President Biden addressed the American people from the Oval Office in the White House, behind the Resolute desk and flanked by the flag of the United States. The decision to speak to the country from behind the Resolute desk was intentional, and is usually reserved for the most important occasions when a president must communicate clearly, directly and forcefully. This is the setting where the American president speaks to the American people in times of great danger and tribulation. When the president speaks from behind that desk the whole world watches. This is the seat of American power, and the place where the representative of the American people does the work of preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution of the United States.
Great post, Steve! I too thought last evenings speech was one of Biden’s best. It hit the mark many times over. I sincerely hope people in this country were listening!
Great comparison of FDR and Biden. I swear, I can physically feel the positive energy of Biden compared to the negative energy of trump. President Biden is exactly who we need in this moment in history.
I think Biden has been an extraordinary first term president, maybe the most consequential in a generation. I know he is old. But damn! Please win in 2024!!
There are no greater threats to democracy than those stated by you. I normally watch Thursday night football from pregame to its conclusion. However, last night I found myself enthralled by the President's words in his speech. So much so that I didn't immediately switch to the NFL game afterwards. Instead, I listened to MSNBC commentary of the speech and didn't switch to the game until it was deep in the 2nd quarter.
I was adamant before in my support for Ukraine and Israel but only partially understood why we needed to be the arsenal of Democracies. Isolationist in this country in previous generations led to bigger and more destructive wars in our past that we eventually became involved in. We cannot afford to be so foolish again by not supporting democracy around the world. I say we must stand our ground and not back down to dictators. It is in our interest to support Ukraine and Israel, fullstop.
Thank you Excellent comparison between Biden and FDR. We are the Arsenal and we are the leadership. MTG of all people wasn’t far off the mark when she drew the line between FDR and Biden.
We must support democracy against the autocratically we see stating at us
“It is important to remember something. Democracy has enemies. There are some who hate your freedom. It only takes a man like Trump, Putin or Xi to take it away.”--Steve Schmidt
Great newsletter today. And I agree, democracy does have enemies. Unfortunately, the greatest enemies and threats the US faces today, come from within.
It’s a party of charlatans, who if they ever read the constitution, are to obtuse to understand it. We have citizens who would rather live in an authoritarian kakistocracy, than a democracy, as long as their GUY is in charge.
The days of FDR and JFK are gone. In those days, we had leaders that inspired the nation to reach our stated aspirations: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That each man and woman is created equal.
Today, we have citizens who storm the Capitol and deny elections, and the value and efficacy of vaccines.
We have one party whose members came to Washington as arsonists, and whose only goal is to burn the house down.
Today, we have one leader; Biden, who has proven worthy of the presidency and governs in the mold of Eisenhower, FDR and Kennedy. And instead of new leaders like FDR and JFK, we have scoundrels like Trump, and sons of great leaders who are anti-vaccine advocates, who believe a mask mandate is worse than anything the Nazi’s ever did.
Biden and our great leaders believed in sacrifice for the safety and longevity of our democracy. Today, not so much....:)
I remember FDR. He got me hooked on politics. I was 6. He was like the warm, strong, kind and wise grandfather to the free world. JFK had the capacity to be even better till his life was cut short. Same with Bobby. So much promise in two brothers and the U.S. has never recovered. And along comes Biden, lacking panache maybe, seeming somehow ordinary, definitely an old pol, but against a powerful corrupting Right Wing, spreading its poison deep into the legislature, working to control the courts and having had their shot at the White House and desperate to do it again, he stands firm domestically and internationally to protect what is good in America and Americans will barely give him the time of day. What does it take? To Boldly Go is his mantra, sites of internal disaster, the bullseye of international strife in both Ukraine and Israel. Do yourself a nation-saving favor. Get behind and support this man and the excellent, representative administration he has built around him and be thankful, yes thankful for what you have right now. In 2024, clean up the House, build Democrat strength in the Senate and grab whatever there is left of what this man, Biden has to give. It is your best, maybe only chance.
