Steve: very well said. Thank you. The “desire” of the MSM to focus almost exclusively on a fractional poll here and there- without analysis of the underlying weaknesses of the poll’s methodology-is very disturbing! Or without comparisons to polls of other Presidents at similar points of time in their first term. The NYT poll which was widely cited had substantial technical weaknesses such as being gathered exclusively by telephone and oversampling of Republicans plus a huge MOE. No publication or TV channel mentioned any of that to the best of my knowledge? So over this long weekend I hope you will cogitate about their motivations and give us some insight as to what lies behind all this other than only Joe’s age? Thank you again for your tremendous insight night after night!
Good; I’m afraid it is getting too big an issue to protect his running as much as I thoroughly admire his spirit and accomplishments. I have floated an alternative: Joe and Barack reach a deal where Joe chooses to run w Barack as VP and to create a policy place for Harris. Therefore all Dems etc would be satisfied that if anything happens to Joe then Barack who is only 62 would take over? I’m getting afraid that Joe really can’t survive politically and Whitmer and Gavin have to step in the primary (with Joe’s agreement?). I look forward to your views!
Nov 20, 2023·edited Nov 20, 2023Liked by Steven Beschloss
I’m grateful that we have a president who can evolve and has the backbone to do things that are not popular. We have the best of what comes with age and adversity, wisdom, compassion and resilience. Important qualities when under pressure. I’m also grateful that voters have shown some discretion in how they’ve voted resulting in confusion by the opposition party. Weirdly, aside from abortion, this gets little mention. For instance in KY the group which calls itself “Moms For Liberty” suddenly wanted to soften their image and divorce the Proud Boys. Something that didn’t make a ripple in local news https://heraldcourier.com/news/state-and-regional/moms-for-liberty-removes-two-kentucky-chapter-leaders-who-posed-with-far-right-proud-boys/article_e22be108-ee87-5022-bf35-2135142c1a06.html
The presidency is a high pressure job with baying wolves coming for President Biden from all sides: not doing enough, doing too much, doing the wrong things, too old, too boring and all the rest. There is the every election cycle attempt by the GOP to damage - as admitted to during the run up to the 2016 election by Kevin McCarthy - whoever is the Democratic candidate with “hearings”, selective “evidence” and lots of noise, which has expanded to Biden’s entire family.
We know how the alternative candidate reacts under pressure and criticism. We know what drives his attempt at a second term. We also have the word of “his” generals for what he wanted to do during his administration: war with Iran, war with N. Korea, send missiles into Mexico while pretending another country made the attack and use the military against civilians (which might be the cornerstone of a second term in the White House). We’ve seen these ideas infect other candidates.
We’ve seen a national effort to deny and demonize the principals of democracy. Case in point: 2019, current Speaker, Mike Johnson - Do you know what a democracy is?’
‘Two wolves and a sheep deciding what’s for dinner. You don’t want to be in a democracy. Majority rule: not always a good thing.’
I’m grateful for those who push back with a Steady voice.
Steve my bright spot in my day is I get your wonderful thoughts and beautiful words to start my day. Thank you. Thank you . I think in line with you but I must admit I quote you when I’m talking. I am so grateful you write and share your writings with the world. It is your efforts that will touch so many people and get us to the place where kindness and common sense is the thought for the day. Have a wonderful holiday and enjoy.
You’re writing is the first thing I look for on Substack, Steven. You give me hope for the future and the will to keep fighting. Thank you and this whole community for bringing much needed sanity and perspective during all this insanity.
As always you help inspire us to inspire those who are taking our Democracy for granted. I am thankful for having been born and raised in a Democracy that has usually considered the “ small” guy as equally as it has benefited the “big” guy. It is our job to try to expeditiously as possible to open the eyes of those still sitting on the fence to see how they will self inflict harm on themselves and their loved ones by letting others worry about the coming elections.
I am thankful to be living in a country whose people are not fighting for their lives and also, those where the thumb of fear/autocracy is pushing down on their daily existence. (yet ) I have lived in seven states , traveled by car 6 times across these united ( ? now ) states and seen everything from cowboys to alligators. I am glad my ancestors came here, endured the hardships, fought to give me freedom, and allowed me to grow up as one of the most privileged of people to ever live on this earth.
Thanksgiving is also a time to be grateful for non political doings, even though this is, I guess, supposed to be a column today of thankfulness for President Biden. And so, I acknowledge his administration has done good things for our country. But I am not enamored with him. Sorry. I tend toward a President Truman, a down to earth man who took responsibility with his The buck stops here. I liked Ike, a man who knew the importance of winning and keeping. I feel that I could sit down and have a fun conversation with President Obama.
