“For God’s sake,” he said, “this man cannot remain in power.”
And right there is where Biden demonstrated he is 99% of what we need, and that the old saying "99 percent's a bitch and 100 percent is a breeze" is so true.
As much as everyone who heard him say that might agree with him (I do), that's not something someone "playing the game" d…
“For God’s sake,” he said, “this man cannot remain in power.”
And right there is where Biden demonstrated he is 99% of what we need, and that the old saying "99 percent's a bitch and 100 percent is a breeze" is so true.
As much as everyone who heard him say that might agree with him (I do), that's not something someone "playing the game" does at his level, not the afternoon of the day in which the morning began with the Russian Defense Ministry announcing they would use nuclear weapons if "the existence of the state were threatened." We are dealing with a guy who has said he can't imagine living in a world in which "Russia does not have its proper place," a guy who thinks that proper place is leading the Empire of Eurasia, which stretches "from Dublin to Vladivostok" in the world of his crazy political philosopher Dugin, a guy who subscribes to Louis XIV and "l'etat c'est moi."
That damn Irish temper is something someone in Biden's position should have learned to control a helluva long time ago, given the years of political experience he has. You believe it in your heart and then you keep it there, by biting your tongue, hard enough to draw blood if need be, before you let it out. That was just plain Bog Irish Ignorant.
Napoleon said it best: "Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself." Putin's generals have managed to convince him they've lost, and they're working on an "off-ramp" by saying "Yeah, we only wanted to knock down Kyiv so we'd distract the Ukrainians while we finished taking Donbas." (Anyone who believes that is probably looking forward to their gift from the Easter Bunny, delivered on the morning the sun rises in the west.) You don't give the grandson of Stalin's cook a reason to get angry all over again.
This is why Biden is as good as we can get in the circumstances and a helluva lot better than the alternative, but I hope to hell one member of his staff can say to him, privately, never publicly, "Mr. President. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. It's better to be thought an idiot than to open one's mouth and prove it." This is Unforced Stupidity.
Putin already has enough to be angry about. His adventure is a mess. He is now considered a monster by many of his own people - and many, many more will feel the same as the truth penetrates Russia. Putin is already on a revenge tour. He doesn't respond to diplomacy. He only understands strength.
Putin is stumbling badly. He is already angry beyond imagination. He is failing. Now is the time to ratchet up the pressure - not back down.
Biden is saying something to the Russians. Your leader is a murderer. Get rid of him. I don't see his statement as a gaffe - it is virtually required of anyone with a conscience.
And as far as statements go, this is a nothing burger compared to the world shattering inanities of TFG. Personally, I am proud of Biden's "Irish" frankness.
Now is NOT the time to rachet up pressure. Were you to read anyone from Sun Tzu to Clausewitz, you would know that you ALWAYS have to leave the opponent an avenue of retreat.
Interesting take. Perhaps this trait is why Obama cautioned him about pursing his dream to be President. My thought was he could have closed with a variation of the line with which he opened: "We are united and not afraid."
Bingo! "Napoleon said it best: "'Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself.'"
My eyebrows went up and eyes widened when Biden said his now infamous line. Simultaneously, I thought that is bold but cringed at how it was going to resonate. Now, that is all that is being talked about-the MSM has jumped right in making it front and center 24/7. In general, I think the president has been "running the gauntlet" reasonably well in this high stakes disaster. However, the regime change line is a "rookie mistake" and plays directly into Putin's hand - a card that did not need to be played. We blinked.
Yes. This morning, much of the follow-up to President Biden's speech underscores your points, TC. Today Dana Bash of CNN said that President Biden's "cannot remain in power" comments are raising eyebrows; this was said at the beginning of her coverage of the President's speech. The otherwise inspiring words of the President are now in the very long shadow cast by ad libbing, no matter how well intentioned. An associated corollary to TC's comments...from the world of many years of presentation skills training:
Be very clear about intended results of a speech/presentation. Say nothing not aligned with the "call to action"/intended results.
"call to action/intended results" - certainly you are referring to TFG's statements before and after the Insurrection of January 6th.
Biden simply expressed what all civilized people who believe in democracy, the rule of international laws, national boundaries, and basic decency feel. Intended results? Yes.
Putin DOES have to go. And the Russians will see to it sooner or later.
What Biden said pales in comparison to what Putin has done to foment "regime change" in the US. I am proud that Biden spoke up. Putin belongs in a cell. Everyone knows it.
If you're proud that he said that, then you're one of the morons Mencken had in mind when he said nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
And in case anyone missed it, Story One on Jonathan Capehart's show this morning was this one, with footage of Blinken running to the mics as soon as he could get off AF1 to say "Oh no! The president wasn't talking about regime change!"
