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Biden aims for bipartisanship but applies stealthy pressure
President Joe Biden has begun publicly courting Republicans to back his sweeping infrastructure plan, but his reach across the aisle is intended just as much to keep Democrats in line as it is a first step in an uphill climb to any bipartisan deal.
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In first days, Biden flashes action as deep problems loom
Biden is looking to jump-start his first 100 days in office with action and symbolism to reassure a divided and weary public that help is in the offing. The scale of the problems is immense and the question for us is do we respond at scale.”The changes within the White House have been swift. “One thing you learn on January 20th is that you suddenly own all of it.”Just two Cabinet nominees were confirmed by week's end, to the frustration of the White House. But while Trump will shadow the White House, Biden aides have noted that the former president commands far less attention now that his Twitter account is gone. “There is an old saying: ‘Make the main thing the main thing.’ And the Biden White House knows that’s the main thing,” Madden said.
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Third parties could play a lesser role in 2020 campaign
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – In close elections, it doesn't take much for third-party candidates to play an outsize role — as Democrats learned the hard way in 2016. A vital third-party candidate would likely help him tremendously.”But third-party candidates are facing hurdles that didn't exist four years ago, potentially weakening their impact. In a court decision last week, the Green Party candidate was barred from appearing on Pennsylvania’s ballot. “I saw last time, there’s no hope in a third-party candidate in this basically two-party system that we have. But the president’s team, which has denied playing a role in West’s bid, has done little game-planning for a third-party candidate.
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After Trump campaign swap, questions and Kushner remain
Trumps long-in-coming campaign shakeup rearranged some big job titles but isn't likely to change the identity of the person truly in charge of day-to-day operations: Kushner. But it also shows a new willingness by Trump to diversify his inner circle, even if Kushner remains at the helm. That process began when Trump first elevated Stepien to senior adviser and returned Jason Miller to the campaign last month. We have a better team, better voter information, a better ground game, better fundraising, and most importantly, a better candidate with a better record, Stepien said. Despite the campaign shakeup, most in the GOP believe the candidate will determine his own fate.