On the anniversary of the January 6th violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Tristan Breaux break it all down and ponder what it would take to bring the country back together, restore our confidence in government, and relearn the power of citize

Build back … in 2022? Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) stunned fellow Democrats on Sunday when said he wouldn’t support his party’s ambitious climate and social spending bill, called “Build Back Better,” effectively striking a death knell to the centerpiece of President Biden’s economic agenda and sparking a blame game among congressional Democrats and White House officials for not reaching a consensus with the moderate-minded senator. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss the uncertainty and intra-party tensions Democratic leaders are now facing as they look for a path forward on a key piece of their legislative agenda. And, as it’s now a tradition, our podcast co-hosts sing and recite their own Christmas carols, as they wrap up this year’s Beltway Briefing series and reflect on key political battles of 2021.

The Senate on Thursday voted to approve a one-time exemption to the filibuster on raising the debt ceiling, capping off a months-long fight over the nation’s borrowing limit. Earlier in the week, the House overwhelmingly passed a compromise version of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, amid a push to get the measure to President Biden’s desk. As the holidays near and Democrats feel an increased sense of urgency to get their climate and social spending bill across the finish line, while Americans continue to worry about surging consumer prices, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss Congress’ jam-packed December to-do list and remember Bob Dole, the iconic Republican senator who served the country in war and in politics with pragmatism, self-deprecating wit, and a bygone era's sense of common civility and compromise.

On Friday, President Biden signed legislation to fund the government at the previous year’s fiscal levels through February 18, giving lawmakers more time to hammer out their differences and narrowly averting a government shutdown. Earlier in the week, citing the new and fast-spreading Covid-19 Omicron variant, the Biden Administration imposed new travel restrictions, as scientists race to determine just how virulent, transmissible, and responsive to vaccines Omicron is. On the heels of the November jobs report, which gave a muddled picture of an improving economy, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Towner French, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux breakdown the stopgap funding bill and discuss the potential impact of the Omicron variant on U.S. businesses.

Ahead of the holidays, President Biden has some good news to be thankful for: the House finally passed the cornerstone plan of his agenda, the social spending and climate bill. On the other side of the Thanksgiving table, another huge challenge lies ahead for Democrats: convincing moderate Senators Manchin (D-WV) and Sinema (D-AZ) to sign onto the legislation. As Democrats fight over the scope of their policies and Republicans grapple with the influence of the former President, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux break it all down, while guest-host Jim Davis provides a view on the growing divisions in Washington from Pennsylvania.

President Biden will celebrate a victory tomorrow, signing the bipartisan infrastructure bill into law. But as the President heralds his accomplishments, he has also been running into a new economic reality, as inflation has surged 6.2%, the largest increase in 31 years. Not only the inflation fight could make it harder for Democrats to pass their social spending bill, but it also calls into question whether the Biden administration has a handle on this problem. The President acknowledged for the first time this week that inflation is “worrisome” – a response, perhaps, to the political reality, as new polls show Biden’s approval rating has ticked to a new low, largely due to a negative shift among Democrats and independents. As the holidays approach and Americans are seeing higher prices on everything from gas to groceries, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss President Biden’s performance and the state of the economy, which together send a stark war

The results in Tuesday’s elections all but confirmed the Democrats’ tenuous control of government and promoted further soul searching among Democrats about whether they misread the public’s desire for sweeping change. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers are feeling bullish about their chances next year with the House and Senate both up for grabs. Is the pendulum swinging back towards the GOP? What do the results say about former President Trump’s influence on the electorate? As Democrats point fingers about their election losses, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, Jerry Kilgore, Julia Hammond, and Tristan Breaux discuss what lessons both parties should take from the results.