Democrat strategists slam Biden: 'Be the f-ing President!'

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

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Not every Democrat is happy with the performance U.S. President Joe Biden has shown, especially in recent weeks and months. Biden has been plagued by numerous challenges ranging from the supply chain crisis to the cost of gas, both of which he has failed to successfully tackle. 

According to the Hill, Democrats are growing frustrated by Biden and his administration at the White House, whom they say have been slow to deal with the problems before them. 

Democrats who spoke to the publication spoke to the recent baby formula shortage as yet another example of how Biden has failed to get ahead of the crisis, allowing Republicans to set the narrative. They also highlighted Biden’s failures with inflation and gas prices. 

“It’s really simple: ‘Be the f—ing president!,” said a Democratic strategist who spoke to the publication. “I realize it’s tough and you’re drinking out of a fire hose every single day, but there are things you can do to control the public perception and they haven’t done any of that.” 

As detailed by the Associated Press, Biden’s Food and Drug Administration shut down a major baby formula producer, Abbott, in February for possible health code violations. Abbott warned the administration of the looming crisis should the Biden administration fail to permit the plant to reopen. 

The warnings fell on deaf ears, and President Biden appeared to be blindsided when the supply of baby formula ran out, with many parents taking to social media to post photographs of empty shelves and complaining about the lack of formula for their infants. 

Messaging from the White House has been similarly confused, with White House officials insisting that the problem was widely known and that it had been dealing with the issue since February.

Biden, whoever, admitted in a recent interview that he did not know of the problem until April, CBS News reported.  

“It may come down to not understanding what they’re up against — both the media environment and today’s GOP,” said another Democratic strategist, Christy Setzer. “Biden did speak out on guns, on baby formula, on inflation … but the traditional tactics aren’t breaking through, and it doesn’t seem as though they’re taking in that information, re-trenching, and trying new approaches when it’s falling flat.” 

The Hill reported: 

The first Democratic strategist said Biden’s admission that he only found out about the baby formula shortage in April “seems like bad staff work.” 

“You should be able to see what’s coming down the pike,” the strategist said. 

Still, the White House highlights that officials at the Food and Drug Administration and elsewhere have been working since the plant closed in February to address the issue.  

A memo released by the White House earlier this week showed that in-stock rates for formula started to decline in early March from about 90 percent and now stand at about 74 percent. The memo also said infant formula sales have actually increased this year compared to last year, rising about 24 percent than average sales in 2021.