Personally, I am grateful for good parents who taught right from wrong, for my three children who have grown up to be good and honorable people, for God who is today being downgraded more and more, but has saved my life at least 8 times, starting when I was 5 and hit by a car through a heart attack, breast cancer, a car accident and more. It has to be more than coincidental. I am thankful for the privilege of an excellent education, and for being so lucky as to never in my life, been discriminated against. If only all could say that, what then, a wonderful world. How sad it is, however, that Christmas trees went up in Walmart at the beginning of October, that Thanksgiving talk seems only about a turkey and upcoming holiday is primarily about making money.
Thank you. I am taking many deep breaths and hoping that the people will decide that we need continued engagement and diplomacy and Democracy. We need to be sure half of our population can determine what they do with their bodies. I fervently pray and hope for peace and a final solution of voters telling the would-be dictator, NO.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Steven! Thanks for all your great work and heartfelt words. And congratulations on the gratifying growth and success of this newsletter and the America, America community!
I look forward to your thoughtful essays, and am grateful I signed up for your substack. Hope you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving! P.S. I like the photos you post on Twitter.
I am grateful for such fine writing to grace my life. Grateful that there are “kindred spirits” in this community you refer to. And, certainly grateful for the many responsible adults throughout this country who go about their lives striving to be good, through Doing good.
We are living in a chaotic world but only WE can change it. I challenge everyone to become involved in talking with friends or foes with kindness and respect. Let’s “hold hands” when we are with family members or with pets and give a shout out for democracy! Happy Thanksgiving, Steven, and to all in our community here.
Steve: very well said. Thank you. The “desire” of the MSM to focus almost exclusively on a fractional poll here and there- without analysis of the underlying weaknesses of the poll’s methodology-is very disturbing! Or without comparisons to polls of other Presidents at similar points of time in their first term. The NYT poll which was widely cited had substantial technical weaknesses such as being gathered exclusively by telephone and oversampling of Republicans plus a huge MOE. No publication or TV channel mentioned any of that to the best of my knowledge? So over this long weekend I hope you will cogitate about their motivations and give us some insight as to what lies behind all this other than only Joe’s age? Thank you again for your tremendous insight night after night!
Thank you, Ira. I think a fresh piece about Biden’s age is in the cards.
Good; I’m afraid it is getting too big an issue to protect his running as much as I thoroughly admire his spirit and accomplishments. I have floated an alternative: Joe and Barack reach a deal where Joe chooses to run w Barack as VP and to create a policy place for Harris. Therefore all Dems etc would be satisfied that if anything happens to Joe then Barack who is only 62 would take over? I’m getting afraid that Joe really can’t survive politically and Whitmer and Gavin have to step in the primary (with Joe’s agreement?). I look forward to your views!
I’m grateful that we have a president who can evolve and has the backbone to do things that are not popular. We have the best of what comes with age and adversity, wisdom, compassion and resilience. Important qualities when under pressure. I’m also grateful that voters have shown some discretion in how they’ve voted resulting in confusion by the opposition party. Weirdly, aside from abortion, this gets little mention. For instance in KY the group which calls itself “Moms For Liberty” suddenly wanted to soften their image and divorce the Proud Boys. Something that didn’t make a ripple in local news https://heraldcourier.com/news/state-and-regional/moms-for-liberty-removes-two-kentucky-chapter-leaders-who-posed-with-far-right-proud-boys/article_e22be108-ee87-5022-bf35-2135142c1a06.html
The presidency is a high pressure job with baying wolves coming for President Biden from all sides: not doing enough, doing too much, doing the wrong things, too old, too boring and all the rest. There is the every election cycle attempt by the GOP to damage - as admitted to during the run up to the 2016 election by Kevin McCarthy - whoever is the Democratic candidate with “hearings”, selective “evidence” and lots of noise, which has expanded to Biden’s entire family.
We know how the alternative candidate reacts under pressure and criticism. We know what drives his attempt at a second term. We also have the word of “his” generals for what he wanted to do during his administration: war with Iran, war with N. Korea, send missiles into Mexico while pretending another country made the attack and use the military against civilians (which might be the cornerstone of a second term in the White House). We’ve seen these ideas infect other candidates.
We’ve seen a national effort to deny and demonize the principals of democracy. Case in point: 2019, current Speaker, Mike Johnson - Do you know what a democracy is?’
