Three years ago, Vice President Kamala Harris gave a pitch for the Biden administration’s Build Back Better agenda by highlighting ambitions to use federal dollars to make life easier for caregivers.

“For far too long, investments in care have dropped to the bottom of the priority list,” she said in a virtual town hall in October 2021. “It is time to make corporations pay their fair share and pass our agenda, because care cannot wait.”

As history would have it, those items did drop off the priority list and weren’t included in Democratic legislation that boosted clean energy and aimed to reduce prescription drug prices.

But with Harris’ late entry into the presidential race, that vision has been given a sudden bolt of electricity, and her 2021 pitch is a window into her potential economic agenda if she inherits the Oval Office.

“I think she will prioritize these issues in a more authentic and enthusiastic way than we’ve seen before,” said Vicki Shabo, a longtime care policy advocate at the left-leaning think tank New America.

This has the potential to set Harris apart from President Joe Biden in an important way. Biden focused his campaign efforts on convincing people that the economy is doing well, pointing to low unemployment and rising wages. But he spent little time at all talking about what else needs to be done over the next four years, even as he acknowledged that an affordability crisis is still weighing on people.

Notably, neither Biden nor Donald Trump ever answered a question about what they’d do to make child care more affordable in the disastrous debate that ultimately ended the latter’s presidential run.

That’s not to say the White House didn’t have plans of what they’d like to do — not just on care issues, but also in other areas like housing and universal pre-K. But very few voters were going to scroll through the president’s proposed budget to find it.

While the vice president hasn’t been a leading voice on economic issues, she’s consistently supported paid family and medical leave from her earliest days in the Senate.

She’s also advocated for more funding for child care facilities and been a vocal proponent of the administration’s push to enhance the child tax credit, after a pandemic-era expansion led to a dramatic reduction in child poverty. In her first appearances since her candidacy began on Sunday, she made reference to all of these policies, including in a pitch to teachers.

These are all parts of boosting what the Biden administration calls “the care economy,” which refers to the labor — often unpaid — done by people taking care of vulnerable populations like children or the elderly.

While any initiative faces long odds of clearing Congress — particularly while the politics of inflation puts greater pressure on elected officials to offset the cost of new spending with higher taxes on at least some portion of the electorate — it’s worth noting: Having someone in the White House with a penchant for these issues could shake up the politics and give them a fighting chance of being enacted.

There is a macroeconomic pitch to making child care more affordable. According to an annual survey conducted by the Federal Reserve, nearly 40 percent of unemployed mothers in their prime working years said child care responsibilities contributed to their decision to not have a paying job — reducing the available supply of workers.

But Harris doesn’t tend to speak in macro terms.

And beyond specific positions she’s taken, it feels hard to extrapolate what her views on any given issue will be, since she’s never really articulated an overarching policy vision.

Allies of Harris say her style isn’t revamping the entire system but rather looking for targeted solutions to problems that people — particularly disadvantaged people — face.

It’s a stark contrast with Trump, who had and still has much more enthusiasm about economic policy than any other 21st century president and talks regularly about policies like putting 10 percent tariffs on all imported goods or lowering the corporate tax rate further.

Harris tends to gravitate toward issues that are more granular; she’s been a vocal player in the Biden administration’s policies that are aimed at helping minority-owned businesses get access to capital or that would eliminate medical debt from people’s credit scores.

“One of the questions she always comes back to is ‘Do these policies give people more freedom, choices, and ultimately autonomy over their own lives?’” Rohini Kosoglu, who previously served as domestic policy adviser to the vice president and as chief of staff to Harris when she was in the Senate, told me. “She is fighting for Americans to be empowered.”

Whatever her precise platform, Democrats and allies are hoping she’ll make a renewed effort to sell a forward-looking agenda for the economy.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) agreed when I asked her about the Democrats’ economic messaging outside the House floor on Tuesday, ticking off three priorities immediately, which she called “the largest pain points”: health care, housing and child care.

“We really need to have a vision of the future,” she said. “And we need to talk about what we’re gonna do once the American people hand us the keys.”

Highlights: Netanyahu addresses Congress

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to Capitol Hill on Wednesday with a rallying cry meant to appeal to Democrats and Republicans alike, but he showed little inclination toward a rethink of his much-criticized approach to the months-long conflict in Gaza.

Speaking to a joint meeting of Congress, the lightning rod prime minister offered words of praise to both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — while expressing outright defiance toward those critical of his approach to combating Hamas and suggesting he’ll continue to trust his instincts as he forges ahead.

“When we stand together, something very simple happens: we win, they lose,” he said.