You mention that FDR to you was a strong, kind grandfather figure. I become sad when people obsess about Biden’s age. I like to call him our Grandpa President. Just like a Grandfather, he’s the head of the family that is going to take care of us all and keep us on the right track, and make sure nothing happens to his neighbors either. Best wishes, Bob!
I cried in my schoolyard the day he died. I was almost 9. My Dad was travelling in Ohio that day. He was in a bar when some guy crashed in saying, “The old bastard’s dead, the drinks are on the house”. Nobody objected. Goes to show even excellence is cursed by some. You would hope for better. Thanks, Lynda!
Amen and amen. “So be it.” Thank you, Steve. The FDR speech was tremendously powerful and so apropos for the present day. The current generation is about to miserably fail where the Greatest Generation met their moment in full and passed the test. The middle age and older people like me(I am 70), too, too many of us, have sold our souls for a lie, and an evil lie at that. Maybe the 20 and 30 something’s of today will be a new Greatest Generation. We need them to be.
I fear Jim Jordan and his enablers will wear down the supposed sane holdouts and he will eventually be elected, and who knows what happens then. It will not be good, and could well be catastrophic for our democracy.
The vile and pernicious “party over country” cancer is about to slowly choke out the USA as a representative democracy. Every other democracy in the world deals with coalition governments. ALL Republicans are apparently ready to burn down the country as long as no one can say they worked with Democrats. Not even FIVE of them will do that to elect Hakeem Jeffries or Liz Cheney or even Don Bacon? Really? It truly is shameful and will destroy us I am afraid.
The utter and complete capitulation to Trump over these 8 years has been a sight to behold. And by sight I mean the worst train wreck you can imagine. No “Profiles in Courage” here. I will NEVER again say as I once did about fascism. What were the German people thinking and doing in the 1930’s? That would never happen here! Oh yes, it can and is, and the Republican Party is all in for it. God help us.
We know that history repeats itself unless we stand strong! FDR knew it. Biden knows it! The external and internal forces who want to destroy democracy are actively moving toward that. Now is the time for us to unite and stand together! Those anti-democracy groups in the US and other areas in the world must be put down! Great piece Steve!
Great post, Steve. Since this mess started I've been heartened to watch Biden's and Tony Blinken's masterful handling of things with competence and compassion for all. I've also been imagining what would happen were the orange doofus in charge. He would have sold us all down the river---Ukraine, Israel and the United States---and the world would be in flames.
Exactly. Putin missed his chance to invade Ukraine while his buddy was in power. Under enormous challenges from all sides, Biden performs perfectly well.
Biden's speech was perfectly written by people who know the current world situation and Biden's mind. It was the most forceful speech I've ever heard him make. And he made it an an important inflection point in history as he called it. The resolute desk was the perfect place, and the moment was similar to the moment that FDR was in. It's no wonder that Steve saw similarities. Biden has never had the eloquent speaking ability that Kennedy or FDR had or that Obama has, and he is well aware of that. But to those paying attention, it's obvious that he is the perfect man for this moment. Trump petted the tigers. They laughed in his face. Jim Jordan wants to pet the tigers. The tigers would eat him alive. Far from being a tiger trainer, the only things he's good at are whining and brow beating actual patriots and holding on to his congressional seat. And running for cover. And hiding in the shower. He's never done anything. I hope he gets a good beating. As for Trump, he's irrelevant now. We just have to repair the destruction that he has caused.
My original take-away from PRESIDENT Biden's speech: It seemed too America-centric--unlike his passionate, earlier speech this week that blew off human beings' socks. Shallow, perhaps, but with that speech, he set the bar very high.
