The Morning: Biden’s economic optimism

Plus, Sweden, the subway and secret doors.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 8, 2024 By German Lopez Good morning. We're covering the State of the Union speech — as well as Sweden, the subway and secret doors. President Biden Doug Mills/The New York Times The president's case A year ago, few economists believed that President Biden could come before Congress and make the boast that he did last night: "I inherited an economy on the brink," he said. "Now our economy is literally the envy of the world." Back then, many experts expected a recession. They worried that America's central bank, the Federal Reserve, would have to crush the economy to reduce inflation. Instead, unemployment is near its lowest point in half a century. Wages have risen faster than prices. Inflation has come down to more manageable levels. Before the biggest audience he'll address until his nomination convention this summer, Biden was able to argue he had saved America from economic ruin. Today's newsletter will look at the surprisingly strong state of the economy — and Biden's role in its rebound. (Below, we also cover other highlights from last night's speech.) Yes, Biden may claim too much credit. Presidents don't control the U.S. economy. But they also tend to receive too much blame when it struggles. And Biden's approval ratings are weak partly because Americans have been unhappy with the high inflation of the past few years. Central to his campaign for re-election is an effort to persuade voters that the economy has turned a corner. Biden's contribution Here is the case in favor of Biden's handling of the economy: Compare it with the slow recovery that followed the 2007-8 financial crisis. In response to that recession, the federal government underreacted. Congress passed stimulus measures that many economists now say were too small. Inflation didn't rise, but the unemployment rate remained above 5 percent for nearly seven years after the downturn ended. With Covid, the government avoided the same mistake. Congress passed multiple stimulus measures under Donald Trump and then another, the American Rescue Plan, after Biden took office. All of this was more than triple the size of the measures for the previous recession, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It worked: Unemployment fell below 5 percent after less than a year and a half. Millions of Americans got jobs years earlier than they would have if the federal government had reacted as meagerly as it did before. And the U.S. has grown faster than its peers, as this chart by my colleague Ashley Wu shows: Sources: Office of National Statistics (U.K. data); St. Louis Federal Reserve (others) | Data is through the fourth quarter of 2023. | By The New York Times "America is rising," Biden said last night. "We have the best economy in the world." Biden's critics counter that the government actually overreacted to the Covid recession — and helped spur inflation as a result. The stimulus efforts flooded Americans and businesses with cash. That led to higher demand for a finite supply of goods and services, and prices rose. The Federal Reserve then had to step in and raise interest rates to lower inflation. In the past, similar moves led to recessions. But the central bank has so far succeeded in executing what it called a "soft landing": It has cooled the economy just enough to tame prices but not enough to cause a downturn. Year-over-year inflation is now around 3 percent, down from a peak of 9 percent in 2022. And unemployment has not increased. Americans have barely felt a landing, let alone a hard one. For Biden's supporters, this is vindication. Yes, the couple of years of higher inflation were painful. But the economy has moved back on track much faster than it did after the financial crisis. Will it help Biden? Politically, the economy's strength should be good for Biden. Solid growth historically carries presidents to re-election. Yet many Americans do not feel the good news. Biden's approval rating is low. Consumer sentiment has improved in the past year, but it's below historical averages, surveys show. Americans remain upset about higher prices, particularly for food and housing, even if they have subsided. And many people are focused on other issues: chaos at the U.S.-Mexico border, Israel's war in Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "It doesn't make news, but in a thousand cities and towns, the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told," Biden said yesterday. Biden's advantage is time. There are still eight months until the election. Before then, Americans may come to appreciate the strong economy. Inflation could fall further. Perhaps new federal investments in American-made computer chips, infrastructure and clean energy will start to have a bigger effect on voters' livelihoods. Biden's ability to win a second term may depend on it. More from the speech On 2024: Biden criticized Trump (whom he referred to as "my predecessor") throughout the speech, including for praising Vladimir Putin, for lying about the 2020 election and for trying to "pull America back to the past." On help for Gaza: Biden announced that the U.S. military would build a floating pier off the enclave's coast to let ships deliver aid. On Israel's military: Biden said Israel had a "fundamental responsibility" to protect civilians. But, he added, "Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population like cowards." On his age: Biden addressed concerns with a joke. "I know I may not look like it, but I've been around a while," he said. Then he added, "The issue facing our nation isn't how old we are, it's how old are our ideas." On a second term: He discussed policies he would pursue, such as giving first-time home buyers a tax credit, capping all prescription drug costs and restoring abortion rights nationwide. On junk fees: Biden touted his administration's plan to cap most credit card late fees at $8 a month. Trade groups sued to block it yesterday. Read more takeaways from the speech and a fact check. More on the crowd Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene Doug Mills/The New York Times The speech exemplified the raucous nature of modern American politics, The Times's Peter Baker wrote: "Republicans jeered and booed. Democrats chanted, 'Four more years,' as if it were a campaign rally." Biden addressed the recent killing of a Georgia nursing student after Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump ally, taunted him to do so. He held up a pin with the student's