Shameless CBS Strategizes on How to Help Biden Plot Midterms Comeback

Monday’s CBS Mornings Robert Costa, an ex-of reporter for CBS News and chief election correspondent at CBS News, was welcomed into the new CBS News. National ReviewPBS and The Washington Post() With a strategy session to the table, in order to determine how President Biden, their fellow Democrats, can weather the storms posed by bad polling and a difficult economy. 

Most of all, it concluded presidents have little control over the economy and Democrats haven’t talked enough about how much they’ve improved the lives of the American people.

Tony Dokoupil was teased by Tony Dokoupil that Ukraine represented him. “not just a foreign policy challenge for President Biden” But “political risks as well,”They would also talk to Costa about it. “other big challenges facing the President.”

Dokoupil took a short break to note that the new CBS polling paints a grim picture of Biden. He then began asking Costa questions about it. “the stakes here for” Biden, given Ukraine’s current state of affairs “a potential international crisis” Match up with him “trouble at home.”

Once Costa noted Democrats feel “pretty good” about how Americans view his handling of the crisis, Dokoupil sought Costa’s counsel on how their party can address “Ukraine without losing sight of problems at home” seeing as how “two-thirds of Americans disagree[d] with the direction of the country.”

Costa replied that Republicans won’t be running entirely on Biden’s foreign policy, but instead by focusing on the economy, inflation, and any possible “variables” “still…out there” like abortion.

Dokoupil was able to make excuses to Jimmy Cater by sounding like a Democrat during the 1980 election.

[F]ocusing on inflation is an interesting thing — a challenge for the President in its own right because there’s limited tools in the President’s toolchest for dealing with inflation. The Fed is not under his control. What does he have to do?

Fill-in co-host Michelle Miller (of CBS Saturday Mornings) briefly turned away from Democrats to touch on the Republicans via — who else — Donald Trump. However, the Democrats quickly regained control.

Vladimir Duthiers is the fill-in cohost.

Now let’s discuss the Democrats. Which when it comes to the direction of the country, 33 percent of the country — only 33 percent think things are going well. What can President Biden do to make things better? It’s still quite a while before midterms, but the time is getting closer.

Citing Democratic sources, Costa insisted they want Biden “out there…to sell what they did on infrastructure” and the American Rescue Plan because “they feel like too few people are talking about” How much they contributed to improving the country.

Duthiers doubled down on that classic argument made by liberals and their media allies about how they’re not wrong but instead insufficiently heard: “Is that a problem generally with Democrats? I note that President Obama has even called Democrats out for not bragging about things that they’re winning on.”

Costa said that squared with his White House sources, adding: “They want Democrats on Capitol Hill to champion what Biden has done, not just complain about what hasn’t been accomplished.”

Miller — who’s married to Marc Morial of the far-left Urban League — concurred, but also knocked Obama: “Hindsight’s 20/20 because Obama was criticized for not doing the exact same thing.”

Thanks to advertiser Allstate and Consumer Cellular, this unofficial meeting was possible. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.

To see the relevant CBS transcript from February 14, click “expand.”

CBS Mornings
February 14, 2022
Eastern, 7:21 [TEASE]

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Ahead; Biden’s Big Challenges]

TONY DOKOUPIL. The possibility of Russia invading Ukraine poses a serious challenge to President Biden’s foreign policy. This has political implications. Our new chief election and campaign correspondent — maybe you’ve heard of him — Robert Costa, is in our Progressive Green Room. In just minutes, we will be speaking to him about Ukraine and the other major challenges facing President Obama. Also, we’ll tell him the location of the cafeteria. Hello, Robert. 

ROBERT COSTA: We are grateful.

DOKOUPIL: CBS Mornings.

(…)

Eastern: 7:15 a.m.

DOKOUPIL – As tensions rise over the possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, CBS News’ latest poll finds that only half of Americans feel President Biden has acted in the right way to deal with the situation. Only a third of Americans believe that things are moving well at the moment in regard to domestic events. This is compared to 26% last month. How does this all impact the political landscape? Robert Costa, our CBS News campaign and chief election correspondent, is the best person to explain it all. Robert Costa, we are grateful that you joined us. 

