Does this?

Explain this?

Or is it vice versa?  Or is it cause and effect? Does he believe this inevitable?

Here is a synopsis of the book he is holding: The author is Fahreed Zakaria.

Zakaria argues that a "post-American" world order is beginning, in which the role of the United States of Americawill be diminished, but not irrelevant. Economic, diplomatic, and social power is rising in the rest of the world, a phenomenon he calls the "Rise of the Rest". Although the U.S. remains the supreme military power, the spread of capital, labor, innovation, ideas and information continues to bring down the level of influence the U.S. once had in world affairs.

He states that the current worry for the U.S. is neither the rise of other countries, nor its diminishing influence, but the politics of stagnation and partisanship that have pervaded Washington over the past decades. Archaic systems of government that lend themselves to hijack by vested interests are stalling the adaptability and flexibility of the American nation, that was once the backbone of its unprecedented growth.

Other parts of the book deal with the new challenges, and possible policy changes that will be required to face those challenges.

I think it is what Barry expects, and he is taking full advantage of becoming the catalyst (the role/bad actor) in this scenario dems have set up for him,  to make this all come true. The come uppance of the USA.