In the video to which Matt Stoller has linked, centrist Democrat and veteran syndicated columnist Jennifer Rubin, delighted at President Joe Biden's speech of January 6, remarks

But I would like to see him do much more of what he did last week. I think it was very effective. It was incredibly reassuring for Democrats, who have kind of bemoaned the fact that he really hasn't taken on Trump and I think you'll see Democrats' approval of him go up when he does this and we're going to see him again next week (or the upcoming week)....

This is how he won the presidency, fighting for the soul of democracy and when he does it, you can just feel him getting that Irish up, as they say, and become feisty and I think that's the face he has to show to the American people.

It would matter whether Democrats approve of Biden today if the election were next Tuesday, January 12.  However, it is not, and approval of a Democratic president is insufficient at any time unless there is enthusiasm for him.  Democrats must not only approve, but be energized to vote for one of their own.

That's obviously missing now and, much less obviously, still will be missing for a president who is afraid to call a Trump a Trump.  It's understandable that Rubin wouldn't recognize this because, when talking to Velshi, Rubin maintained also

If the economy is not better and covid is still raging, the Democrats are in deep trouble. But frankly, I'm not sure the President, who is going to be setting the tone for the election, can do a whole lot about either one of those. The economy is kind of baked in....

I'm so old I remember when President Trump was an all powerful being. https://t.co/1QAacfGOFG

— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) January 9, 2022

Clearly, if at that time the economy is viewed as negatively by the public and the media as it is now and Covid-19 is still raging, congressional Democrats are not in "deep trouble" but will be routed. If the economy is pre-determined, Rubin should be able to tell us what it will look like in 9-10 months.

The President has less control over the economy than most people believe but is not baked in. If Democrats  they are powerless, voters have little reason to trust them with power.

Democrats tend to be averse to exercising power and no amount of shouting by the incumbent President about the "former President" can cover that up. Though they won the White House largely because the incumbent president seemed powerless- or unwilling- to end the pandemic, a Democratic president allegedly can exert little influence over it; ditto, the economy.

And so that same President seems "feisty"- or as Biden probably would prefer it- "tough" when he criticizes an ex-President for leading a coup  but avoids uttering his name. It's a little defensive, a little defeatist, and will impress only those who don't need to be further impressed.

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