Biden meets the press, talks first year as president

President Joe Biden has held just six solo news conferences through his first year in office. On Wednesday, he marked one year in the White House by talking with reporters in the East Room. After delivering prepared remarks, he fielded questions for the better part of two hours.

What topics did he cover? He highlighted what he framed as wins through his first year in the Oval Office, including the rollout of vaccines and other tools to fight COVID-19, as well as the continued bounce-back of the U.S. economy from the pandemic recession. But according to Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling released last month, the president’s approval ratings are falling among virtually every demographic as inflation soars and a social spending bill that would fulfill so many of his campaign promises flounders. When asked about his approval numbers, Biden responded, “I don’t believe the polls.”

Dig deeper: Read Esther Eaton’s review in The Stew of 2021’s most significant political moments.