Michael Goodwin: Biden's in the middle of his first crisis and even the New York Times is getting restless

Much of the mainstream media, especially the New York Times, has treated Biden with kid gloves for the first six months of his presidency. But the protection racket can’t hide what people see with their own eyes.

The inflation tax at the checkout line and gas station is inescapable, as is the two-year crime and murder surge around the nation. On those two bedrock issues and so many others, the White House seems either incompetent or impotent.  Here’s a question for the Gray Lady and Dems: What took you so long?  It’s difficult to find many Americans who aren’t frustrated with Biden. A solid majority, 55 percent, told pollsters from ABC News they are pessimistic about the direction of the country in the next 12 months, with only 45 percent saying they are optimistic. The survey represented a dramatic swing of 20 points since May, when two-thirds said they were optimistic.