The world unites.

February 28, 2022

[Audio version here]

          Vladimir Putin made a monumental miscalculation by invading Ukraine. His ill-conceived assault accomplished a nearly impossible feat: Putin united the world against Russia. Indeed, Putin has managed to embolden a significant portion of the Russian population to speak out against his brutal war. His criminal actions against Ukraine have earned him a legacy in which his name will be uttered in the same breath as that of Adolf Hitler.

          It is impossible to address every aspect of this quickly unfolding situation, so I will step back to gain perspective.

          First—and most importantly for the U.S.—we are truly fortunate that Joe Biden is our president at this moment in history. He has deep experience in foreign policy and national security, both in the Senate and as Vice President under President Obama. Biden’s judgment is mature and grounded, attributes that are especially important as Putin devolves into Trump-like volatility and megalomania.

          Second, the courage of the Ukrainian people is inspiring. From President Zelenskyy to the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people, the country is showing the world what a determined populous can do when freedom is on the line. Everyone who values democracy and freedom should watch closely and learn.

          Third, the unity of the world in imposing punishing sanctions on Russia is unprecedented. The U.S. sanctions were severe and debilitating (despite carping from the media and the GOP), but late support from the E.U. and Japan has ratcheted up the pain significantly. Russian planes are now barred from most European nations. Japan has joined the U.S., Canada, France, and Italy barring certain Russian banks from the international inter-bank messaging system, SWIFT.

          Fourth, Russia’s aggression has supercharged unity among NATO members and the European Union. Germany committed $100 billion in new defense spending, reversing a decade-long policy of tempering relations with Russia. The E.U. has also committed to deliver weapons to Ukraine—an unprecedented step for a union devoted to economic development and ease of travel among member nations.

          Fifth, corporations, social media platforms, and advertisers are disassociating themselves from, divesting their interests in, and fact checking lies from Russia and Russian companies.  

          Sixth, the Republican Party is torn between its reflexive affection for dictators and its antediluvian memories of hatred for the Soviet Union. At the CPAC convention, ultra-right conservatives fawned over Donald Trump—anointing him as their 2024 standard-bearer. At a moment of international tragedy inflicted by Putin, CPAC rallied behind a candidate who closely resembles Putin in all things, especially in his thuggery. And in auditioning for CPAC’s endorsement, Trump repeated his praise for Putin as “smart” and attacked Western leaders as “dumb.” Mitt Romney, on the other hand, took to the airwaves on Sunday to describe Putin as a “as a small, evil, feral-eyed man.”

          Seventh, Putin appears to be increasingly isolated and unhinged. He has placed his nuclear defenses on high alert because of “aggressive statements” by Western leaders. In making nuclear threats in response to words uttered by foreign leaders, Putin joins North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as the only world leader ever to threaten global destruction because of wounded pride. Over 3,000 Russians have been arrested while protesting the war against Ukraine.

          Finally, much about this war makes it different from all previous wars. Thomas L. Friedman examined those differences in his essay in the NYTimes, We Have Never Been Here Before. Friedman’s essay is worth reading on many levels, including its discussion of Ukraine’s close ties with China and the E.U. But perhaps the most interesting point is that the invasion of Ukraine is the first war that will be dramatized on social media, minute-by-minute. That fact will remove one of Putin’s traditional advantages—the ability to lie to his people through state-controlled media. As Friedman notes, Putin has lost control of the narrative:

          As this war unfolds on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, Putin cannot closet his Russian population — let alone the rest of the world — from the horrific images that will come out of this war as it enters its urban phase. 

          Vladimir Putin made a monumental miscalculation by invading Ukraine—and has managed to unite the world against him. Let us hope that he still has the presence of mind and self-possession to recognize the immensity of his mistake before it is too late.

The GOP’s coddling of Putin as a cause of the Ukraine war.

          One factor that Putin considered before invading Ukraine was the resolve of the United States to stand up to Russian aggression. Based on support for Putin from Fox News, Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo, Josh Hawley, and every Republican Senator, Putin reasonably assumed that a divided America would be unable to summon the will to impose tough sanctions if he invaded Ukraine. He felt emboldened by his support among the GOP and so invaded Ukraine with a false sense of impunity.

          The GOP began to side with Putin as it reflexively protected Trump against charges that Putin interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump. The GOP’s alignment with Putin grew closer as Republican Senators refused to convict Trump for extorting Ukraine by withholding $450 million in military aid in exchange for fabricating political dirt on Joe Biden. See Amanda Carpenter, Shame On Those Who Defended Trump’s “Perfect Call.”

          And then the GOP’s “rising stars” began a dual embrace of white supremacy and Putin. Over the weekend, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke at a white nationalist convention in Florida filled with Putin sympathizers. See The Guardian, Calls to expel Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene after speech at white nationalist event. Rep. Liz Cheney said of Greene’s appearance, “All Americans should renounce this garbage and reject the Putin wing of the GOP now.” Good for Liz Cheney—but to be clear, gutless Kevin McCarthy will do nothing to discipline Greene for appearing at a white nationalist convention.