My subsequent post-speech thoughts: I used to do some speech writing. And after my visceral reaction to President Biden's speech last night, I pondered what it must have been like being tasked with writing a speech for President Biden that would be:
>> Powerful and persuasive (Note to speech-writer: strong, but not a shouting, desk-thumping thing)
>> Compassion for devastated families (Note to speech-writer: neither under nor over-do this)
>> A comfort to Americans, who've been warned that the danger level in this country is rising (Note to speech writer: Tread carefully here, because we can't create an image of Americans as scaredy-cats)
>> Reminder that even though America's House of "Representatives" is internally FUBAR in current time, the country remains strong on all other fronts, and most of all its military. (Note to speech-writer: Avoid threatening tone.)
>> There are international bag actors (IBA) that need to be acknowledged and dealt with (Note to speech-writer: don't piss them off because IBAs are primed for escalating)
Etc.
All in all, it was a good speech, especially given the mandate for balance between iron strength and human compassion, military might but not as aggressors.
FDR had no FOX to contend with; no Hannity amplifying that “negotiated peace” talking point till it became a rallying cry of the traitors within.
Isn’t Rupert Murdoch also included in that FDR reference for peace to last as long as everyone who was alive on the day the war was won was still alive??
Let’s face it. A large number of Republicans are in Putin’s pocket. They are traitors. Trump is the number one traitor. They are trying to weaken us by dividing us. It’s not that complicated. Netanyahu is the same. In Putin’s pocket. He was working with Hamas and against the Palestinian Authority. Traitor. Trump and his clan are fascists. This fight is both internal and external.
Still can’t bring yourself to praise Biden- to say that he gave a great speech that clearly and forcefully laid out America’s role and interest in these conflicts. Doesn’t quite fit the narrative of the old, dottering fool. Wow.
Some people see only what they want to see, hear only what they want to hear, know only what they want to know. Sadly their perception is their reality. Today's Warning was very clear. I could imagine you, Steve, cheering Biden on last night.
Biden hit the nail on the head no matter how much we would like all this evil to just go away. It ain't going to go away at NO cost to us. I believe that as long as Biden is president we will never tire in our defense of democracy. I stand with him. I don't care how old he is, I don't care who his VP is. We need his deep wisdom, empathy, and experience. Nobody I can think of but Biden can fill those shoes. It is time for the majority to rally round the flag of our fathers, not the crazy maga-trump flags and their pathetic, ignorant notion of patriotism.
Trump is in deep water now that Sidney Powell plead guilty, and when he goes down for the third time his followers will be looking for their next dear leader...beware, Jim Jordan et al. are really looking to that opening (frontrunner), not Speaker. The quiet Republicans need to see that Jordan etc. are grabbing for the loyalty of the white supremacists, anti choice, and just plain angry (the base). The only solution, no matter how unpalatable, is to join the Democrats to make Jefferies speaker.
Wow! Sorry to know about the Rosies of this world. What a sour and picky response after reading the words of FDR, Kennedy, and Biden. Please let the Rosies be few!
With all due respect, Biden’s speech would have been “historic” even if it had been bad. I have read your eloquence when describing other speeches and the fact that you couldn’t muster any similar descriptives for this speech makes me wonder whether you disliked the speech.
I hear you. We are all sitting on the edge of the abyss...
Horrific terrorism, children and seniors kidnapped, aggressive authoritarians, protesters from several countries hating 9 million people in Israel, for what???
If it wasn't the bomb in the hospital, it would have been something else. It was a fire that was begging to burn...and will it be a campfire, a bonfire, or an inferno?
On top of it all, we have a complicit authoritarian trying to run the house and be second in line to the president. Oh... and there is a little election coming up in a year.
I think sometimes we put a lot on Steve to help and guide us out this uncertainty. I, too, (not critically) thought he wasn't as excited as *I* wanted or needed today. After reading your comment, I realize I'm just looking for a sign that we can find some grace and love for each other in this mess.
So, Rosie, we're here to support each other, no matter what...I hear you.
Great post, Steve! I too thought last evenings speech was one of Biden’s best. It hit the mark many times over. I sincerely hope people in this country were listening!
