In the increasing likelihood Joe Biden becomes President of the United States on January 20, 2021, he will not be short on examples of what and what not to do when taking charge of the country.
Twentieth-Century United States History provides two such examples from Democratic Presidents. Margaret McMillan’s 1919, Roberta Strauss Feuerlich’s America’s Reign of Terror David Fromkin’s In the Time of the Americans are highly recommended historical works that delve into these Presidencies more in-depth.
When the United States entered World War One in 1917, President Woodrow Wilson, a leader who, like his fellow KKK fan currently occupying the White House, thought he was God’s Gift for the times, pursued reactionary policies that would make George W. Bush and Donald Trump envious. His Administration enacted legislation like the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 that put anti-war critics such as Socialist Presidential Candidate Eugene Debbs in jail. He created an early form of Fox Island, the propaganda machine called the Committee on Public Information that did not exactly promote truth at all costs.
He also pursued a partisan leadership structure in the war. He did not include any leading Republicans of the day in either his Administration nor invite any to be part of his delegation to the Peace Conferences in France in 1919.
He also took a take it or leave it to approach to ratifying the Treaty of Versailles (which included United States membership in the League of Nations) in the Senate. The Senate, in Republican hands, ultimately decided to leave it.
If Trump read history, one could say he learned from Wilson’s example.
Franklin Roosevelt, who served in the Wilson Administration as an Undersecretary of the Navy, did withness and learn from Wilson’s missteps.
In the leadup to World War Two, Roosevelt recruited both leading Democrats and Republicans (Henry Stimson and William Bill Donovan) to serve in his Administration’s fight against Fascism.
While not all of Roosevelts policies, like his internment of Japanese American citizens, were right or insightful, his bipartisan outreach helped pave the way for the Postwar order that included the United States joining the United Nations.
That is mostly the historical example Biden should follow along with the experience of what worked well in the Obama Administration (including its reaction to the Ebola pandemic and other public health emergencies.)
Biden should pick a bipartisan progressive-minded team, starting with his Vice President (you can include Senator Tammy Baldwin and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to the list of Veepstakes contenders) that will be ready to govern and make up for the reactionary states take the lead and pay the bill approach of the Trump Administration and its allies.
Writers like Thomas Friedman of the New York Times and Brent Budowsky of The Hill have already penned articles, envisioning this approach and the potential recruits Biden, if he wins in November, should select to serve in his Administration.
A Bipartisan Administration dedicated to healing partisan wounds, enacting forward legislation in health care, infrastructure, and green energy, and moving the country forward is exactly the cure the country needs from the Coronavirus of American Politics otherwise known as the Trump Administration.
Of course, it would also be helpful if forward-looking candidates like Captain Mark Kelly win their Senate contests and fringe House incumbents like Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs, Paul Goasar, and David Schweikert lose theirs.
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Hey, I’m in the choir, just tell me what key.
Here’s a story to give you hope.
My daughter is in her 30’s now, about 10 years ago we drove past a ballpark and I commented on how I wish they wouldn’t do military flyovers of sporting events.
I just think it’s was a stupid waste of money and don’t see the point.
Her comment was “They do it to remind us to be afraid and to fall in line”.
Holy crap. I was not that world aware when I was 20.
They came of age during the Bush recession and now they’re hiding in their homes watching science deniers ruin the world wondering how bad things will get when they’re our age.
They do not trust Capitalism because it keeps shitting on them.
I think Biden will be the last privileged white guy in the White House for a long time.
I hope you’re right about Biden.
I’m just kind of overwhelmed by the uncertainty.
But I’m all in for the young folks. They’re ready to lead, to be sure.
Fact Checker 13- THANK YOU!
“….unspectacular Mr. Biden…” is being kind.
He was a good support system for Obama but his record is every bit as deplorable as HRC’s.
But he’s not Stephen Miller or Mohammed Bone Saw’s pal Jared Kushner or Scared of Women and smoking is good for you Mike Pence or criminal Bill Barr and he won’t be telling human beings to chug bleach or spend his nights having pillow talk with Putin and Hannity.
I wish America’s political parties weren’t machines designed to elect their corporate approved candidate and we were all educated enough to vote for our values/morals, even if those are genuinely conservative, but we are not there yet.
I as angry voting for HRC last time, I’ll be more worried about Trump winning again when I vote for Biden, we have a lawless AG and emboldened Republicans running elections in over 30 states, with a SCOTUS that is just fine with voter suppression and a POTUS who tells his supporters that millions of people vote more than once by wearing fake mustaches, and millions of armed idiots who believe him.
I know this is a mess but I’m not going to stress about it until November 4.
Then we fire Tom Perez.
