Biden should meet soon with the minority leaders and key ranking members in Congress

[Klaralven]

Biden needs to work with the Democratic leaders in Congress to establish a sane working relationship between the White House and the minority leadership. This would be a useful first step in lowering the political temperature in Washington. It would also set a pattern for relations between his Department Heads and their corresponding Congressional Committees.

Efforts to appeal to the Republican base are unnecessary and counterproductive. Presidential communications with the public should be directed towards Democrats and Independents.

[WhiteTara]

1. They need to come to him

We've done way too much meeting in the middle and extending a hand. They are treason weasels and need to be branded as that and shunned in the halls of Congress.

[Demsrule86]

3. Do you want to have a successful presidency or do you want the GOP to get it all back by

2024? I promise you with a bare majority and a tough midterm ahead, we will have to attempt to work with the GOP. It is what the voters want and what Biden ran on as well. We need to work for the American people.

[Phoenix61]

5. I don't want the GOP to get it all back

Which is why it’s important to not act like they did nothing wrong. Too many people worked too hard to put Biden in the WH and flip the Senate. Sitting down with those who supported the overthrow of our government will cost us their support. When the Senate reconvened they were still lying about the election. The Republican Party has done nothing to censure them. So no, it’s not time to sit down with them. They can wait. Biden’s got more important things to do.

[Demsrule86]

14. And he ran on unity...spending the first month perhaps years of his presidency going after Trump

is going to get our party tossed out in 22 and 24. The Republicans are only to happy to wait...they think we will waste time on this and get no policy and then they will be back in control. Don't fall for it. You will never deter Republicans.

[Phoenix61]

15. And sitting down to sing kumbaya with them

will cost us dem votes. Unity was all well and good until they decided to foment an armed insurrection against our government. There are Repubs who still won’t denounce it. Cawthorn is saying the people who stormed the Capital were paid by Democrats. They don’t care about anything but power for powers sake. Making nice won’t change their behavior. It does make us class A chumps and nobody votes for a chump.

[WhiteTara]

8. You're workingin government?

Yea! We need you. But I watched this show for a long time and there will be no respect if Biden doesn't show that he has some strength against tyranny. They supported an armed insurrection and have refused to accept responsibility.

But fortunately, I'm a private citizen and my voice is not the last one heard in the room.

[Demsrule86]

12. We will never gain respect from the Republicans. They have refused to allow us to govern

since Clinton. That won't change. What we need to do is have a quick but good trial...show those Americans who can accept our results what Trump is. But don't waste time and don't believe 17 Republicans will vote for conviction...it is very unlikely. It is a McConnell trap for us.

We need to get policy enacted in the first two years that addresses the Pandemic, address our economy which is really now a depression and fix the ACA by adding a public option. There are other things we need to do and we can use EO for somethings but consider they can be taken away if the GOP gains power in 24. Obama had two years and after that we got nothing...we should be working on the 22 elections right now. We have a bare majority.

The GOP is going to work to take us down in 22 and 24 as they tried with Obama. McConnell wants us to make the Senate trial take up most of Biden's time during the first two years. and They think they take back the house in 22 and once more we get no policy as happened in the Obama administration. Don't fall for this because you hate Trump and want revenge (God knows I hate Trump too)...getting our policy out would hurt Trump the most...especially fixing the ACA...Obama's signature achievement.

[Phoenix61]

6. +1nt

[frazzled]

2. He's already been talking to McConnell

That has been widely reported.

[Phoenix61]

4. Ummm, no. Just no.

He’s got lots more important things to do. They can cool their heels and wait until he has time for them. They haven’t earned and don’t deserve that level of respect. They need to come out with statements that he is the president due to a free and fair election. We’ve played nice way too many times. It hasn’t worked and it isn’t going to now. They aren’t 2 year olds who threw a temper tantrum. They are adults who supports the attempted overthrow of our government.

[Demsrule86]

7. Much of what Biden wants to do will require some GOP votes...think about that.

The 'we are in charge and will show them school of thought' will leave us with a policy free presidential term...no help for the people, no ACA reforms, no $15.00 minimum wage...etc. Social Security and Medicare are heading towards bankruptcy. We have a narrow majority...the smallest one can have and still be in the majority. I hope that Manchin and other moderate Democrats can be convinced to end the filibuster. We need to get everything we can in the first two years and exacting revenge on Republicans even though they deserve it won't help convince voters to give us another term in the House, the Senate or the presidency. We could easily lose our majority by 2024. We need to work tirelessly to enact as much policy as possible. Democratic policy is the best revenge possible for Republicans...it will make them weep.

[Phoenix61]

9. There's a lot he can do through reconciliation.

In the meantime investigations into what happened on 1/6 should have some of the Repubs in a more conciliatory mood. Lots of publicity, I’m thinking fireside chat style, on legislation we’ve brought to the floor and which repub senators voted against it. We’ve got the ball. Now is not the time to blink.

[Demsrule86]

11. There is much he can't do through reconciliation.

I think fireside chats would be good...but we absolutely have to peel off some GOP.

[DFW]

10. I agree. One meeting each with McTurtle and McCarthy. Short and to the point.

In each case:

"OK, Mitch/Kevin, have a seat.

"I am well aware that if you were majority leader, you would make my life a living hell, be proud of it, gain plenty of stature in your party for it, and use it to campaign against Democratic candidates in 2022. You would stymie any damage control efforts I want to put into effect.

"But that is not the case, and even if you are planning on pulling another Citizens United move on me, this time we are expecting it. You will not get away with it like you did with Obama. You steamrolled a lot of awful crap through with Trump, and we had to sit there and watch, because those are the rules. Well, those rules are still in effect. They now work to my advantage, and we have a lot of your mess to clean up.

"You have three options. One is to still try to thwart my every move as best you can under the circumstances. Two is to oppose me with passive opposition. You can sit there and whine, vote no, but do nothing. Three is to actually try to work with me to try to make things better for the people in this country of ours who don't have our salaries or perks. I'm open to negotiations, not threats. Whichever you decide, we will not be surprised, and we are ready with a full PR blitz on every issue. We will let the country know in real time in every case, and on every issue.

"Oh, yeah, two more things. First, I'd like an answer before that coffee cup you're holding gets cold, and yes, this conversation is being recorded--for now only for posterity. I'll leak it and use it against you only if you lie to me. Second, we now have solid evidence, both on film and audio, on lowlifes like Hawley, Cruz, Jordan, Brooks and the others, and they're all going down. Just so you know.

"So, what's it gonna be?"
---------------------------------------------------------

Squirm about is fair play.

[tman]

13. It's always fun playing armchair Chief of Staff

You better call Ron Klain ASAP