Netanyahu heaped blame on the Islamist regime in Iran for many of the perils his country faces, sharply criticized U.S. protesters opposing the war, and spoke of a future Gaza that is “demilitarized and deradicalized.” He called for ongoing support from the United States, saying that Israel is on the frontlines of a battle against terrorism that affects American citizens.

But he chose words underscoring his desire to maintain solid relations with the U.S. regardless of which party controls the White House after the 2024 election. He thanked Biden for coming to Israel “to stand with us during our darkest hour, a visit that will never be forgotten.” And he thanked Trump for “all the things he did for Israel” during his first term in office.

Notably, Netanyahu did not mention Vice President Kamala Harris — the likely Democratic presidential nominee.

Netanyahu is set to meet with Biden and Harris on Thursday before visiting Trump in Florida on Friday.

It seems certain Netanyahu’s remarks won’t result in any major shifts in support — either among Republicans, who’ve staunchly backed his approach to the war, or many Democrats already fiercely angry over it.

“Netanyahu’s speech to Congress falls short, as have his actions since taking office, and I’m calling on him to resign immediately,” Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who attended the speech, said afterward.

In a sign of the evolving politics around Israel, roughly half of congressional Democrats skipped the speech — and most of those who did attend dashed out of the chamber before Netanyahu had even departed. House Democratic leaders and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stood at points throughout the remarks, but did not rise as frequently as others in their party.

During the speech, Netanyahu accused Hamas of smearing Israel in the media so that Israel will be “pressured to end the war before it’s won. This would enable Hamas to survive another day, and has been vowed to carry out Oct. 7 again and again and again,” he said.

Speaking to receptive lawmakers, Netanyahu made clear: “I want to assure you, no matter what pressure is brought to bear, I will never allow that to happen.”

While Netanyahu’s address is a major moment for Israel as it battles Hamas, it has also been overshadowed this week by the political tumult in the United States, with Biden having dropped out of the 2024 race just days earlier. The speech was likely to fall lower on people’s screens later Wednesday as Biden planned to make his first address to the nation since quitting the presidential race.

The speech marks Netanyahu’s fourth address to a joint meeting of Congress, the most of any foreign leader and a symbol of the tight U.S.-Israeli relationship. It also is arguably his most contentious one, not just due to frustration among Democrats over how he’s handled the war in Gaza but also lingering resentment over how he used his appearance in 2015 to attack then-President Barack Obama’s Iran policy.

These and other moves — especially his emphatic overtures to Trump — have led many Democrats to see Netanyahu as a pro-Republican Israeli leader. This perception has stuck despite his occasional preaching of the importance of having a good bipartisan relationship with Washington.

Netanyahu also spoke amid ongoing tensions between him and Biden over Israel’s conduct in the war, which has killed an estimated 39,000 Palestinians — a number that includes militants.

The Biden administration has been pressuring him to wind down the military operations against Hamas and agree to a cease-fire deal. (The U.S. also is pushing Hamas to stop fighting.) Netanyahu has at times defied the White House’s wishes, including its repeated requests that Israel allow in more humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Biden has not been forceful enough for many who feel the U.S. should be tougher with Israel over civilian casualties.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the lone Palestinian American in Congress, attended the speech and held up a sign that read “war criminal” on one side and “guilty of genocide” on the other at several points in the speech. A member of staff approached her and asked Tlaib to put it down, which she did.

Tensions were high outside of the Capitol as well. Thousands of protesters gathered outside barriers to bash the prime minister’s approach to the war in Gaza, while others released maggots and rang fire alarms at the hotel where the Israeli delegation stayed ahead of his address.

Netanyahu took aim at those protesters critical of him and his government during his remarks, saying “they should be ashamed of themselves” for standing alongside terrorists and that “when the tyrants of Tehran who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting, and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.”

The Israeli leader received a warm reception from hundreds of the lawmakers who attended the speech, with many offering raucous applause and cheers throughout the address.

Netanyahu denied reports that Israel has blocked humanitarian assistance to the territory and targeted civilians.

“The heroic soldiers of Israel should not be condemned for how they’re conducting the war in Gaza. They should be commended for it,” Netanyahu said.

But many of Netanyahu’s assertions throughout the address, including his insistence that Israel has not restricted humanitarian aid, are heavily contested by aid organizations, the United Nations and others. They are often difficult to verify independently in part because Israel has severely restricted journalists’ access to Gaza.

The remarks in front of American lawmakers also come as Netanyahu struggles politically at home, with far-right ministers he needs to keep his government afloat often undermining him.

Netanyahu argued that when Israel is fighting the Iran-backed groups Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas, it is taking on a shared enemy.

“For decades, America has provided Israel with military assistance, Israel has reciprocated with intelligence that saved many lives, jointly developed some of the most sophisticated weapons on earth and helped keep American boots off ground while protecting shared interests,” he said.

