In summer, the stakes are rising for Biden

Can President Joe Biden avoid the "summer slump"? For most Americans, the unofficial arrival of summer with Memorial Day is a cause for celebration. But for newly elected presidents, it's more often been a reason for dread.

For most Americans, the unofficial arrival of summer with Memorial Day is a cause for celebration. But for newly elected presidents, it's more often been a reason for dread. Sagging job approval ratings, unanticipated challenges at home and abroad and, above all, diminishing legislative momentum have been hallmarks of the first summer in office for recent presidents. The dynamic has afflicted presidents of both parties. But the problem was especially acute for Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the last two Democratic presidents, who arrived in Washington, like Biden, with extremely ambitious legislative wish lists. During their first summers, both Clinton and Obama found themselves sinking into legislative quagmires that sapped their public support and energized their opponents.