Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Joe Biden announces his first run for the presidency in June 1987. Photo: Howard L. Sachs/CNP/Getty Images
The Joe Biden who became the 46th president on Wednesday isn't the same blabbermouth who failed in 1988 and 2008.
Why it matters: Biden now heeds guidance about staying on task with speeches and no longer worries a gaffe or two will cost him an election. His staff also limits the places where he speaks freely and off the cuff. This Biden protective bubble will only tighten in the months ahead, aides tell Axios.
One prominent Democrat says the lingering question is can a nearly 80-year-old person "process" multiple major issues like the pandemic, a sagging economy, an ascendant China and pesky Russia?
The acid test, this Democrat said on the condition of anonymity, was whether Biden could ace a Rose Garden news conference.
- His Dec. 22 press conference in Wilmington, Delaware, suggested he could pull it off, if prepped and rested.
- Biden opened up with about 14 minutes of remarks read from a massive teleprompter. But then he closed his book and faced nearly 20 questions, gaffe-free and with several clever turns of phrase.
What to watch: The Biden White House will use the cover of coronavirus precautions to greatly curtail his freelance moments and access to him. Truth is, he’s a 78-year-old, high-risk American, so it isn't just good politics but good policy.