The Takeaway

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages at thetakeaway.org. 

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages at thetakeaway.org. 

President Biden’s campaign message of unity is being tested in Washington during his first full week in office, particularly because Republicans and Democrats don’t seem to agree on what unity means. The scars from the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol are still fresh, a second impeachment trial is looming in the Senate, and Republicans and Democrats are seemingly miles apart from agreeing on a new COVID-19 aid package. Meanwhile, disharmony is evident among members of the GOP as Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz flew to Wyoming to campaign against GOP Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney after she voted to impeach former President Trump. Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for The New York Times, and Senator Mark Warner spoke with Amy Walter about whether or not Biden’s calls for unity will be ignored.

In 2020, almost 30 states expanded access to absentee ballots and early voting to make voting easier during the pandemic. Ahead of the general election, states saw a record-breaking number of requests for mail-in-ballots. And while Republicans have historically relied on absentee ballots, former President Trump’s attacks on voting by mail meant that more Democrats took advantage of the early vote option, while many Republicans opted to vote in person on Election Day. Today, Republican state legislators in swing states like Georgia, Michigan, Texas, and Pennsylvania are pushing for new voting restrictions in the aftermath of a Biden win. Grace Panetta, senior politics reporter at Business Insider, describes the unintended consequences of restricting voting rights.  

Every ten years, the U.S. government conducts a census that determines how many seats each state will receive in the House of Representatives. This data is used to redraw congressional and state legislative district lines. The most recent census results have been delayed by the pandemic and a legal battle regarding whether or not undocumented immigrants would be included in the final count. Republicans and Democrats have long sought to draw districts in their favor, but tolerance for hyper-partisan gerrymandering has waned considerably over the last decade. Dave Wasserman, House editor for The Cook Political Report, describes where the latest redistricting efforts stand and which states stand to gain additional seats.  

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages at thetakeaway.org. 

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages at thetakeaway.org. 

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages. 

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages.

Joe Biden takes the helm as the 46th president of the United States during an unprecedented crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 400,000 Americans, nearly 16 million remain unemployed, and the peaceful transfer of power was disrupted by a violent mob unleashed by the former president. Unity was the centerpiece of President Biden’s inaugural address, but he also acknowledged that unity cannot be achieved without addressing the division and anger that defined the last four years. Nick Fandos, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, Toluse Olorunnipa, national political reporter at The Washington Post, and Clare Malone, a freelance writer, reflect on the last four years and discuss President Biden’s path forward.

The precarious nature of the economy is among the challenges President Biden has inherited. Record unemployment continues as major sectors of the economy remain shut down as a result of the pandemic. Having introduced a $1.9 trillion stimulus package ahead of inauguration, President Biden is hoping to bring Republicans on board to demonstrate his commitment to bipartisanship. But it’s unlikely that Republicans will support his plan as it currently reads even though distributing aid to suffering businesses and families is a time-sensitive matter. Heather Long from The Washington Post and Derek Thompson from The Atlantic describe the economy as it stands today and what approach President Biden should take in implementing another stimulus package.

Plus, Kamala Harris made history this week as she became the first woman and woman of color to be sworn in as vice president. Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List and author of "Run to Win: Lessons in Leadership for Women Changing the World," has spent her professional life working to elect pro-choice Democratic women to public office. She spoke with Amy Walter about how drastically things have changed for women in politics throughout her career and the magnitude of Vice President Harris’ ascent to the White House.     

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages. 

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages.