With apologies to an previous tv comedy, the week that was in America was no laughing matter.
On Wednesday, President Biden asked a crowd whether or not a useless lawmaker, Indiana Republican Jackie Walorski, was within the viewers.
“Jackie, are you right here? The place’s Jackie? I didn’t assume she was — she wasn’t going to be right here,” Biden mentioned.
Walorski and two aides died in an August automobile crash. On the time, the White Home issued a condolence assertion within the president’s title.
The following day, it was Vice President Kamala Harris’ flip to play the village fool. Make that the worldwide village fool.
After touring the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea, the vp forgot whose aspect we’re on.
“The USA shares an important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea,” Harris mentioned. “It’s an alliance that’s robust and enduring.”
No matter her excuse, if previous is prelude, some poor staffer shall be despatched packing beneath the ruse that the veep wasn’t correctly briefed!
Mockeries and missiles
In the meantime, North Korea marked her go to with a spree of weapon tests, firing ballistic missiles 4 occasions in per week.
That form of response helped to chop brief mockery over the White Home’s Dumb & Dumber act, and Friday introduced an excellent greater reminder there’s nothing humorous about Vladimir Putin. Though his threats are rising virtually as quick as his military’s losses in Ukraine, he bought the world’s consideration by declaring that Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions and would use nuclear weapons to defend them.
In a speech that twisted historical past to make Russia a sufferer, the czar-wanna-be known as America the “enemy,” claimed it was possessed by “Satanism” and, in probably the most ominous passage, warned: “The USA is the one nation on the planet that has used nuclear weapons twice, destroying the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. And so they created a precedent.”
In response, Secretary of State Tony Blinken decried the “unfastened” nuke discuss, however added: “We’re trying very rigorously to see if Russia is definitely doing something that means that they’re considering the use of nuclear weapons. Thus far, we’ve not seen them take these actions.”
The world is sort of all the time a harmful place, however the boldness of our adversaries is unusual and unnerving. They noticed Biden’s cut-and-run act in Afghanistan, and having taken his measure, are making their strikes.
China, which is propping up Putin with coal and oil purchases as a part of a troubling new alliance, is poking Japan and menacing Taiwan in what appears to be like like rehearsal for an invasion.
Biden’s response has been unusual in that he vows America would put boots on the bottom to assist defend the island. In reality, he has promised a United States fight position 4 occasions, and 4 occasions aides have walked again his feedback, saying the coverage stays solely that we’d promote Taiwan navy gear to defend itself.
Strategic ambiguity is one factor, however utter confusion about whether or not the commander in chief has all his marbles and remains to be in cost is kind of one other.
In the meantime, Iran’s regime, beset at house by rising demonstrations over women’s rights, took a break from killing its personal residents to fireside ballistic missiles into Iraq’s Kurdistan, killing various civilians, together with one unidentified American.
Recall that it was after an analogous assault almost three years in the past that then-President Trump droned Qassem Soleimani, the mastermind of Iran’s terror networks.
This time, the very-busy Blinken merely rolled out the condemnation machine, deplored the lack of life and criticized Iran for “threatening further assaults in opposition to Iraq.”
But at no level has the White Home recommended that such assaults on our allies, and Iran’s persevering with threats in opposition to Israel, would trigger Biden to scuttle his supply of a brand new nuke deal. Like local weather change, an Iran pact has reached totem standing on the left.
Fortunately, a bunch of bipartisan senators say the mullahs’ repression at house is cause sufficient to stroll away from the talks which, extremely, Russia remains to be moderating.
New Jersey Democrat Robert Menendez, chair of the International Relations Committee, advised Iran Worldwide, a British-based outlet, that the US ought to prepare for the autumn of the regime, noting it was caught off guard in 2009 by the Inexperienced Motion protests.
Republican Mitt Romney, additionally citing the protests, advised the identical outlet that “Iran is a foul actor and offering extra assets to them and relieving sanctions could be an enormous mistake.”
All this hassle overseas is a bookend to Biden’s troubles at house. Right here is how The Wall Avenue Journal began its market report after buying and selling ended for the week: “Shares closed decrease Friday, ending the third quarter on a downbeat word as traders fretted concerning the path forward for earnings, rates of interest and world financial progress. All three indexes are down a minimum of 21% for the yr.”
Yikes — downbeat, fretting and decrease. If ever a inventory market report additionally mirrored a nationwide temper, there it’s.
What issues to voters
A vital run-up to elections is the battle to set the phrases of the controversy. Ballot after ballot reveals that inflation, the economic system, crime and immigration are on the high of most voters’ lists.
That is dangerous information for Biden and his social gathering as a result of they don’t have any solutions for any of these issues, most of which they created or allowed to fester. And time isn’t on their aspect, with indicators suggesting every little thing might worsen earlier than Election Day.
In that case, their solely hope is the shiny object principle of politics, which includes making an attempt to distract voters’ consideration from the core points. And so at each stage, Dems are campaigning on Donald Trump, Jan. 6, and abortion.
Or as Biden places it, MAGA, MAGA, MAGA!
Which may work in chosen swing districts, however even with the assistance of Large Media and Large Tech, Dems received’t be capable to cover the truth that at house and overseas, America faces a heap of hassle.
Dem’s low-cost Storm drain
Some individuals don’t have any disgrace.
Because the Hurricane Ian death toll climbs in Florida, a bunch supporting the Democrat operating in opposition to GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is counting one thing else: fund-raising {dollars}.
“Polling reveals Democrat Charlie Crist 1 POINT behind Ron DeSantis!” begins a Saturday electronic mail pitch from Take away Ron.
“After we ran assault advertisements in opposition to Ron, Charlie Crist began closing in on his lead — however there’s an enormous drawback: Thus far, Ron’s raised greater than 11 occasions what the official Democratic nominee has.”
I anticipate that, in a day or two, the identical group will discover a approach to accuse DeSantis of injecting politics into restoration efforts.
Mayor or might not at Gracie
Reader William Hermance sees a silver lining in Mayor Adams’ fixation on the migrant influx. He writes: “Thankfully, Adams doesn’t end something he begins. Orchid Seaside might by no means see a migrant and subsequent spring the car parking zone shall be full of deserted and tattered tents.”