Yeah, I was trying to be kind.
But Joe “I’m not Trump” Biden has a voting record that is both abhorrent and racist. He authored the 1994 crime bill, there’s NAFTA, welfare “reform”, the repeal of Glass Steagall, invading Iraq, and bankruptcy “reform” to name a few. And the so called drug “warrior” never met a harsh drug law he didn’t like. He seldom if ever admits he was wrong, he was just rolling with the times.
He stood on the debate stages and lied about Medicare for All, saying there’s no money for it when he knows damn well where the money is. And now (voice lowers to a whisper) there’s Tara Reade. We’re supposed to “believe the woman” or at least listen to her except when it’s not convenient.
But, yes, these are crazy times and existential threats are everywhere. I’ll vote for Joe if I have to, which isn’t saying much because I would vote for the Devil himself if he were Trump’s challenger.
Even so, I cannot bring myself to be critical of those who refuse to support this. I used to be one of them.
Did you hear the latest though? Justin Amash is running on a 3rd Party ticket! Now that is interesting and makes Joe Biden’s candidacy so much more precarious! I also offer you this for thought:
As you know NY decided to cancel the Presidential Primary election that was supposed to be held today. They are still holding the down-ballot elections so no one can get any delegates from NY This is an excerpt from the Bullwark, an e-newsletter thebulwark.com
2. Plan B
My buddy Ed Condon has a wily view of what the cancellation of the New York Democratic primary is really about.
And it is awesome:
As of April 27, the former vice president has 1,305 of the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch a first-round coronation at the party’s convention. New York offered 320 delegates up for grabs, 274 pledged to the primary winner; a prize that would have brought Biden closer to the nomination.If New York’s decision triggers other states to cancel their own primaries, it is entirely possible that Biden could arrive at the Democratic convention without a guarantee of the nomination.
Assuming the convention begins without a majority of delegates pledged to Biden, the nomination process, during which delegates conduct floor votes, would become a live-fire exercise, rather than a pro forma step in Biden’s coronation as nominee.
If Biden does not secure a majority on the first ballot, delegates could offer another candidate from the floor. . . .
Even as Trump’s own approval numbers are dropping after his initial pandemic bump, Democratic party leaders might quietly welcome the reserve option to field another candidate against the president.
Read the whole thing.
Are we imputing too much strategic calculus into a decision that was probably based on practicality? Probably. This would be four-dimensional chess from a party leadership that can barely find its keys most of the time.
But on the other hand, being able to roll into the convention with an in-case-of-emergency-break-glass option is an incredible luxury. Especially when your presumptive nominee is 107 years old.
In the real world, these things never quite work the way they do on the drawing board. Let’s say Biden fades over the next 10 week and as the convention approaches, suddenly he’s no longer the favorite.
Maybe Dems want to replace him—but settling on who that replacement would be could make that impossible.
The logical choice would be Cuomo. But Bernie would argue that he’s next in line by dint of actually having faced primary voters and gotten the second-most delegates.
Elizabeth Warren would try to offer herself as the bridge consensus choice.
And Stacey Abrams would probably be running around campaigning for the nomination, too.
At the end of the day, unless Michelle Obama walked through the door, rolling the dice with a weakened Biden would probably be the path of least resistance, even if most Democrats wanted to pull the plug.
Even so, it’s always good to have options . . .
The conservative corporate Democratic leadership has settled on Biden and they are going to make that happen.
Given his age and limitations I have to believe the plan is to shore him up with the VP whoever that ends up being. They might be thinking a Bush/Cheney type of administration although it is not generally true that the Democrats have had strong VP’s. Joe Biden would argue that isn’t true and he, possibly, was more productive than most but he certainly wasn’t in charge. The Democrats are probably thinking “Team Biden” as opposed to having a strong leader, and I suppose Biden suits them fine as a front man.
I can’t imagine any other scenario for the elderly, unspectacular Mr. Biden where he could succeed in a post-pandemic America and world. The Democrats, if elected, will inherit a mess of epic proportion and we have yet to see how bad it really can get.
Reminds me of this scene from “Vice” with Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. Scary how they cooked this up. But how in God’s name did they get such a gorgeous man to look like Dick Cheney?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cARIICvN9cQ
Sharpie, whenever a clown like Gingrich calls for “civility” he needs to have that memo thrown back in his face and then dope slapped….repeatedly.
Frances, we agree about that attitude. I supported Bernie during the 2016 primary but when the nomination went to Hillary she then had my support. Like you, my candidate was the good Senator Professor but since Biden is the presumptive nominee he definitely has my vote. I just hope once we regain the White House Biden and the Democratic establishment don’t revert back to “business as usual” as that could alienate the Progressives who now support him.
