Biden shifts from Obama when it comes to Senate

President Biden is handling the Senate in a vastly different way than his former boss, President Obama. 

The different tactics were on display Wednesday as Biden took a trip to his old stomping grounds, where he served for more than 30 years as a senator from Delaware and frequently made the trip up Pennsylvania Avenue as vice president to negotiate with lawmakers on key Obama administration priorities.

It was Biden’s first trip to Senate Democrats’ weekly lunch as president, and it came at a momentous point for his administration.

“It was great to be home, great to be back with my colleagues, and I think we're going to get a lot done,” Biden said after spending roughly an hour meeting with senators.

The president arrived alongside Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who a day earlier announced an initial agreement with Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee on a $3.5 trillion spending package that would fund climate initiatives, health care programs, education and more. The deal was spearheaded by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Budget panel’s chairman and Biden’s old primary rival.

Biden turned on the charm while at the meeting, praising senators for their work in reaching the budget deal and complimenting individual members on their efforts.

Obama also made regular trips to Capitol Hill, but the style with which both men go about working with lawmakers is markedly different, according to those who have witnessed both men on the Hill.

“Obama did caucus lunches as well, but he viewed engaging the Hill as a necessary chore. Joe Biden views it as the only way to advance his agenda and he genuinely enjoys it,” the former senior aide said. “Obama leveraged his popularity to drive an agenda. Biden is leveraging his role as the modern day ‘Master of the Senate.’”