The prime minister also nodded to his accusations that the U.S. is withholding arms for Israel. The Biden administration has paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, over concerns about the possibility for civilian harm.

“Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster,” he said.

Joe Gould contributed to this report.

Republicans seized immediately on images of burning U.S. flags and vandalism at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station following Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech as evidence of widespread antisemitism and a harbinger of what can happen under Democratic control of government.

“Pro-terror, anti-Israel agitators are vandalizing federal property, removing American flags, and replacing them with Palestinian flags steps away from the United States Capitol,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership, on X. “This is inexcusable, and I expect them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Hamas flags, slogans about killing Jews, harassment of @CapitolPolice officers, vandalism, burnt American flags, & hanged effigies of PM Netanyahu. These are just some of the appalling scenes at protests around the U.S. Capitol today,” wrote Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

McCaul added: “This vitriolic behavior goes beyond peaceful protests and free speech. It will only further incite violence. Our nation’s leaders on both sides of the aisle must fully denounce this ugly, pro-Hamas extremism and make clear that antisemitism has no place in America.”

The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that “no flags under our protection have been removed or vandalized” though non-Capitol Police officers were seen making mass arrests near Union Station after the speech.

Other GOP lawmakers tried to tie the protests and vandalism — without evidence — to Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic nominee for president.

“The people Kamala Harris is courting burn the American Flag,” wrote Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.). “Shame on them.”

However, it wasn’t just Republicans criticizing the protesters.

“I never imagined seeing the flag of a terror group holding eight Americans hostage for 292 days waved in the streets of our nation’s Capitol,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) wrote alongside an image of a protester waving the Hamas flag.

“The Jew hate and anti-American garbage coming out of college campuses this spring didn’t end with the last day of school,” wrote Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass). “College presidents, you’re on notice: Enforce your codes of conduct from day one of the fall semester.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston, a progressive lightning rod, as he faces a tough reelection challenge in a local race that has drawn the attention of other national figures from Elon Musk to Bernie Sanders.

The endorsement comes as Preston, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has faced an onslaught of attacks from political advocacy groups, bankrolled by tech investors, who are critical of his opposition to tough-on-crime policies. Those groups are spending heavily to back Bilal Mahmood, a moderate Democrat, tech entrepreneur and former Obama administration staffer.

Last fall, Preston gained national attention after billionaire provocateur Musk called for his imprisonment for supporting an ordinance to prohibit security guards from using firearms to prevent theft. Musk also suggested he would spend $100,000 to defeat Preston. It’s unclear if he has spent any money on the race.

Pelosi’s camp exclusively confirmed to POLITICO that she has endorsed Preston and will vote for him Wednesday night, when the County Democratic Party’s central committee makes its picks in local races. San Francisco’s supervisors are equivalent to city council members, shaping local policy and the budget. The post has long been a launching pad for the state’s political up-and-comers who’ve risen to greater prominence, including the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Sen. Scott Wiener.

“This is a powerful endorsement from one of San Francisco’s most powerful leaders, and I look forward to working with Speaker Emerita Pelosi in our united effort to defeat Donald Trump,” Preston said in a statement.

Preston represents a deeply liberal district that includes the Haight Ashbury, Fillmore, Japantown, Hayes Valley and Tenderloin neighborhoods. His other opponents in the November election include activists Autumn Looijen and Allen Jones.

Pelosi, generally a moderate Democrat by San Francisco standards, has a long pattern of endorsing incumbents from both the party’s more progressive and centrist wings.

It’s a balancing act Pelosi has continued even as moderate-backed candidates have swept a host of local races by seizing on voters’ frustrations over homeless encampments, record drug overdose deaths and rampant retail theft. Mahmood — Preston’s main challenger — is part of a slate of moderate Democrats who recently won control of the county party.

Nevertheless, Pelosi’s endorsement is a stinging rebuke for moderate groups who’ve spent heavily to try to defeat Preston and support Mahmood.

The supervisor’s race could provide a bellwether for political observers watching if San Francisco’s pivot to the right continues. In the March primary, voters passed several tough-on-crime measures, including a proposal to require drug screening for local welfare recipients.

Mahmood has disavowed Musk and said he hasn’t received any money from him in the race. He has tried to portray himself as a more pragmatic Democrat.

Musk, who recently vowed to move some of his companies’ operations out of San Francisco, posted on X last fall that Preston “should go to prison.”

Preston has called Musk a “billionaire fascist” and vowed to no longer use X, the billionaire’s company formerly known as Twitter. Soon after, Vermont Sen. Sanders, a fellow Democratic socialist, endorsed Preston and urged progressives across the country to support him.