What a Day Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Biden Delivered For Dems, But They Didn't Deliver For Him
Host: Jane Coaston
Release Date: December 2, 2024

1. Introduction and Key Headlines

Jane Coaston kicks off the episode by highlighting significant political maneuvers and updates:

• Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Biden: President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, ahead of Hunter’s sentencing scheduled for later that month. This move marks a notable reversal from Biden's earlier stance against using executive power to pardon his son.

• Trump’s Appointment Announcements: With less than 50 days until former President Donald Trump takes office, he has announced nominations, including Charles Kushner as Ambassador to France and Cash Patel as the new head of the FBI. Jane describes Patel as "very, very, very, very weird" (00:02).

2. The Concept of Deliverism

Jane explores the Democratic Party's strategy of "deliverism" with journalist Matt Iglesias, diving deep into why this approach may not have yielded the expected electoral success.

Definition and Implementation: Matt Iglesias defines deliverism as the strategy where a political party or administration focuses on delivering tangible benefits to voters with the expectation that these accomplishments will secure votes. He explains:

“It's not good enough to just espouse popular ideas on the campaign trail. You need to deliver them in office and if can tell people like here's this long list of amazing things we did for you, then they're going to love it.” — Matt Iglesias (03:06)

Democratic Achievements: Jane lists several Democratic accomplishments under the Biden-Harris administration:

• Inflation Reduction Act
• CHIPS Act to boost semiconductor production
• Bipartisan infrastructure deal
• Largest one-year drop in child poverty
• Progress in student loan forgiveness

Despite these achievements, the Democrats failed to secure the anticipated voter support.

Analysis of Failure: Matt attributes the shortfall to the administration's overemphasis on portraying their record as highly progressive, which alienated moderate voters. He remarks:

“They leaned into that characterization of themselves as having done a lot... It's a kind of fundamental misread of how public opinion works.” — Matt Iglesias (04:47)

He introduces the concept of public opinion acting like a thermostat, where significant policy shifts lead to reactive shifts in public sentiment, often moving opinions in the opposite direction.

3. Political Dynamics: Democratic Challenges and Trump’s Strategies

Jane discusses the internal reflections within the Democratic Party regarding Vice President Kamala Harris's loss in the recent election.

Chris Murphy’s Perspective: Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy suggests that Democrats need to adopt a more populist message to regain working-class voters. He emphasizes Biden’s efforts in combating corporate monopolies:

“I wish the Biden campaign and the Biden White House and the Harris campaign talked more about what they did to break up corporate power.” — Chris Murphy (01:11)

Tim Ryan’s Insights: Former Democratic Representative Tim Ryan highlights Biden’s legislative successes but questions why Ohio did not vote for Biden despite direct benefits to the state:

“Our brand is toxic in so many places. And it's like you're a Democrat. Like that's the stuff we get like in Ohio.” — Tim Ryan (02:20)

Matt Iglesias on Deliverism and Public Sentiment: Matt elaborates on the broader issue of public distrust in political elites and how this skepticism undermines deliverism. He points out that substantial policy changes often lead to backlash, as people grow uneasy with large-scale transformations.

“People are very upset about the system... they have very low level of confidence in political elites.” — Matt Iglesias (06:36)

4. Breaking News Highlights

a. Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Biden (15:42 - 16:43)

• Announcement: President Biden pardoned Hunter Biden, citing selective and unfair prosecution influenced by political motives.

• Biden’s Statement:

  “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.” — President Joe Biden

• Political Repercussions: This decision contrasts Biden's prior assurances not to pardon his son, leading to political fallout and criticism, particularly from Democrats like Chris Murphy, who vehemently denied any possibility of such a pardon earlier in the year.

b. Syrian Civil War Developments (16:38 - 17:45)

• Rebel Offensive: A new rebel coalition launched a surprise offensive, capturing significant territory in Aleppo. This marks a shift in the prolonged civil conflict since 2011.

