Biden defends first year record, says he ‘didn’t overpromise,’ but ‘outperformed,’ made ‘enormous progress’

‘I have probably outperformed what anybody thought would happen,’ said Biden

President Biden on Wednesday defended his record during his first year in office, saying he “didn’t overpromise,” but instead “outperformed,” maintaining the “enormous progress” his administration has made and vowed to “stay on track” going forward.

During his first press conference in months—his tenth since taking office—the president was asked whether he overpromised on what he could achieve during his first year at the White House, as the country grapples with rising inflation, a surge in the highly-transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19, and as his legislative agenda is stalled in Congress.

“I didn’t overpromise,” Biden said. “I have probably outperformed what anybody thought would happen.”

The president said his administration has “made enormous progress,” saying the number of deaths from COVID-19 is “coming down.”

“Everything’s changing. It’s getting better,” Biden said. “Look, I didn’t overpromise, but I think if you take a look at what we’ve been able to do, you’d have to acknowledge we made enormous progress.”

But, looking ahead, Biden said he needs to do a “change in tactic.”

“I have to make clear to the American people what we are for,” he said. “We passed a lot of things that people don’t even understand.”

Biden said he plans to “be out on the road a lot, making the case around the country” with Democrats who are up for reelection in November to help in “making the case of what we did do and what we want to do and what we need to do.”

“And so, I don’t think I’ve overpromised at all, and I’m going to stay on track,” Biden said.

As for his Build Back Better economic plan stalled in Congress, Biden pointed to “polling data” on the attitudes of the American people, saying they “overwhelmingly agree” with him on prescription drugs, the cost of education, early education and child care.

“We just have to make the case of what we’re for and what the other team is not for,” Biden said. “Look, we knew all along that a lot of this was going to be an uphill fight, and one of the ways to do this is to make sure we make the contrast as clear as we can. And one of the things that I think we’re going to have to do is just make the case.”

He added: “I don’t think there’s anything unrealistic about it. I’m not asking for castles in the sky. I’m asking for practical things the American people have been asking for for a long time. And I think we can get it done.”

The president, throughout the press conference, repeatedly asked what Republicans “are for.”

Meanwhile, Biden, shifting to rising inflation, admitted American families are feeling the effects of rising costs.