Why the infrastructure bill is more important than ever for Biden

The bipartisan infrastructure bill making its precarious way through the Senate was always a cornerstone of Joe Biden's presidency. Now, it's even more vital for an administration badly needing wins as the White House struggles to navigate multiple crises.

The President had hoped by now to be able to tout victory over the pandemic, but the nation is embarking on another grueling battle against the Delta variant. The new reality threatens to exhaust an already dispirited citizenry, slow the economy's bounce back and exacerbate the chain reaction of problems caused by the pandemic. In turn, it could dampen Biden's own approval ratings and further damage the chances of Democrats in next year's midterm elections. With public health officials warning of the possibility of several hundred thousand Covid-19 infections a day, it seems that the pandemic will now stretch at least through the fall and winter and potentially well into next year, further narrowing Biden's room for political maneuvering and increasing the weight of responsibility on his White House.