Biden addresses the wars in Ukraine and Israel.

November 20, 2023

          President Joe Biden published on op-ed in the Washington Post on Sunday that addresses the October 7 terror attack on Israel and the ensuing war on Hamas by Israel. The op-ed is here (accessible to all): Washington Post, Opinion | Joe Biden: The U.S. won’t back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas.

          Biden’s op-ed provides comprehensive coverage of a complex situation, including the present and future of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank—and their relationship to Ukraine. I urge you to take the time to read the entire essay by President Biden.

          Biden begins by addressing the parallel threat posed by Hamas and Putin:

Both Putin and Hamas are fighting to wipe a neighboring democracy off the map. And both Putin and Hamas hope to collapse broader regional stability and integration and take advantage of the ensuing disorder. America cannot, and will not, let that happen. For our own national security interests — and for the good of the entire world.

          Biden’s effort to connect the future of Israel and Ukraine was undoubtedly directed to House Republicans, who have proposed an untenable bill for Israeli aid and signaled reluctance to continue support for Ukraine. See MSN, Congressional leaders are aiming to pass Ukraine and Israel supplemental aid before Christmas.

          Biden addresses the heartbreaking deaths of innocent Jews and foreign nationals on October 7 and the deaths of innocent Palestinians suffered as Israel targets Hamas. For those who believe that Biden has not acknowledged the significant loss of life on both sides, I urge you to read Biden’s words themselves instead of relying on spin by commentators pushing an agenda.

          Biden then pivots to the future with a series of questions and challenges to Americans:

What will our world look like on the other side of these conflicts?

Will we deny Hamas the ability to carry out pure, unadulterated evil? Will Israelis and Palestinians one day live side by side in peace, with two states for two peoples?

Will we hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his aggression, so the people of Ukraine can live free, and Europe remains an anchor for global peace and security?

And the overarching question: Will we relentlessly pursue our positive vision for the future, or will we allow those who do not share our values to drag the world to a more dangerous and divided place?

          Unlike many commentators who specialize in asking questions and criticizing those who propose solutions, Biden is unafraid to propose a vision of the future that is not universally shared—a two state solution.

          Biden writes,

To start, Gaza must never again be used as a platform for terrorism. There must be no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, no reoccupation, no siege or blockade, and no reduction in territory. And after this war is over, the voices of Palestinian people and their aspirations must be at the center of post-crisis governance in Gaza.

As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalized Palestinian Authority, as we all work toward a two-state solution.

          Finally, Biden writes about violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, violence that poses a threat to the post-war solutions. Biden writes,

I have been emphatic with Israel’s leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those committing the violence must be held accountable. The United States is prepared to take our own steps, including issuing visa bans against extremists attacking civilians in the West Bank.

          Against a backdrop of disinformation and criticism, President Biden has provided a full explanation of his administration’s policy toward Israel and the Palestinians. He went to the effort to explain his views; I hope you will take the time to read his explanation in full.

More on Elon Musk’s promotion of “great replacement theory.”

          Last week, Elon Musk re-tweeted a post by a user that asserted Jews are encouraging immigration into America and Europe to “replace” white populations—the so-called “great replacement theory.” Musk faced substantial backlash, but not enough for him to recant his endorsement of the antisemitic tweet. In the immediate aftermath of Musk’s endorsement of the tweet, major advertisers (Apple, Disney, IBM) “paused” advertising on Twitter.

          Representatives of those advertisers are now asking Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino—a former NBC executive—to resign. She has declined to do so. See Forbes, Ad Execs Urge Twitter CEO To Resign After Musk Endorses Antisemitic Post. Although Yaccarino said that Twitter rejects antisemitism, she had nothing to say about her boss’s endorsement of the “great replacement theory.”

          Yaccarino is in a tough spot—but not that tough. Faced with a choice between standing on her on principles by criticizing her boss for antisemitic statements or abandoning her principles by pretending her boss did not make the statement, she chose the latter. In that regard, she and Ron DeSantis have effectively adopted the same strategy.

          Over the weekend, Jake Tapper asked DeSantis to comment on Musk’s endorsement of the great replacement theory. DeSantis refused to do so, alternatively claiming (a) he was unfamiliar with Musk’s statement and (b) that Musk has been unfairly targeted by “people who are used to controlling the narrative.” (I interpret the latter statement by DeSantis to be a veiled allusion to the antisemitic trope that “Jews” control the media.) See Huffington Post, DeSantis Refuses To Condemn Elon Musk For Endorsing Antisemitism On Twitter.

          DeSantis said,

I did not see the comment. And so I know that Elon has had a target on his back ever since he purchased Twitter, because I think he’s taking it in a direction that a lot of people who are used to controlling the narrative don’t like.

