It felt like an ultimatum.
On Thursday, President Biden spoke for approximately 30 minutes with the Israeli Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu. The call came after Biden was caught in the act by a variety of critics after the IDF killed aid workers in Gaza. Biden told Netanyahu that “the overall humanitarian situation is unacceptable” and that there was a clear need “for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete and measurable measures to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of humanitarian workers.
According to the readout of the call provided by the White House, Biden also said he made clear that “US policy toward Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these measures.”
In my neighborhood, it’s called an ultimatum, and one can only imagine what the conversation with Netanyahu was really like. In the background, some administration officials said it would be an exaggeration to say it was a “bow shot” to Netanyahu.
Others said it was spicier than that.
Biden is deeply engaged in his reelection campaign and trying not to lose the coalition that put him in power nearly four years ago. Part of this coalition is made up of younger voters and Arab-American voters – two groups currently extremely unhappy with Biden. Just about everywhere the president goes these days, you can find protesters shouting “Genocide Joe.” So, I have no doubt that Biden was extremely curt with Bibi. I’m sure Biden reminded him in blunt terms who Israel’s greatest ally is and how Netanyahu is risking that friendship by killing innocent people. After all, as Admiral John Kirby told us in the briefing room over the past three months, we have often tried to guide Israel on how to wage war and inflict minimal civilian casualties. .
If Israel’s immediate reaction to this phone call is any indication, then it is clear that Biden was a bit more vehement. I’m sure there were some words used that would be better not to say in public.
And that’s how it should have been. But Biden’s team and the president himself wouldn’t call it an ultimatum, even if it had the effect of being just that. Hours after Biden and Netanyahu spoke, the Israeli prime minister fired those responsible for the attack that resulted in the deaths of aid workers and also announced plans to provide additional aid to Gaza’s citizens.
One might think that Biden won it handily, and could now silence critics who continue to question whether Biden has lost his influence in Israel. This is obviously not the case. But when I asked press secretary Karine Jeanne-Pierre in the briefing room on Thursday if it was an ultimatum, she hesitated to characterize it as such. Really? Just say it.
The closest I got was a background comment from an administration official who called it “a very direct statement of concern.” Like I said, in my neighborhood it was an ultimatum. I understand we’re not in my district, but if the president hopes to keep his coalition intact in the fall, he might try visiting this district.
It was also an ultimatum that was at least partially successful.
As White House NSC spokesman John Kirby told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos Friday morning, the steps taken were “a good start.” Now, Kirby added, “we’re going to have to watch and see where they go from here.”
In his first on-camera comment on the phone call Thursday, before leaving the White House to visit the site of the recent Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Biden said, “I asked them to do what they make.” It is very good. So when he showed up in Baltimore, I asked him twice if he was “satisfied” with what Israel had done. The first time he completely ignored me. The second time he just looked at me. He did not answer.
Someone needs to explain to the president that his actions, which have already borne fruit, are worth clarifying for the American people. Those close to the president say the “shooting across the arc” was also a “stark warning,” but these actions have not been sufficiently promoted or clarified.
This is important to Biden because it addresses many of his critics who call him a weak leader. Everything he’s done, from infrastructure to strengthening the economy (300,000 new jobs in March), is being buried because the White House simply can’t make the layups. These are easy. Biden’s actions in Israel demonstrate strong leadership. The March jobs report announced Friday does the same thing.
Biden’s action in Baltimore to support the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge does the same thing – and that news was buried even though Biden flew to Baltimore on Friday, got a bird’s eye view of the damage and then spoke before. journalists. It was buried under political speeches from the Baltimore mayor, the county executive, Maryland’s congressional delegation, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Maryland’s governor before Biden came out and thanked them all afterwards having already thanked each other. He then explained to us how quickly they all reacted to the crisis. Then he thanked them again, and they accepted his thanks and were all grateful.
After all the good humor, Biden then told us that a port channel would be open before the end of the month and that the entire port would be open by the end of May. This was the news that should have been at the top of every speech.
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All this was done on a cold, windy day, with the collapsed bridge behind Biden as he spoke, on a low stage, behind a black curtain, on a soggy, newly sodded patch of lawn behind the Maryland office Transportation Authority, with inadequate votes. lighting, poor framing and inadequate facilities. At least the sound was good.
If it had been Trump, it would have been a Hollywood production – especially the framing and lighting. Trump also likes big stages. The bigger the better. Biden is quiet, almost coy about what he does. And while that makes him likable to some, it makes television look bad and doesn’t translate well to those who think he’s not a very good leader.
He almost needs to be outside a little more and enjoy it a lot more. Despite all the pomp and circumstance of a presidential visit, Friday’s trip to Baltimore went smoothly. There were more reporters than guests, who clapped softly and politely until Biden encouraged them to step up their game. Biden’s advance team even removed a row of empty chairs from the newly turfed field so that the cameras do not show empty seats.
Retiring Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin said afterward that he agreed that the Biden team needed to get better at messaging. “I said that too,” he explained. Is anyone listening?
Say it straight.
Biden issued an ultimatum to Israel and Netanyahu responded.
Biden promised he would support everyone in Baltimore and that federal aid would allow the port to reopen quickly, saving jobs and billions of dollars in the local and national economy.
There.
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