Biden makes decisions that hint at his upcoming campaign, upsetting some liberals.

The president is angering progressives on crime and immigration while also spotlighting popular Democratic positions on social services.

A difficult piece of legislation highlighting division in his party over violence and self-governance in the nation's capital was going to his desk even while President Biden was in Philadelphia promoting a budget package with strong Democratic support but little chance of becoming law.

After opposing the bill to overturn D.C.'s new criminal statute, Biden ultimately signed it, which may help him fend off GOP accusations that portray Democrats as being lax on crime.

As Biden prepared to present a $6.9 trillion budget that brought Democrats together on several topics while putting Republicans on the defensive over popular programs like Medicare, it provoked a rare wave of opposition within his party.

That contrast highlights Biden's potential and dangers as he sails towards winning his party's presidential nomination without facing a serious primary challenge and overseeing a split government.

Biden intends to use his presidential platform to defend Democrats from assaults on crime, immigration, and other topics where Democrats are weak with swing voters while trying to take advantage of Republican shortcomings on common concerns like Social Security and medicine pricing. On Thursday, Biden announced his budget and his case for another four years in office in a speech that had 16 allusions to "MAGA Republicans" and was delivered in a campaign style.

In a Philadelphia union hall, Biden stated that "too many individuals have been left behind or treated like they're invisible" throughout the recent economic turbulence. "No longer. I'll see you, I swear.

In what some aides have dubbed "Chapter 2" of the Biden presidency, House Democrats are adjusting to life in the minority, and the White House is undergoing staff changes. The president must navigate these turbulent times for his party while gaining support for the start of his reelection campaign.

Biden has been honing his reelection appeal at nationwide presidential events, even though an official announcement is most likely weeks away and important choices, including the campaign's headquarters and director, are still in the air. The previous several weeks have been spent by him contrasting his vision with that of Republicans and urging Americans he wants to "complete the job" by moving forward on several economic topics.

Republicans have attempted to scuttle the president's smooth transition to the general election by empowering Biden's critics, who believe the vice president is a poor incumbent candidate given his age and low support ratings. They use their oversight authority to look into disputes and claims of wrongdoing by the president's administration and family, forcing votes on wedge topics to highlight Democratic splits and contesting Biden's policies in court.

In a floor speech last week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made fun of Biden for "doing a 180" on the D.C. crime bill and claimed that the president and Democrats were "panicking" over how unpopular their position was.

One of those Republicans who have been pleased to see their Democratic counterparts put themselves in a defensive position is McConnell. "I think somebody at the White House may have shown the president his latest poll numbers on this issue," McConnell added.

Biden declared on March 2 that he would sign the law if it came to his desk on March 6, three days after the White House opposed the GOP-led D.C. crime resolution as a violation of the city's authority and a majority of House Democrats voted against it. The president declared that while he remained in favor of D.C. statehood, he could not back the city council's extensive reforms, which included reducing the statutory maximum sentences for crimes like robbery and carjacking.

"173 House Democrats voted for decreased sentencing for violent crimes," commercials from the National Republican Campaign Committee declare. Even President Biden won't endorse the anarchy because it is "so ridiculous."

Some House Democrats felt caught off guard by Biden's decision to sign the bill. Since lawmakers also felt blindsided by current immigration policies, which they claim signaled another abrupt rightward move by the president, the perceived tilt to the center on crime generated more concerns.

The actions are made at a time when Democrats are exposed on both fronts. Recently, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) failed to win reelection in a contest where crime played a significant role. Democrats may have suffered in several House elections in New York last November due to the image that they were lax on crime. The Biden administration has also failed to manage a record-breaking migratory surge at the border, and administration officials worry that the relaxation of a crucial immigration restriction from the Pandemic Era in May may make matters worse.

In particular, liberals were outraged not only by the perceived shifts towards the center but also by the lack of consultation before the decisions were taken. Some people cited Ron Klain's resignation as the former chief of staff as a turning point in the administration's ties with Congress.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated that there are some worries (D-N.Y.). "I believe the White House's personnel changes are making this a sensitive time. Progressives have historically, in my opinion, felt extremely secure about being heard.

There is a change at the White House, according to Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the Senate Progressive Caucus and a Democrat from Washington, who also expressed the same opinion.

Klain made it a point to alleviate the leftist voters' worries, who comprise a portion of the Democratic base. Early in 2020, when it became evident that Biden would defeat Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for the presidential nomination, Klain took the initiative to ensure the campaign started to foster and solidify ties with congressional liberals.

Jeff Zients, his successor, is less well-known among parliamentarians.

As soon as he was appointed chief of staff, Jeff spoke with various members of Congress, including prominent progressives, to express his interest in learning about their ideas and cooperating as part of our extensive outreach, according to a White House official.

Using recent statements from a broad range of politicians in support of his reelection, administration officials claimed that Biden still enjoys significant support from Democrats. And according to officials, Biden, not staff, is in charge of policy decisions.

President Biden's beliefs and vision, consistent with what he ran on and worked for many years, "have indisputably united congressional Democrats across the full spectrum of the party — as well as the country more widely," according to White House spokesman Andrew Bates. "That agenda has produced the most robust legislative record in contemporary history, including court nominations, gun regulation, Medicare, and climate change. It has also resulted in unprecedented bipartisan success.

Chris Whipple, a writer of books about White House chiefs of staff and the Biden administration, expressed his "skepticism" regarding the idea that recent White House activities may be attributed to personnel changes.

Whipple, whose book "The Battle of His Life" details Biden's first two years in office, believes the idea that Joe Biden's chief of staff makes decisions like the D.C. crime bill is overdone. "That [law] was poisonous politically. And I don't believe Jeff Zients was necessary to inform Joe Biden of that.

Instead, according to officials, Biden now has some faith in his political judgment following his party's unexpected victory in the midterm elections. They claimed he is setting himself up for the general election by adopting stances that appeal to swing voters worried about crime and the border.

According to one administration official, Biden intends to spend most of his time speaking publicly about issues on which Democrats generally agree and praising successes like lowering drug prices, upholding democracy, and preserving the environment that shows Democratic unity.

Stephanie Cutter, who assisted in managing former president Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, claimed that Biden had gained respect inside his party due to overcoming ideological squabbles and achieving victories on important topics that affected both liberals and moderates.

She referred to Democratic infighting over legislation in 2021 and stated, "Everyone was talking about the splits in the party when we discussed 'Build Back Better' or infrastructure. "Today they're not, since political party disagreement is best treated by getting things done. No one can also claim that the president hasn't accomplished anything.

Officials claim that Biden's recent public defenses of Medicare and Social Security, his stance against negotiations over the country's debt ceiling, and his budget proposal—which would raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for social programs and close the deficit—have all helped to increase support for him among different party factions.

His advisers anticipate that he would spend a significant amount of time traveling the country discussing his budget and comparing them with those of the so-called "MAGA Republicans," who have called for significant spending cuts to solve the rapidly increasing national debt. The overarching objective is to cast the 2024 election as a binary decision rather than a review of his administration.