So it’s surprising, if that’s true, but I have not seen it. So, I don’t want to sit there and pass judgment on the fly.

          DeSantis has proven himself to be a coward in all things—even when it comes to condemning a statement universally regarded as antisemitic. If you are wondering about the stance of other political leaders, President Biden has condemned Musk’s statement through a spokesperson (“[U]nacceptable to repeat the hideous lie ... one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust”), while Trump has remained silent.

Judge Luttig and Professor Tribe address Colorado ruling allowing Trump on ballot.

          If you are confused by the decision of the Colorado state court judge who ruled that Trump engaged in insurrection but is nonetheless permitted to be listed on the Colorado primary ballot for president, join the club! The decision hinges on the judge’s conclusion that because Section 3 of the 14th Amendment does not refer to the president by name, it does not apply to bar someone from holding the “office” of the presidency after they have engaged in insurrection.

          But Section 3 prohibits the holding of “any office” under the Constitution as a bar for engaging in insurrection. The Constitution elsewhere refers to the “Office” of the presidency. Seems pretty straightforward that Section 3 therefore applies to bar an insurrectionist from holding the “office” of the presidency.

          For a detailed discussion of this topic, see retired Judge Luttig and Professor Laurence Tribe on MSNBC, ‘Simply incorrect’: Judge Luttig and Laurence Tribe react to Colorado Judge’s decision to reject Trump 14th Amendment challenge.

          As Professor Tribe explained (the following is my paraphrase):

The judge built a wall of fact and law on the question of insurrection so high that no appellate court will overturn her on those findings. But she threw Trump a lifeline so thin it is likely to fall apart. She gave him a fig leaf of victory so that a reasonable appellate court can reverse her legal conclusions. She laid the foundation for disqualifying Trump.

          If Professor Tribe is correct, the issue will be decided by the US Supreme Court. For now, we have the first judicial decision finding that Trump “engaged in insurrection.” That’s the story. Tell a friend.

Biden turns 81; the media goes wild!

President Biden will celebrate his 81st birthday on Monday. That milestone has prompted dozens of “Is Biden too old?” commentaries from lazy journalists who are able to focus only on Biden’s age and not the obvious follow-up question, “Too old, compared to whom?” Trump? Hitler? Benedict Arnold?

The inability of the finger-wagging ageists to understand the stakes of the next election is breathtaking. They apparently believe that their readers are too stupid to hold two competing thoughts in their minds—(1) Biden is old(er) than Trump but (2) is also competent, decent, and accomplished.

Pique aside, the journalists who focus only on Biden’s age but ignore his accomplishments are engaged in disinformation and propaganda. Reader Satri Pencak sent the following email on Sunday:

With President Joe Biden’s birthday, I am starting my campaign to promote the incredible number of accomplishments achieved by this ‘old guy’. When you add them up this would be quite something for a President of any age. Joe Biden has reached the awesome age of 81, and look at just some of the things he accomplished in less than three years. With his experience, wisdom, courage, strength, and dedication here is a very brief summary of achievements.

·         Signed an infrastructure bill to repair our roads, waterways, bridges and railroads, and bring high-speed internet to rural communities.

·         Signed the Inflation Reduction Act, making health insurance plans more affordable, lowering drug costs.

·         Signed the CHIPS and Science Act, providing funding to produce semiconductor chips in the U.S.A.

·         Traveled to war zones, and brought the USA back to the global table as a strong respected partner and leader. 

·         For addressing climate change his administration has provided millions to reduce greenhouse emissions and promote clean energy technologies, moving our country to greater self-sufficiency in energy production.

·         Oversaw the passage of landmark gun legislation; though not nearly enough; the bill is the first major federal firearms legislation since the 1990s, and a significant step forward.

·         He arranged to have certain student loans forgiven and is still working to do more.

·         After a very difficult global economic period, inflation is going down, and hourly wage increases exceeded inflation for the first time in two years this past summer.

·         Made history as the first sitting president to walk a picket line while in Michigan where he joined striking United Auto Workers in September 2023.

The list is much longer; however, these significant accomplishments show that the Biden administration has been progressive and very productive— and he’s not done yet!

Satri, you said it better than dozens of journalists churning out Thanksgiving-week clickbait for media outlets hungry for copy. Keep it up!

Concluding Thoughts.

          Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away on Sunday. Former President Carter said, “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

          President Biden said, “She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities.”

          Former President Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter have set the standard for post-presidency service and humanitarianism. Their lives serve as a reminder of how good and decent our political leaders can be. We should not give up the expectation that current and future leaders meet the standard set by the Carters. Indeed, that choice is on the ballot in 2024.

          Talk to you tomorrow!