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: High-Stakes Politics; Robert Costa on Impact of Russia-Ukraine Crisis & Upcoming Midterms]

COSTA: Hello. It’s great to be here.

DOKOUPIL: We are so glad you came.

COSTA – Thank you very much.

DOKOUPIL. We need to get into this because President Biden’s poll numbers aren’t good. Although he may be having problems at home, the international situation is a challenge. How high is the stakes for him? 

COSTA – President Biden has a lot at stake. Not only for the party currently in power but also for their party, the Democratic Party. Over the weekend, I met with several Democratic senators as well as House members to get their views. Because they will face voters this fall, they seem to be quite positive about it. It’s not about U.S. military intervention. 

DOKOUPIL – Ukraine occupies a large part of this country’s political attention. In the meantime, the United States has probably two-thirds disapproval of the country’s direction and are giving President Trump poor marks for the state of things. What can he do to manage Ukraine while not losing sight of the problems here at home? 

COSTA: While he is under scrutiny by voters and political opponents from all sides, Republicans tell us that they are not running against President Biden based on his foreign policy. House Republicans are more concerned about inflation than they realize, though they know there are many variables. What does policy look like? What is Putin doing? There are also issues such as social issues. The Supreme Court’s decision could bring up abortion issues later in the year. 

DOKOUPIL: I mean, focusing on inflation is an interesting thing — a challenge for the President in its own right because there’s limited tools in the President’s toolchest for dealing with inflation. How can he control the Fed when he isn’t there? 

COSTA : The Federal Reserve will decide what to do in the following months. Are they going to raise the interest rate? Both parties would be willing to raise interest rates if there is a slightly different economic environment. 

VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: So, let’s —

MICHELLE MILLER: But the — 

DUTHIERS: I’m sorry, go ahead.

MILLER: Go ahead. Just to clarify, I thought President Trump was still trying to exert maximum control over his party. But there were some divisions here. Former Vice President Mike Pence and Mitch McConnell have been outstanding and distinguished themselves. Do you believe this will change? Are you positive that they will gain support from voters? 

COSTA – We will have to monitor these primaries to find out if President Donald Trump has any political capital. The Alabama Republican Senate primary is something I would pay close attention to. A fundraiser for the establishment, Katie Britt is running against Mo Brooks who has been endorsed by Trump. It may be that if Katie Britt is able to win in the red state against Trump-endorsed candidates, it will show that Trump’s endorsement does not mean that everything. However, it can still matter a lot to Republican voters. 

DUTHIERS. Let’s discuss the Democrats. Which when it comes to the direction of the country, 33 percent of the country — only 33 percent think things are going well. What can President Biden do to make things better? It’s still quite a while before midterm elections, but the time is getting closer. 

COSTA: This was the question I asked some Democratic Senators and House Members. They want the President to be out there — and he is — to sell what they did on infrastructure, over $1 trillion in spending and they feel like too few people are talking about the American Rescue Plan from back in March of 2021. $1.9 trillion. The Democrats want to sell spending that they have already approved, even if voting rights are not possible at the moment. 

DUTHIERS. Is it a common problem for Democrats in general? I noticed that Obama called out Democrats for not boasting about winning things. 

COSTA: That is a look inside the Biden White House. Talking to my sources, I believe that. It is important that Democrats on Capitol Hill champion the accomplishments of Biden, rather than complain about those not yet achieved. 

MILLER – Hindsight’s 20/20. Obama was once criticized for doing something similar. Robert Costa, thank you for being here. Welcome to CBS Mornings —

COSTA: It is an honour to be there. 

DUTHIERS

MILLER: Yes, I do.

COSTA: It’s a pleasure to spend time with you all. 

DOKOUPIL: Yeah. I was going to tell you where the cafeteria is in the Washington bureau but, actually, there is no cafeteria, you have to go off site, which is fine — which is fine. There are many good places to eat in this area.

COSTA – Meet the source at a cafe. 

MILLER: Yeah.

DOKOUPIL – There you go.

MILLER: It’s a great place. Robert Costa, once again, I am grateful.