Great comparison of FDR and Biden. I swear, I can physically feel the positive energy of Biden compared to the negative energy of trump. President Biden is exactly who we need in this moment in history.
I think Biden has been an extraordinary first term president, maybe the most consequential in a generation. I know he is old. But damn! Please win in 2024!!
There are no greater threats to democracy than those stated by you. I normally watch Thursday night football from pregame to its conclusion. However, last night I found myself enthralled by the President's words in his speech. So much so that I didn't immediately switch to the NFL game afterwards. Instead, I listened to MSNBC commentary of the speech and didn't switch to the game until it was deep in the 2nd quarter.
I was adamant before in my support for Ukraine and Israel but only partially understood why we needed to be the arsenal of Democracies. Isolationist in this country in previous generations led to bigger and more destructive wars in our past that we eventually became involved in. We cannot afford to be so foolish again by not supporting democracy around the world. I say we must stand our ground and not back down to dictators. It is in our interest to support Ukraine and Israel, fullstop.
Thank you Excellent comparison between Biden and FDR. We are the Arsenal and we are the leadership. MTG of all people wasn’t far off the mark when she drew the line between FDR and Biden.
We must support democracy against the autocratically we see stating at us
Always much work ahead. Best be to it
“It is important to remember something. Democracy has enemies. There are some who hate your freedom. It only takes a man like Trump, Putin or Xi to take it away.”--Steve Schmidt
Great newsletter today. And I agree, democracy does have enemies. Unfortunately, the greatest enemies and threats the US faces today, come from within.
It’s a party of charlatans, who if they ever read the constitution, are to obtuse to understand it. We have citizens who would rather live in an authoritarian kakistocracy, than a democracy, as long as their GUY is in charge.
The days of FDR and JFK are gone. In those days, we had leaders that inspired the nation to reach our stated aspirations: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That each man and woman is created equal.
Today, we have citizens who storm the Capitol and deny elections, and the value and efficacy of vaccines.
We have one party whose members came to Washington as arsonists, and whose only goal is to burn the house down.
Today, we have one leader; Biden, who has proven worthy of the presidency and governs in the mold of Eisenhower, FDR and Kennedy. And instead of new leaders like FDR and JFK, we have scoundrels like Trump, and sons of great leaders who are anti-vaccine advocates, who believe a mask mandate is worse than anything the Nazi’s ever did.
Biden and our great leaders believed in sacrifice for the safety and longevity of our democracy. Today, not so much....:)
I remember FDR. He got me hooked on politics. I was 6. He was like the warm, strong, kind and wise grandfather to the free world. JFK had the capacity to be even better till his life was cut short. Same with Bobby. So much promise in two brothers and the U.S. has never recovered. And along comes Biden, lacking panache maybe, seeming somehow ordinary, definitely an old pol, but against a powerful corrupting Right Wing, spreading its poison deep into the legislature, working to control the courts and having had their shot at the White House and desperate to do it again, he stands firm domestically and internationally to protect what is good in America and Americans will barely give him the time of day. What does it take? To Boldly Go is his mantra, sites of internal disaster, the bullseye of international strife in both Ukraine and Israel. Do yourself a nation-saving favor. Get behind and support this man and the excellent, representative administration he has built around him and be thankful, yes thankful for what you have right now. In 2024, clean up the House, build Democrat strength in the Senate and grab whatever there is left of what this man, Biden has to give. It is your best, maybe only chance.
Love your comments, Bob ! Thanks
Thanks back atcha!
You mention that FDR to you was a strong, kind grandfather figure. I become sad when people obsess about Biden’s age. I like to call him our Grandpa President. Just like a Grandfather, he’s the head of the family that is going to take care of us all and keep us on the right track, and make sure nothing happens to his neighbors either. Best wishes, Bob!
Bob Fleck
3 hrs ago
I cried in my schoolyard the day he died. I was almost 9. My Dad was travelling in Ohio that day. He was in a bar when some guy crashed in saying, “The old bastard’s dead, the drinks are on the house”. Nobody objected. Goes to show even excellence is cursed by some. You would hope for better. Thanks, Lynda!
