"Joe Biden's Successful Month: Debt Ceiling Deal and Jobs Report Highlight Victories"

The White House's strategy to strike a debt ceiling deal involved a deliberate and carefully planned political attack on House Republicans for seeking to cut veterans' benefits, which became the cornerstone element of every public statement from President Biden down on the debt limit. Protecting veterans' benefits was a top priority for the White House, and it was a sensitive issue for Republicans, especially as they parried White House allegations about cuts to veterans' services. The negotiations were stalemated at times, but a shift in tone and a shift in the makeup of the players at the table helped clinch the agreement.