• International Response: U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized the need for UN Security Council resolutions to restore peace and protect civilians.

“The full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions that could bring a measure of peace and stability to Syria and protection to civilians, including religious minorities.” — Jake Sullivan (16:38)

• Casualties: Over 300 people have been killed in the ongoing clashes.

c. Gaza Aid Delivery Crisis (17:46 - 18:29)

• Aid Blockade: UNRWA suspended deliveries through Gaza’s main route due to safety concerns after armed gangs looted nearly 100 delivery trucks, stripping them of essential supplies.

• Accusations: While Israel blames Hamas for the disruptions, UNRWA accuses the Israeli military of failing to secure the border effectively.

• Impact: Humanitarian organizations like World Central Kitchen have ceased operations in Gaza following airstrikes that killed their workers, exacerbating the crisis.

d. Progress in Ending the AIDS Epidemic (18:12 - 19:00)

• Biden’s Address on World AIDS Day: President Biden spoke to survivors and families, highlighting advancements in combating HIV/AIDS.

• Medical Breakthrough: Gilead Sciences introduced a new drug, Sunlenka, a twice-yearly injection showing 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV in women and nearly as effective in men. This breakthrough brings hope to ending the AIDS epidemic, with global HIV cases now at 39 million and annual deaths down to 630,000.

“After more than 40 years of death and stigma and loss, what an achievement that would be.” — Jane Coaston (18:29)

5. Trump’s Anti-Fentanyl Campaign and Its Implications (09:34 - 11:52)

• Trump’s Proposal: Donald Trump announced plans for a large-scale advertising campaign to combat fentanyl abuse, promising widespread awareness.

“I will be working on a large scale United States advertising campaign explaining how bad fentanyl is for people to use.” — Donald Trump (Noted in Transcript)

• Jane’s Critique: Jane criticizes the likelihood of the campaign's effectiveness, drawing parallels to the inefficacy of similar anti-drug initiatives like DARE.

“There’s a good chance this large scale United States advertising campaign either doesn't happen at all or becomes something so anodyne that we all kind of just forget about it.” — Jane Coaston (09:34)

• Trust Issues: She emphasizes Trump’s history of unfulfilled promises and deceit, suggesting that his lack of accountability undermines the potential success of such campaigns.

“Donald Trump is not just a poster. He's a liar... his entire political appeal seems to me to rely on him being a liar.” — Matt Iglesias (10:07)

6. Closing Remarks and Additional Content

Jane wraps up the episode by promoting other content and summarizing key takeaways:

• Malala Yousafzai Interview: Highlights from a rare interview discussing Afghanistan’s situation and her new documentary, "Bread and Roses."

• Call to Action: Encourages listeners to subscribe, leave reviews, and engage with the podcast on various platforms.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Chris Murphy (01:11):

  “I think some of the most important things that Joe Biden did were taking on the big corporations... I wish the Biden campaign and the Biden White House and the Harris campaign talked more about what they did to break up corporate power.”

• Tim Ryan (01:53):

  “Democrats are reindustrializing the country... we're going to have $100 billion investment.”

• Matt Iglesias (04:47):

  “They leaned into that characterization of themselves as having done a lot... It's a kind of fundamental misread of how public opinion works.”

• Matt Iglesias (06:36):

  “People are very upset about the system... they have very low level of confidence in political elites.”

• Matt Iglesias (08:26):

  “Policymakers leaned into their image as achievers, but failed to understand the deeper undercurrents of public sentiment.”

• President Joe Biden (15:48):

  “I believe in the justice system... but raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”

• Matt Iglesias (10:07):

  “Donald Trump is not just a poster. He's a liar... his entire political appeal seems to me to rely on him being a liar.”

This episode of "What a Day" offers an insightful analysis of the Democratic Party's deliverism strategy, its shortcomings in the recent election, and the contrasting approaches of Trump’s campaign strategies. Additionally, it covers critical international developments and significant progress in public health, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the current political and social landscape.