Amen and amen. “So be it.” Thank you, Steve. The FDR speech was tremendously powerful and so apropos for the present day. The current generation is about to miserably fail where the Greatest Generation met their moment in full and passed the test. The middle age and older people like me(I am 70), too, too many of us, have sold our souls for a lie, and an evil lie at that. Maybe the 20 and 30 something’s of today will be a new Greatest Generation. We need them to be.
I fear Jim Jordan and his enablers will wear down the supposed sane holdouts and he will eventually be elected, and who knows what happens then. It will not be good, and could well be catastrophic for our democracy.
The vile and pernicious “party over country” cancer is about to slowly choke out the USA as a representative democracy. Every other democracy in the world deals with coalition governments. ALL Republicans are apparently ready to burn down the country as long as no one can say they worked with Democrats. Not even FIVE of them will do that to elect Hakeem Jeffries or Liz Cheney or even Don Bacon? Really? It truly is shameful and will destroy us I am afraid.
The utter and complete capitulation to Trump over these 8 years has been a sight to behold. And by sight I mean the worst train wreck you can imagine. No “Profiles in Courage” here. I will NEVER again say as I once did about fascism. What were the German people thinking and doing in the 1930’s? That would never happen here! Oh yes, it can and is, and the Republican Party is all in for it. God help us.
FORGET ABOUT BIDEN'S AGE.
Thank God that Biden is our President right now.
That's right. Imagine the alternative.
We know that history repeats itself unless we stand strong! FDR knew it. Biden knows it! The external and internal forces who want to destroy democracy are actively moving toward that. Now is the time for us to unite and stand together! Those anti-democracy groups in the US and other areas in the world must be put down! Great piece Steve!
Great post, Steve. Since this mess started I've been heartened to watch Biden's and Tony Blinken's masterful handling of things with competence and compassion for all. I've also been imagining what would happen were the orange doofus in charge. He would have sold us all down the river---Ukraine, Israel and the United States---and the world would be in flames.
Exactly. Putin missed his chance to invade Ukraine while his buddy was in power. Under enormous challenges from all sides, Biden performs perfectly well.
Ya mean you don't believe donnie dumbshit when he says none of this would have happened if he were still in charge?!
Biden's speech was perfectly written by people who know the current world situation and Biden's mind. It was the most forceful speech I've ever heard him make. And he made it an an important inflection point in history as he called it. The resolute desk was the perfect place, and the moment was similar to the moment that FDR was in. It's no wonder that Steve saw similarities. Biden has never had the eloquent speaking ability that Kennedy or FDR had or that Obama has, and he is well aware of that. But to those paying attention, it's obvious that he is the perfect man for this moment. Trump petted the tigers. They laughed in his face. Jim Jordan wants to pet the tigers. The tigers would eat him alive. Far from being a tiger trainer, the only things he's good at are whining and brow beating actual patriots and holding on to his congressional seat. And running for cover. And hiding in the shower. He's never done anything. I hope he gets a good beating. As for Trump, he's irrelevant now. We just have to repair the destruction that he has caused.
Thank you Steve. Joe Biden is meeting the challenges of our time. Thank you, Mr President.
My original take-away from PRESIDENT Biden's speech: It seemed too America-centric--unlike his passionate, earlier speech this week that blew off human beings' socks. Shallow, perhaps, but with that speech, he set the bar very high.
My subsequent post-speech thoughts: I used to do some speech writing. And after my visceral reaction to President Biden's speech last night, I pondered what it must have been like being tasked with writing a speech for President Biden that would be:
>> Powerful and persuasive (Note to speech-writer: strong, but not a shouting, desk-thumping thing)
>> Compassion for devastated families (Note to speech-writer: neither under nor over-do this)
>> A comfort to Americans, who've been warned that the danger level in this country is rising (Note to speech writer: Tread carefully here, because we can't create an image of Americans as scaredy-cats)
>> Reminder that even though America's House of "Representatives" is internally FUBAR in current time, the country remains strong on all other fronts, and most of all its military. (Note to speech-writer: Avoid threatening tone.)
