“The first 100 days” was a term popularized by 32nd President Franklin Delano Roosevelt calling for the evaluation of the potential success of a president’s first term in office by looking only at the accomplishments of their first three months. Roosevelt hoped that this one hundred-day period would provide new presidents the opportunity to present their vision for the country without immediate criticism. To combat the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s, Roosevelt focused on implementing social reforms during the first three months of his presidency. At the 100 day mark of a new administration, the country begins to scrutinize the new president’s work, compare their administration to others, and predict how the rest of their term will go. President Joe Biden had his 100th day in office on April 29, 2021.
Biden’s first 100 days have frequently been referred to as radical. Throughout his career as a senator, Biden was known for being a moderate Democrat. But now, as president, many view him as moving towards the left, surprising those that expected him to remain politically moderate as president. The belief that Biden has moved farther to the left has been supported by his $5 trillion stimulus package for the economy and welfare, his commitment to pursuing LGBTQ+ rights, and his promise to tackle climate change. Biden also rejoined many international bodies, reversing the previous president’s disregard of international treaties. Trump’s first one hundred days were just as active as Biden’s. He signed 24 executive orders and 28 bills in the first three months of his presidency. The policies he enacted, however, were essentially the opposite of what Biden is passing now. Many commentators have labeled Biden as a “quiet revolutionary,” based on his actions during his first one hundred days.
This crucial period of the Biden presidency was also highly significant concerning the national response to the Coronavirus pandemic. It is a common belief that President Biden’s greatest accomplishments thus far have been the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion recovery plan, and the stimulus package. Biden signed the American Rescue Plan to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and move the country towards economic recovery. Biden then set ambitious vaccination goals and met them. By reversing Trump’s decision to delegate the vaccine effort to the states and instead leading an organized national response, the United States has become the frontrunner in vaccine distribution under the Biden administration.
If Biden’s first 100 days in office are examined more closely, a less positive portrait of his presidency begins to appear. Operation Warp Speed, the United States’ vaccine distribution plan, was developed under the Trump administration and Biden is therefore not solely responsible for America’s effective vaccine response. Furthermore, Biden’s spending program has sparked controversy, as many economists are wary of his spending. Biden also does not seem to be interested in reconciling the Democratic and Republican parties. His stimulus package passing the Senate on party lines and the president’s active use of executive orders show that bipartisan support is not his top priority. In addition to this concern, many Americans feel that they need more direct communication with the White House. Biden did not hold his first press conference until his 64th day as president, which shows his casual approach to public image.
The media has been focused on Biden’s pandemic and economic response during his first 100 days, so other topics of interest have largely remained out of the limelight. These critical issues include racial equity, gun control, foreign policy, education, and police reform. Additionally, Biden has yet to tackle the problems within the current immigration system. The crisis at the Southern border has not changed, but Biden has focused on other aspects of immigration besides families at the border. Biden has spoken out about citizenship for dreamers and the work necessary to obtain permanent residency. Biden also plans to invest in countries of origin by sending aid to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to decrease the pressure to immigrate to the U.S. However, the nation will likely have to wait longer into Biden’s presidency to see legislation about these hot topics enacted because of Biden’s major focus on COVID-19 and rebuilding the economy after the pandemic.
Biden has been compared to both Roosevelt and 44th President Barack Obama; Roosevelt because of his Democratic background and diverse campaign of public reforms and Obama because they had the same goal of suppressing an ongoing economic crisis during their first 100 days as president. Many would view these comparisons as positive, but it is important to remember that many Democratic presidents, including Obama and Roosevelt, had a very active first 100 days and then their initial momentum came to a halt. This still occurred partly because these presidents did not pay close attention to partisan divides early on. Biden does have Democratic control of the Senate, but in the future, he will inevitably need Republican support.
Expectations were generally low for Biden’s first 100 days in office. Biden always knew that he would take office during a difficult time in American history, and then the domestic terrorist attack of January 6, 2021, caused many Americans to lose more faith. Despite some premature concerns, many citizens feel at least somewhat pleased with Biden’s actions during his first 100 days. It seems to be that Biden is leaning towards the left as he currently enjoys the presidential honeymoon period, but many expect that the moderate senator in Biden will reemerge.