          The GOP is in so deep with Putin because their undisputed leader will not stop praising Putin, even as the enormity of his war crimes unfolds before our eyes. Senator Tom Cotton appeared on Face the Nation over the weekend and refused on four occasions to condemn Trump’s praise for Putin. The Guardian, Republican Tom Cotton refuses four times to condemn Trump on Ukraine | Republicans. Cotton was willing to condemn Putin, but as long as Republicans give Donald Trump a free pass to praise Putin, the Russian leader will mistakenly believe that Americans do not have the unity and resolve to stand up to him—a misperception that is resulting in the deaths of innocent Ukrainians.

How to help Ukraine?

          I received hundreds of suggestions on how to direct donations to help Ukraine and its citizens. There are so many groups soliciting donations that I worry that some may be attempting to take advantage of the outrage and generosity of concerned citizens. So, rather than suggest individual groups, I recommend three trusted sources of recommendations: NPR, Timothy Snyder, and Anne Appelbaum.

          NPR’s list includes mainstream, long-established organizations that have global reach: See NPR, Here’s how you can help the people of Ukraine.

          Timothy Snyder (Yale history professor and author of On Tyranny) recommends Ukraine-specific organizations here: Timothy Snyder on Substack, A few ways to help Ukrainians.

          Anne Appelbaum (Pulitzer Prize winner) on Twitter: Again, a list of known Ukraine charities and organizations.

A source of information on Ukraine.

          A reader with a diplomatic background recommended The Kyiv Independent as a reliable source of information from people on the ground. The Independent describes itself as follows: “The Kyiv Independent is Ukraine’s English-language media outlet, created by journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post for defending editorial independence.”

Help support Adam Schiff as he helps defend the Democratic majority in the House.

          Adam Schiff served as the lead prosecutor and the conscience of America during Trump’s first impeachment trial for extorting Ukraine. For that, Republicans have targeted Adam Schiff. Kevin McCarthy has vowed to strip Schiff of all committee assignments if McCarthy becomes Speaker after the 2022 midterms. Sean Hannity excoriates Schiff nightly, calling him “a congenital liar” and a “traitor.” Over the weekend at the CPAC conference, Trump said, “And the biggest lying scum are the politicians, like Adam’ Shifty’ Schiff... We’re dealing with some people that are truly evil, truly bad people.”

          Adam Schiff is taking flak for all of us as he speaks truth to corruption every day. He does so with dignity, grace, and fortitude. Adam is a trusted leader in the party, and he has been asked (again) to help raise money to elect or defend Democrats in close races in 2022. Two years ago, I helped promote a fundraiser among readers of this newsletter for Adam Schiff’s PAC. Adam has asked if I would do so again, and I have enthusiastically agreed.  

          I hate fundraising. I assume you do, too. But our Republican opponents are doing it every day, so we have to step up. And, frankly, there is no one I would rather support than Adam. Let’s give him a war chest to help him defend himself and other Democrats so they can retain the majority in the House. We need Adam Schiff on the Intelligence Committee! Don’t let McCarthy remove him from that assignment! Adam also serves as a member of the Select Committee on the Events of January 6th, where he will undoubtedly help present the Committee’s findings this spring.

          Many of us can’t attend fundraisers because they are “big dollar” events. Adam’s staff has arranged a fundraiser so that readers of this newsletter who can contribute smaller amounts can attend. If you can contribute more—fantastic! But anything you can contribute will be gladly accepted by Adam and put to good use defending himself and other Democrats. The webinar / fundraiser is Wednesday, March 16th at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific. The link to sign up is here: Webinar with Chairman Maloney and Congressman Schiff.

Civic Influencers Podcast.

          I am short on space this evening, so let me give a quick shout-out to this weekend’s podcast with Maxim Thorne, the CEO of Civic Influencers. Civic Influencers | Today’s Edition. I will write more about this group later in the week, but if you are interested in registering, educating, and organizing young voters, I urge you to listen to this podcast or to check out the Civic Influencers website. To sharpen your appetite, here is a two-minute excerpt that will restore some of your optimism about Democratic chances in 2022. I asked Maxim what he would say if he had two minutes to address everyone in America. His response was inspiring: Maxim Thorne - Our Future is Bright!

Help to wish reader Lee Fadem a happy 101st birthday!

          On February 28, 2022, reader Leroy Fadem will celebrate his 101st birthday. Lee has led a remarkable life, including service in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Lee was the catapult officer on the USS Stevens. He saw action in the Pacific Theater, including combat in Gaum, New Guinea, and Morotai. He is credited with saving the USS Stevens by taking evasive action when he was the sole officer on the bridge during a torpedo attack. Lee returned home to New York, where he became a business owner and raised a loving family. Lee’s remarkable life is documented here: The Digital Collections of the National WWII Museum : Oral Histories.

          Lee writes to me often to comment on world affairs. You can wish Lee a happy 101st birthday by writing to him at lfadem10@aol.com. Happy birthday, Lee! And thank you for your service to our country!

Concluding Thoughts.

          These are unsettling times. One of my most vivid childhood memories was helping my parents store cans of tuna and Campbell’s Soup in the hallway closet as emergency rations during the Cuban missile crisis. At school, we practiced drills where we crouched beneath our desks and covered our ears as protection against a nuclear blast. That was unsettling, indeed. But to this day, I have a strong recollection of trust in President Kennedy as he assured the nation that he would protect us by safely navigating a dangerous situation. Today, I feel the same confidence in President Biden. I end this newsletter where I began: We are truly fortunate that Joe Biden is our president at this moment in history. Let’s support him however we can—as we support the Ukrainian people, as well.

          Talk to you tomorrow!