>> There are international bag actors (IBA) that need to be acknowledged and dealt with (Note to speech-writer: don't piss them off because IBAs are primed for escalating)
Etc.
All in all, it was a good speech, especially given the mandate for balance between iron strength and human compassion, military might but not as aggressors.
I think Steve's assessment was spot on.
On we go.
FDR had no FOX to contend with; no Hannity amplifying that “negotiated peace” talking point till it became a rallying cry of the traitors within.
Isn’t Rupert Murdoch also included in that FDR reference for peace to last as long as everyone who was alive on the day the war was won was still alive??
Traitors. Within.
.
Let’s face it. A large number of Republicans are in Putin’s pocket. They are traitors. Trump is the number one traitor. They are trying to weaken us by dividing us. It’s not that complicated. Netanyahu is the same. In Putin’s pocket. He was working with Hamas and against the Palestinian Authority. Traitor. Trump and his clan are fascists. This fight is both internal and external.
Still can’t bring yourself to praise Biden- to say that he gave a great speech that clearly and forcefully laid out America’s role and interest in these conflicts. Doesn’t quite fit the narrative of the old, dottering fool. Wow.
Rosie,
With all due respect, I did praise Biden and his speech last night. In fact, I called it "historic."
Steve
Some people see only what they want to see, hear only what they want to hear, know only what they want to know. Sadly their perception is their reality. Today's Warning was very clear. I could imagine you, Steve, cheering Biden on last night.
Biden hit the nail on the head no matter how much we would like all this evil to just go away. It ain't going to go away at NO cost to us. I believe that as long as Biden is president we will never tire in our defense of democracy. I stand with him. I don't care how old he is, I don't care who his VP is. We need his deep wisdom, empathy, and experience. Nobody I can think of but Biden can fill those shoes. It is time for the majority to rally round the flag of our fathers, not the crazy maga-trump flags and their pathetic, ignorant notion of patriotism.
Trump is in deep water now that Sidney Powell plead guilty, and when he goes down for the third time his followers will be looking for their next dear leader...beware, Jim Jordan et al. are really looking to that opening (frontrunner), not Speaker. The quiet Republicans need to see that Jordan etc. are grabbing for the loyalty of the white supremacists, anti choice, and just plain angry (the base). The only solution, no matter how unpalatable, is to join the Democrats to make Jefferies speaker.
Precisely
Wow! Sorry to know about the Rosies of this world. What a sour and picky response after reading the words of FDR, Kennedy, and Biden. Please let the Rosies be few!
I thought so too Steve.
Steve, you're our home-run hitter and you knocked this essay WAY out of the ball park!!
Steve,
With all due respect, Biden’s speech would have been “historic” even if it had been bad. I have read your eloquence when describing other speeches and the fact that you couldn’t muster any similar descriptives for this speech makes me wonder whether you disliked the speech.
Rosie,
I hear you. We are all sitting on the edge of the abyss...
Horrific terrorism, children and seniors kidnapped, aggressive authoritarians, protesters from several countries hating 9 million people in Israel, for what???
If it wasn't the bomb in the hospital, it would have been something else. It was a fire that was begging to burn...and will it be a campfire, a bonfire, or an inferno?
On top of it all, we have a complicit authoritarian trying to run the house and be second in line to the president. Oh... and there is a little election coming up in a year.
I think sometimes we put a lot on Steve to help and guide us out this uncertainty. I, too, (not critically) thought he wasn't as excited as *I* wanted or needed today. After reading your comment, I realize I'm just looking for a sign that we can find some grace and love for each other in this mess.
So, Rosie, we're here to support each other, no matter what...I hear you.
Peace and LOVE -Susan
Thank you, Susan. You described what I was feeling and why so much better than I did.