Cooler but still well above normal this week

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

President Joe Biden entered office a year ago in the thick of a deadly pandemic and with Washington still reeling from an attack on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

On the anniversary of Biden's inauguration, the United States is facing yet another massive wave of COVID cases, and the country remains deeply polarized.

While the central crises have remained constant, Biden has pushed ahead on his priorities — from ramping up vaccine distribution to addressing climate change — with varying degrees of success.

Here's a look at some of the defining moments from Biden's first year in office.

A premature declaration of independence from COVID

Back in the spring of 2021, things were looking up when it came to COVID. Millions of Americans had been vaccinated. In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even 

Biden presided over a big 4th of July celebration that was supposed to kick of a 

"So, today, while the virus hasn't been vanquished, we know this: It no longer controls our lives," Biden said from the South Lawn.

But that "freedom" was short-lived. The delta variant was already spreading rapidly. By the end of July, the CDC had re-imposed the mask requirements. Hospitalizations and deaths again soared.

The pandemic disrupted supply chains and contributed to soaring inflation. And then the highly contagious omicron variant hit, once again overwhelming hospitals and disrupting school schedules.

The pandemic continues to affect daily life for weary Americans — and to drag down Biden's approval ratings. "Some people may call what's happening now the new normal," Biden said on Wednesday. "I call it a job not yet finished. It will get better."

Biden stuck to his promise to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war in August. But the withdrawal was chaotic and scenes of Americans being evacuated from Kabul drew comparisons to the 

The chaos was magnified when a suicide bomber killed 13 American service members and an estimated 170 Afghans. Compounding the tragedy, a U.S. drone strike meant to take out the masterminds behind the terrorist attack 

instead killed 10 civilians, including seven children.

Ultimately, more than 120,000 people were evacuated from Afghanistan in the weeks leading up to August 31. Biden faced criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike for his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Still, Biden forcefully defended his decision. "I was not going to extend this forever war," Biden said in August, "and I was not extending a forever exit."

Biden has sought to turn U.S. foreign policy to China — part of why he wanted to exit Afghanistan. But he has been consistently distracted by Russia, first with cyber attacks and now as Moscow appears to threaten to invade Ukraine.

Biden told reporters on Wednesday that "my guess is he will move in – he has to do something." He has threatened withering economic sanctions, though admits it's hard to keep allies behind that strategy, which will hurt them, too.

Manchin sinks Build Back Better dreams — twice

$1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package 

in March, Biden turned his attention to his sprawling plan to create jobs, fix infrastructure, shore up the social safety net and address climate change — a massive plan he had dubbed "Build back better."

It was a heavy lift, given the very slim majorities Democrats hold in the House and Senate — and Democrats themselves were split over the size and scope of the package. After months of negotiating, 

 in October urging Democrats to get behind a slimmed-down $1.75 trillion social safety net and climate change package and a separate $1 trillion infrastructure bill.

major international climate summit in Glasgow

, and Biden wanted to be able to show he could deliver on his promise to curb carbon emissions.

But while Biden was overseas, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin dealt a serious blow, saying he would not back the package that he complained was full of "shell games" and "budget gimmicks" and ignored concerns about government spending and inflation.

Senator Joe Manchin delivers remarks on his concerns about $1.75 trillion package back in November 1, 2021. 

It wasn't the last time Manchin would block the bill. In 

, he once again said that he would not back it. And on Wednesday, Biden conceded that "we're going to have to probably break it up" and pass pieces of bill in smaller "chunks."

Despite all his legislative setbacks, Biden scored a rare bipartisan victory in November by securing $1 trillion in spending to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges, expand broadband internet access and get rid of lead pipes.

"Finally, infrastructure week," Biden said, chuckling over what had become a running joke about his predecessor, who had failed to make a deal despite often vowing to turn his attention to it.

It also gave Biden the opportunity to tout his bipartisan bona fides, as 

In recent weeks the White House has been touting the new law as the government begins doling out funds to states and municipalities. These government-funded projects will likely be a big part of campaigns in the midterms this year and beyond.

. in June to mark the 100th anniversary of a massacre in the all-Black district of Greenwood by a white mob — and to talk about the inequities that still persist in the United States today.

After the so called racial reckoning of 2020, Biden pledged to redouble his efforts to address systemic racism and to make it a key part of his presidency.

His administration has ordered agencies to examine and address practices that may be discriminatory. The White House has also set a goal for more government contracts to be awarded to minority owned businesses. 

The expanded child tax credit from the COVID relief bill dramatically lowered child poverty in Black households before it expired at the end of the year. 

In his speech in Tulsa, Biden also talked about protecting the right to vote. It was there that he announced that Vice President Harris would be in charge of  efforts to roll back state legislation that makes it harder to vote. 

But voting rights bills in Congress have stalled. Facing pressure from activists, Biden made a forceful push to change Senate filibuster rules to allow the legislation to pass with a simple majority. And on the eve of the anniversary of his inauguration, he was unable to command the full support of Democrats to change the filibuster to make it happen. 

Politics and Government News

Ayesha Rascoe

Author

President Joe Biden's 1st year in office was marked by the pandemic fight, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and a tough push to get his agenda through Congress.

Five moments that mattered in Biden's 1st year in the White House

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox