Fist Bump And Other Politics
President Biden is on the second leg of his trip to the Middle East. His first stop was Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The President promised US financial aid to both sides; but in Israel the principal topic was Iran and the effort to stop them from getting a nuclear weapon.
Progressive Democrats had wanted President Biden to reverse decisions made by President Trump, including the move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, and restart peace talks. Neither occurred during the Biden visit.
In a symbolic act to show the changing politics of the Middle East. President Biden was the first American President to fly directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, the big question was whether or not President Biden would meet directly with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and whether or not they would shake hands. In a picture carried by nearly every media outlet, the President gave the Crown Prince a fist bump. Does a fist bump count less than a handshake? This was actually a topic of discussion in DC. Supporters of murdered Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi didn’t want the President to meet one-on-one with MBS; but the White House determined that global politics required a meeting.
The President has another day in Saudi Arabia that will include a meeting with the Gulf States and Egypt, and a much-anticipated communique at the end of the Saudi trip. While increased oil production by Saudi Arabia won’t by itself change the oil shortfall caused by the war in Ukraine, it would be a political victory for a President looking at record low approval ratings.
Reconciliation
Late Thursday Senator Joe Manchin poured cold water on Democrats’ desire to pass a large Budget Reconciliation Bill before the August break. Manchin told reporters that if his Democratic colleagues wanted to pass a bill in July, he could only support a Medicare prescription drug provision and a two-year extension of subsidies for Obamacare premiums. On Friday he clarified his position, saying that a bigger bill that included climate and energy provisions may be possible in September once the July inflation numbers and Fed rate increases are out.
The Covid absence of two Democratic Senators this past week, including Leader Schumer, demonstrated the precarious balance held by Senate Democrats in a 50/50 Senate. Next week the Senate Democrats may decide which option offered by Senator Manchin they want to pursue.
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