‘Two wolves and a sheep deciding what’s for dinner. You don’t want to be in a democracy. Majority rule: not always a good thing.’
I’m grateful for those who push back with a Steady voice.
Steve my bright spot in my day is I get your wonderful thoughts and beautiful words to start my day. Thank you. Thank you . I think in line with you but I must admit I quote you when I’m talking. I am so grateful you write and share your writings with the world. It is your efforts that will touch so many people and get us to the place where kindness and common sense is the thought for the day. Have a wonderful holiday and enjoy.
Thank you kindly, Patricia.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Steve.
#6 is the one I am most hopeful about. Because soon we will have to call tfg's bluff & I think it will be surprising when his "soldiers" are few
You’re writing is the first thing I look for on Substack, Steven. You give me hope for the future and the will to keep fighting. Thank you and this whole community for bringing much needed sanity and perspective during all this insanity.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!!
That’s lovely to hear, Donna. Thanks. And the same to you and yours.
As always you help inspire us to inspire those who are taking our Democracy for granted. I am thankful for having been born and raised in a Democracy that has usually considered the “ small” guy as equally as it has benefited the “big” guy. It is our job to try to expeditiously as possible to open the eyes of those still sitting on the fence to see how they will self inflict harm on themselves and their loved ones by letting others worry about the coming elections.
Best holiday wishes for you and your family.
And you and yours, Steven.
I am thankful to be living in a country whose people are not fighting for their lives and also, those where the thumb of fear/autocracy is pushing down on their daily existence. (yet ) I have lived in seven states , traveled by car 6 times across these united ( ? now ) states and seen everything from cowboys to alligators. I am glad my ancestors came here, endured the hardships, fought to give me freedom, and allowed me to grow up as one of the most privileged of people to ever live on this earth.
Thanksgiving is also a time to be grateful for non political doings, even though this is, I guess, supposed to be a column today of thankfulness for President Biden. And so, I acknowledge his administration has done good things for our country. But I am not enamored with him. Sorry. I tend toward a President Truman, a down to earth man who took responsibility with his The buck stops here. I liked Ike, a man who knew the importance of winning and keeping. I feel that I could sit down and have a fun conversation with President Obama.
Personally, I am grateful for good parents who taught right from wrong, for my three children who have grown up to be good and honorable people, for God who is today being downgraded more and more, but has saved my life at least 8 times, starting when I was 5 and hit by a car through a heart attack, breast cancer, a car accident and more. It has to be more than coincidental. I am thankful for the privilege of an excellent education, and for being so lucky as to never in my life, been discriminated against. If only all could say that, what then, a wonderful world. How sad it is, however, that Christmas trees went up in Walmart at the beginning of October, that Thanksgiving talk seems only about a turkey and upcoming holiday is primarily about making money.
Another welcome burst of sunlight. Thank you all your work, have a well deserved Holiday!
Thanks. And same to you, Donald.
Thank you. I am taking many deep breaths and hoping that the people will decide that we need continued engagement and diplomacy and Democracy. We need to be sure half of our population can determine what they do with their bodies. I fervently pray and hope for peace and a final solution of voters telling the would-be dictator, NO.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Steven! Thanks for all your great work and heartfelt words. And congratulations on the gratifying growth and success of this newsletter and the America, America community!
Thanks kindly, Sue. And to you and yours.
Steven I’m extremely grateful to you and
Thoroughly appreciate America America
You have enriched the quality of my life…
Happy Thanksgiving 2023✅Marsha
Thank you, Marsha. And same to you.
I look forward to your thoughtful essays, and am grateful I signed up for your substack. Hope you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving! P.S. I like the photos you post on Twitter.
Same to you, Art. BTW...those photos you're referring to are from my brother.
Thanksgiving Blessings to you and yours, Steven.
I am grateful for such fine writing to grace my life. Grateful that there are “kindred spirits” in this community you refer to. And, certainly grateful for the many responsible adults throughout this country who go about their lives striving to be good, through Doing good.
Thanks! And the same to you!
We had our Thanksgiving feast a week early since our daughter has to work on Thanksgiving day and fly out of town for a week the next day.
I can only hope your Thanksgiving weekend is as fabulous as ours was.
Thanks!
We are living in a chaotic world but only WE can change it. I challenge everyone to become involved in talking with friends or foes with kindness and respect. Let’s “hold hands” when we are with family members or with pets and give a shout out for democracy! Happy Thanksgiving, Steven, and to all in our community here.