🎤 Biden's tough sales job

Plus: Balloon fallout | Monday, February 06, 2023

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Amazon   Axios Sneak Peek By Axios Sneak Peek · Feb 06, 2023 Welcome back to Sneak. Smart Brevity™ count: 634 words ... 2½ minutes.     1 big thing: Biden's tough sales job President Biden speaks to members of the media today on the South Lawn of the White House. Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images   Team Biden is convinced that its State of the Union challenge tomorrow is as much about perception as reality, Hans Nichols reports. Why it matters: Economic indicators are heading in the exact direction the White House predicted, but voters are deeply skeptical that the economy is working for them. What they're saying: "On average, American households are in a better position than before the pandemic hit," Brian Deese, the director of the National Economic Council, told reporters today. But "the economic anxiety is real," he acknowledged. Deese responded to a question about why 41% of Americans feel they are worse off, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, by implying that "two-thirds of Americans say their circumstances are better." A reporter later corrected him that the poll indicated that 16% of Americans feel better off, with 42% saying they felt the same. Driving the news: The White House has given lawmakers "palm cards," a list of economic data points that can fit in their hands, showing that manufacturing jobs are up and inflation is down. President Biden will focus on the progress the economy has made, including a 3.4% unemployment rate, the lowest level in some 70 years, and a surge in manufacturing jobs. He'll go through the motions of asking Congress, including a new House Republican majority, to pass the parts of his Build Back Better agenda left on the cutting room floor last year by a Democrat-controlled Senate. Among Biden's demands: a special surtax on billionaires and a call to quadruple taxes on corporations for stock buybacks. He will also make another pass at expanding the Child Tax Credit. What's next: Before Biden speaks tomorrow evening, Fed Chair Jay Powell will give his views at the Economic Club of Washington at 11am ET. Share this story.     2. Balloon fallout A man watches the recovery effort yesterday of the Chinese spy balloon off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Photo: Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images   The Pentagon is adding to the intrigue on the Chinese balloons, saying it failed to contemporaneously detect four balloons during past flyovers. Driving the news: The Pentagon over the weekend pointed out that balloons flew over the U.S. during the Trump administration. After public denials from Trump officials, the Defense Department is saying it didn't know at the time either. "That's a domain awareness gap that we have to figure out," Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck said in a briefing today, Axios' Emma Loop reports. U.S. intelligence agencies relied on "additional means of collection" to retroactively identify the other balloons, VanHerck told reporters. The most recent balloon was "up to 200 feet tall" with a payload comparable to that of a "regional jet," he said. What's next: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters today that this week the Pentagon will brief the "Gang of Eight" — congressional leaders McCarthy, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.); and Intelligence Committee leaders Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.). "I'm asking for a full briefing for all the House members," McCarthy said. The Senate is getting an all-member classified briefing Thursday, a spokesperson for Schumer told Axios' Andrew Solender. Go deeper.     A message from Amazon Ready to give up, Frank found a new career at Amazon     Frank started as a shift assistant. Now, five years later, he is a senior operations manager at an Amazon Air Hub, and he mentors colleagues looking to grow. Here's why: Amazon supports career growth for all employees with free skills training and prepaid tuition benefits. Read more.     3. McCarthy's prebuttal House Speaker Kevin McCarthy approaches the lectern today at the Capitol. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images   In a prebuttal to Biden's State of the Union, McCarthy today promised that Social Security and Medicare cuts will be off the table during negotiations over a debt limit increase. Why it matters: He is trying to deliver on a promise to reduce spending, which gets much harder when certain programs are exempted from cuts. Between the lines: McCarthy alluded to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripping up papers at Trump's 2020 State of the Union. "I won't tear up a speech, I won't play games, I'm very respectful," he said. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images     A message from Amazon Free technical training helped Francisco build a career at Amazon     After starting in a fulfillment center, Francisco joined the Amazon Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship. He now earns four times more as a trained technician. Here's how: Amazon offers 10 technical training programs, so employees can learn new skills without losing a paycheck. Read more.   📬 Thanks for reading. This newsletter was edited by Justin Green and copy edited by Brad Bonhall. Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. 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