US President Joe Biden has announced a victory against the ongoing pandemic Covid-19. Biden will celebrate America’s defeat of Covid-19 with a July 4th barbecue this Sunday, but the fireworks smoke will barely clear before the Democrat has to confront maybe even tougher challenges.
About 1,000 guests — emergency service and essential workers, military members and their families — are set to pour into the White House grounds for the kind of party unimaginable a year ago, when the country was under lockdown.
The Independence Day bash on the South Lawn, followed by a thunderous fireworks display on the National Mall, will allow Biden to mark what he’s calling “independence from this virus.” Biden’s To Do list features a staggering number of crises and headaches, ranging from climate change to handling a desperately divided Congress and a vengeful Donald Trump.
At least for one humid Washington evening, though, the 78-year-old Biden will be able to kick back and celebrate. After leading the world in Covid deaths — more than 600,000 — the United States has emerged as a model for getting the novel coronavirus under control and the economy back on track.
Much of that is down to Biden reversing Trump’s chaotic response with a focused campaign to encourage mask wearing and vaccinations. He also got Congress to approve a historic $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, super-charging economic recovery and protecting the most vulnerable.
There are however some hefty wrinkles. Biden’s much-promoted goal of having 70 percent of US adults receive at least one dose of vaccine by July 4 will narrowly miss. And celebratory White House statements tend to dodge emerging threats from the highly contagious Delta variant.
