Drawing on expertise across departments and disciplines, AP delivers a definitive look at the 46th president’s first year.
AP’s White House reporters synced up with colleagues in politics, polling, video, radio, photo and graphics to deliver a comprehensive portrait of President Joe Biden’s first year in office.
The centerpiece story by White House reporter Zeke Miller and reporter Cal Woodward deftly captured “a year of lofty ambitions grounded by the unrelenting pandemic, a tough hand in Congress, a harrowing end to an overseas war and rising fears for the future of democracy itself.” The story was both sweeping and conversational, giving readers the full scope of Biden’s experience in the first year.
Other stories plumbed the track records of Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. After months of lobbying, White House reporter Darlene Superville and national political reporter Will Weissert scored exclusive interviews with the first lady and Emhoff. The Jill Biden profile was wildly popular, with about 150,000 page views; still going strong a week later.
And while other news outlets focused on specific issues, AP’s all-formats team assessed the entirety of the first year and showed the interconnection between issues.
— An AP poll delved into the electorate’s thoughts on Biden, in a story from White House reporter Aamer Madhani and polling journalist Hannah Fingerhut. The AP-NORC story drew more than 128,000 readers.
— Chief political writer Steve Peoples captured the tough political dynamics that Biden has teed up heading into a midterm election year.
— White House reporter Josh Boak added a smart economic analysis that explored why people feel so glum about the economy, even when their personal finances are solid (answer: inflation).
Vice President Kamala Harris watches as President Joe Biden takes a question from a reporter after speaking about distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, in the East Room of the White House, May 17, 2021.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible at the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 20, 2021. Their children Ashley and Hunter watch as Vice President Kamala Harris looks on at right.
AP Photo / Andrew Harnik
President Joe Biden crosses his fingers as he responds to a question on arrival at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Oct. 7, 2021.
AP Photo / Susan Walsh
President Joe Biden speaks from the State Dining Room of the White House, March 23, 2021, about the previous day’s mass shooting at a Boulder, Colo., supermarket.
AP Photo / Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden leaves the room after speaking about COVID-19 vaccinations at the White House, April 21, 2021.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci
President Joe Biden walks with Vice President Kamala Harris after speaking on face mask mandates and the COVID-19 response, in the Rose Garden of the White House, May 13, 2021.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci
President Joe Biden, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint meeting at the Villa la Grange in Geneva, June 16, 2021.
AP Photo / Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden greets people after delivering a speech on voting rights at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, July 13, 2021.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci
President Joe Biden listens to a question during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Jan. 19, 2022.
AP Photo / Susan Walsh
President Joe Biden holds a card handed to him by an aide that reads “Sir, there is something on your chin,” as he meets with governors in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds, July 30, 2021, to discuss the impact of wildfires, as well as wildfire prevention, preparedness and response.
AP Photo / Andrew Harnik
President Joe Biden walks from the podium in the East Room of the White House after speaking about Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci
President Joe Biden walks from the podium in the East Room of the White House after speaking about Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021.
AP Photo / Evan Vucci
President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media as he leaves a meeting with the Senate Democratic Caucus on Capitol Hill to discuss voting rights and election integrity, Jan. 13, 2022.
AP Photo / Andrew Harnik
The White House crew also joined forces on short takeaways that sketched out what America has learned about the president over the past year, including the impression that he’s not really wild about spending time in the White House, even if he likes the job.
Sagar Meghani, Jackie Quinn and Mike Gracia produced radio packages while Nathan Ellgren, Hilary Powell and Kelly Daschle produced video packages that were well-received by broadcast and online clients. And Washington photo editors Jon Elswick and Wayne Partlow supplied a year’s worth of photos to illustrate the stories.
For outstanding teamwork resulting in an authoritative package both insightful and intimate, deftly capturing the first year of an American presidency, AP’s White House team is Best of the Week — Second Winner.
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