Mr. Biden relied this year on a blend of expert opinion and conversations with elected officials across the country as he formulated his plans to confront the extraordinary public health and economic crises at hand, offering a glimpse of the kinds of input that may influence his decision-making as president. When the pandemic hit, Mr. Biden’s instinct was to get on the phone. Even though he had no power to enact policy, Mr. Biden made a point of maintaining relationships with mayors, senators and governors, calling them often and sprinkling his public remarks with references to what he had learned about their experiences. It was in keeping with the role he played as vice president, where he often was the Obama administration’s best liaison to Capitol Hill, and it reflected the respect that the longtime Delaware senator has for other elected officials. At the same time, a core part of Mr. Biden’s message throughout the general election was that, as president, he would listen to the experts when it came to confronting the nation’s greatest challenges.

Source: New York Times November 15, 2020 07:52 UTC