What a fucking choice: a (well-meaning) Idiot or a Traitor.
“For God’s sake,” he said, “this man cannot remain in power.”
And right there is where Biden demonstrated he is 99% of what we need, and that the old saying "99 percent's a bitch and 100 percent is a breeze" is so true.
As much as everyone who heard him say that might agree with him (I do), that's not something someone "playing the game" does at his level, not the afternoon of the day in which the morning began with the Russian Defense Ministry announcing they would use nuclear weapons if "the existence of the state were threatened." We are dealing with a guy who has said he can't imagine living in a world in which "Russia does not have its proper place," a guy who thinks that proper place is leading the Empire of Eurasia, which stretches "from Dublin to Vladivostok" in the world of his crazy political philosopher Dugin, a guy who subscribes to Louis XIV and "l'etat c'est moi."
That damn Irish temper is something someone in Biden's position should have learned to control a helluva long time ago, given the years of political experience he has. You believe it in your heart and then you keep it there, by biting your tongue, hard enough to draw blood if need be, before you let it out. That was just plain Bog Irish Ignorant.
Napoleon said it best: "Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself." Putin's generals have managed to convince him they've lost, and they're working on an "off-ramp" by saying "Yeah, we only wanted to knock down Kyiv so we'd distract the Ukrainians while we finished taking Donbas." (Anyone who believes that is probably looking forward to their gift from the Easter Bunny, delivered on the morning the sun rises in the west.) You don't give the grandson of Stalin's cook a reason to get angry all over again.
This is why Biden is as good as we can get in the circumstances and a helluva lot better than the alternative, but I hope to hell one member of his staff can say to him, privately, never publicly, "Mr. President. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. It's better to be thought an idiot than to open one's mouth and prove it." This is Unforced Stupidity.
Putin already has enough to be angry about. His adventure is a mess. He is now considered a monster by many of his own people - and many, many more will feel the same as the truth penetrates Russia. Putin is already on a revenge tour. He doesn't respond to diplomacy. He only understands strength.
Putin is stumbling badly. He is already angry beyond imagination. He is failing. Now is the time to ratchet up the pressure - not back down.
Biden is saying something to the Russians. Your leader is a murderer. Get rid of him. I don't see his statement as a gaffe - it is virtually required of anyone with a conscience.
And as far as statements go, this is a nothing burger compared to the world shattering inanities of TFG. Personally, I am proud of Biden's "Irish" frankness.
Now is NOT the time to rachet up pressure. Were you to read anyone from Sun Tzu to Clausewitz, you would know that you ALWAYS have to leave the opponent an avenue of retreat.
Interesting take. Perhaps this trait is why Obama cautioned him about pursing his dream to be President. My thought was he could have closed with a variation of the line with which he opened: "We are united and not afraid."
Absolutely right on both points.
Bingo! "Napoleon said it best: "'Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself.'"
My eyebrows went up and eyes widened when Biden said his now infamous line. Simultaneously, I thought that is bold but cringed at how it was going to resonate. Now, that is all that is being talked about-the MSM has jumped right in making it front and center 24/7. In general, I think the president has been "running the gauntlet" reasonably well in this high stakes disaster. However, the regime change line is a "rookie mistake" and plays directly into Putin's hand - a card that did not need to be played. We blinked.
Yes. This morning, much of the follow-up to President Biden's speech underscores your points, TC. Today Dana Bash of CNN said that President Biden's "cannot remain in power" comments are raising eyebrows; this was said at the beginning of her coverage of the President's speech. The otherwise inspiring words of the President are now in the very long shadow cast by ad libbing, no matter how well intentioned. An associated corollary to TC's comments...from the world of many years of presentation skills training:
Be very clear about intended results of a speech/presentation. Say nothing not aligned with the "call to action"/intended results.
Absolutely right!
"call to action/intended results" - certainly you are referring to TFG's statements before and after the Insurrection of January 6th.
Biden simply expressed what all civilized people who believe in democracy, the rule of international laws, national boundaries, and basic decency feel. Intended results? Yes.
Putin DOES have to go. And the Russians will see to it sooner or later.
What Biden said pales in comparison to what Putin has done to foment "regime change" in the US. I am proud that Biden spoke up. Putin belongs in a cell. Everyone knows it.
If you're proud that he said that, then you're one of the morons Mencken had in mind when he said nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
Re: last paragraph
A good rule of thumb when disciplining children, too. They will see the disconnect every time.
And in case anyone missed it, Story One on Jonathan Capehart's show this morning was this one, with footage of Blinken running to the mics as soon as he could get off AF1 to say "Oh no! The president wasn't talking about regime change!"
What a fucking choice: a (well-meaning) Idiot or a Traitor.