What does Joe Biden need to get done in his first 100 days?
Right after the 46th president delivers his inaugural address, do the impossible: Fix the economy, stop COVID-19, oh, and end racism.
USA TODAY
Opinion columnists
The USA TODAY Opinion section asked members of our Board of Contributors, "What is the most critical priority for President Joe Biden to succeed on in his first 100 days?"
Biden doesn't need to act, he needs to listen
The most important thing that President Biden can do in his first 100 days is listen. It’s the most important form of communication — and the least utilized one, especially by politicians. It’s also a good way to get informed, defuse tension and disarm critics. While many of those who run for president boast that they will know how to do the job on Day One, that is rarely true. Biden starts with a sizable advantage over others who have stepped into the job because he was vice president just four years ago. But a lot has happened in the past four years to knock the government off its game. Biden will need time to survey the landscape, post-Trump. Listening — particularly to critics — will also help Biden calm the country’s anxieties. Trump supporters are worked up something fierce at the moment because they feel no one hears them or cares about their concerns. Giving them a hearing will take the steam from their engines. They expect to be ignored. Biden mustn’t give them the satisfaction. President Biden will have plenty of time to get things done. But listening will teach him what needs doing and how to do it.