FILE - U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a Fourth of July event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., the U.S., on Sunday, July 4, 2021.
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images WASHINGTON - How different a year can look. Last Fourth of July, the Biden administration was in the midst of a nationwide push to get 70% of American adults vaccinated against COVID-19.
The White House planned a bash that doubled as a celebration of independence from the virus. The economy was booming and public approval of President Joe Biden’s job performance was solid.
Fast-forward to this Independence Day, and many things have seriously changed. Within weeks, even some of the president’s allies privately admitted that the speech had been premature.