Will the Ukraine Crisis Be Biden’s Credibility Moment?

Giving Putin a shortcut may require a long, painful negotiation processpotentially leading to accusations that the US is feeding Ukraine to the Russian wolf.

Building an alliance across the aisle in Washington has not been easy, either.

On Tuesday, as discussions of a bipartisan bill to sanction Russia broke down, the best Congress could get together was statement expressed solidarity with Ukraine. Two of the holders were Cotton and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, both harboring presidential ambitions. Senate Republicans have come up with their own sanctions legislation – The European Territories Never Conceded Act or the NYET . Acta rhetoric blossomed in the form of a bill to block Nord Stream 2, a Baltic Sea gas pipeline meant to pass through Ukraine.

The proposal is a reminder that the Republican Party has a megaphone but no real responsibility. And in an election year, national security can become political in a hurry.

Do not expect a Ukrainian bump

Historically, any effect that foreign crises have had on public opinion has tended to be ephemeral.

After John F. Kennedy led the United States out of the Cuban missile crisis, his approval rate jumped to 76%. By the time he was assassinated a year later, it was in the 50s. George HW Bush approval rating reached 89 percent after the First Gulf War, but it dropped to 29% due to the economic downturn and he lost to Bill Clinton on his re-election. Kill Osama bin Laden buy Barack Obama about a month number of featured polls, the most.

But when things don’t go as planned abroad, the damage to the president’s credibility can be severe. Lyndon B.Johnson refused to run for re-election after the Tet Offensive in Vietnam helped push his approval rate into his mid-30s. The American hostage-taking in Iran crippled Jimmy Carter, contributing to his defeat in 1980. And even though George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004, Iraq still haunted the rest of his term. his president.

David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Obama, said Biden was “very smart, strong and thoughtful” on Ukraine. “Even if most Americans are clustered closer to home,” he added, “”intelligent, strong, and intentional” are welcome adjectives for this president after six challenging months. “

However, should Putin gain the upper hand, the judgment of history could be harsh. And even if all goes well, some question the wisdom of paying more attention to an area that represents its geopolitical past, not its future.