name, Laken Riley. Biden also referred to the Venezuelan migrant charged in the killing as "an illegal." Some Democrats criticized him for using that word. Despite the interruption, Speaker Mike Johnson was largely successful at keeping Republicans from intervening. See his silent facial expressions. George Santos, the New York Republican expelled from Congress last year, attended the speech. As a former member, he has lifetime floor privileges. Commentary on the speech Watching the State of the Union in Washington. Shuran Huang for The New York Times "The most important thing about this State of the Union was not the content but the delivery," Jamelle Bouie writes in Times Opinion. "Biden was combative, energized and feisty — and partisan." (Opinion writers tallied Biden's best and worst moments.) His speech was "more like something one would hear at the D.N.C.," The Cook Political Report's Amy Walter writes. "Democrats will be pleased," Matthew Continetti writes in The Washington Free Beacon. "But I am also skeptical it will persuade independents and working-class men and women of all races that Biden has the answers to America's problems." State of the Union addresses are often fleeting. But in rare cases they make a lasting impact, G. Elliott Morris of 538 notes. "Biden may get a real boost." Stephen Colbert recapped Biden's performance on "The Late Show." Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS New York City In New York City. Adam Gray for The New York Times Some New Yorkers criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul after she deployed the National Guard and the State Police in the subway. You can say no if the National Guard asks to search your bag. Here are your rights. The Manhattan district attorney accused some public workers of being involved in a scheme to steal the personal information of homeless people to file for fraudulent benefits. A man who became a champion of rehabilitation after leaving prison was charged with murder. International Sweden formally joined NATO. Its membership is a blow to Putin. Russia-linked websites disguised as U.S. news pages — with names like the New York News Daily — spread misinformation about Ukraine. In Haiti, gangs control access to the main airport and seaports. Read more about the violence there. Education Brown University, joining other colleges, will again require applicants to submit standardized test scores, ending a Covid-era "test optional" policy. High school students will take a fully digital SAT this weekend for the first time. The new test, an hour shorter than before, is meant to reduce stress. (Try some sample questions.) Business Mira Murati, OpenAI's chief technology officer, played a significant role in her boss Sam Altman's temporary ouster. Read more about the internal conflict. Rivian, a struggling electric vehicle company, will halt construction of a $5 billion factory in Georgia. Weather Strong winds moved a lake in Death Valley two miles north. Forecasters are concerned that coming rain could flood cities including Atlanta. Other Big Stories The TikTok celebrities Janette Ok and Imani Carrier. Shuran Huang for The New York Times Lawmakers proposed a bill that would require TikTok's Chinese parent to sell it or face a U.S. ban. TikTok encouraged users to call Congress and complain. The Senate passed bipartisan legislation to expand compensation for victims of nuclear contamination caused by the government. It heads to the House. A year after breaking off an engagement, Rupert Murdoch, 92, is engaged again — to someone else. It would be his fifth marriage. Opinions To end a sentence with a preposition is natural to English, so why aren't we supposed to? Rules against it have always been elitist, John McWhorter writes. Here are columns by Michelle Goldberg on the antisemitism of the Republican candidate for North Carolina governor and David Brooks on the confidence of Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt. Discover more of the insight you value in The Morning. The Times is filled with information and inspiration every day. So gain unlimited access to everything we offer — and save with this introductory offer. MORNING READS Calliope gets a bottle.  Jason Gulley Planes, cranes and automobiles: Orphaned manatees were returned to the wild after three years. Follow their journey. Malaysia Airlines: Flight MH370 disappeared a decade ago. Here's what we know today. House over spouse: The Times spoke with 88 people about how they divided their homes after a divorce. Lives Lived: Buddy Duress, a small-time heroin dealer living on the streets of the Upper West Side, became a sensation in the New York film scene in the 2010s, helping to start the careers of Josh and Benny Safdie. He died at 38. SPORTS N.H.L.: The Pittsburgh Penguins traded the winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes hours before today's deadline. N.B.A.: The Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns is out indefinitely with a meniscus tear in his left knee. Dog sledding: Dallas Seavey, a five-time Iditarod champion, killed a moose that had become entangled with his team. Race officials penalized him for not gutting the moose well enough. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS Lanna Apisukh for The New York Times Hidden passages: Whether the goal is to foil burglars, tuck away extra storage or simply add some whimsy, secret doors are having a moment. When building her new home in Dallas, Tabitha Kane, co-host of a true-crime podcast, added a faux fireplace that spins to reveal a secret room whenever a family member touches a biometric scanner. "It makes the house more fun," she said. More on culture Akira Toriyama in 1982. Jiji Press/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Akira Toriyama, who was one of Japan's leading authors of comics and most famous for the highly successful manga and anime franchise "Dragon Ball," died at 68. Mike Tyson, 57, will fight Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber turned boxer. The bout will air on Netflix in July. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Bake homemade Pop-Tarts with an easy cream-cheese dough. Follow these tips to feel rested when the clocks spring forward on Sunday. Forget to turn off the lights? It's OK. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was untucked. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — German Correction: Yesterday's newsletter misspelled the name of Colombia. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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