The country cannot afford an attitude that if, I, personally, dont get my ideal candidate, I will not vote. I have been voting since McGovern, then I worked for Udall, but Carter was not my ideal candidate. Only with Obama was I near my ideal candidate. His inclinations to work with the opposition was correct, but the viciousness of the hatred surprised even him. McConnell will go down in history as the worst Senate “leader” in history. But for history to turn, (and the world is watching since Trump’s buffoonery affects the whole world) all good people must give up ideological purity for winning, no matter what. My candidate was Warren, but she did not win her own State for whatever reason. Right now winning means everything. Literally the whole world is at stake.
Yes, I did read your whole reply and wholeheartedly agree with you about regaining a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. I just feel that bipartisanship for the sake of bipartisanship is not a good move. Apparently you disagree. You also take care and enjoy a wonderful day.
Joe Biden, like Barack Obama before him, will have the opportunity to truly be another FDR. Unless he makes the same mistakes that Obama did by coddling Wall Street and reaching out to a recalcitrant Republican Party. Bailing out Wall Street was a major factor that led to the Democrats losing the House in 2010. Despite having his outstretched hand continually smacked away Obama persisted throughout his first term. And Joe Biden was there in the middle of it. Or does he not remember?
Biden appointing Larry Summers, a prominent disciple of the neoliberalism that has caused so much pain and suffering on Main Street, as an economic advisor is not a good sign. What’s next? Bringing back Rahm Emanuel?
Why is there all this talk of “bipartisanship” when it appears the Democratic Party is on the rise? And absent when Republicans are taking power? Bottom line: The country cares about good policy that benefits the country instead of “bipartisanship”. Good policy followed by great messaging. The latter at which the Democrats are terrible.
Bottom line: If Joe Biden forsakes true progressivism and reverts to the status quo of the Obama years then expect more Trumps and McConnells, or worse, to be back in power where they will go back to accelerating the country’s slide into a feudal system.
Bipartisanship and moving forward should be the goal of all citizens and public servants. I do share your concern that Biden might think he could work with McConnell. That is why it is important to defeat McConnell, McSally, Collins, Ernst, Graham, Gardner, Tillis, Coryn, Daines, and the two Georgia Senators and get Democratic control of the Senate.
Moving forward? Like Ford pardoning Nixon or Obama letting the Bush Administration off the hook? Which basically signaled to the Republicans that there is no real consequence to their criminal behavior.
Enough of this bipartisanship fetish. That only works when you have two parties who deal with each other in good faith. There is only one party who acts that way, the other will say/do anything to retain their current power.
We were a pretty unified nation with common goals for some twenty years after WWII. The unraveling started with Nixon, continued under Reagan, Bush the Elder, accelerated with Gingrich & Bush the Lesser and now the Vulgar Talking Yam. Divide & conquer is good policy for dealing with hostile foreign nations and terrible policy for one’s own citizens.
Look at it this way David, to quote Bill Maher from a few years ago: “Over time the Democrats have moved to the right and the Republicans have moved into the insane asylum”. Or, as someone else (don’t know who) opined: You’re on a blind dinner date. You order beef wellington and she orders anthrax with rusty tire rims.” And you want achieve bipartisanship with the latter two?
Bipartisanship with a laudable goal (like a strong military, vibrant safety net and civil rights for all) is a good thing. Bipartisanship as a means to itself…well, it’s not.
Did you read my whole reply to you after the first sentence? That said, I agree with most of your historical analysis. Take care and have a nice day.
Wileybud, Gingrich doesn’t get enough blame for helping lay the foundation for the hate coming from the GOP base today.
You can trace a line from his “Language: A Key Mechanism of Control” memo directly to Trump.
That memo is the reason that to this day when I hear a someone say “I’m not a sheeple” I whisper “idiot” under my breath.
And I love Obama in the abstract, and I get why he did it, but giving a pass to the Bushies and the banksters was bad policy in hindsight I MEAN AT THE TIME, and there’s another direct line to the Trump/Kushner crime families.
Never Trumpers are just scum with a sense of shame, and it seems that neoliberals are shameless, but until November 3, they’re also my best pals.
Then on November 4 we fire Tom Perez and start over.
No president should be trusted, without question, with our liberty. That is what an independent press and the separation of powers is all about. FDR has his authoritarian moments too such as packing the Supreme Court and running for four terms. Lincoln also acted as a dictator would in several cases such as having newspaper editors arrested, closing down legislatures & suspending habeas corpus to name a few. That is why our Constitution and the institutions of democracy that support it are so important. So long as we are free there is very little that we cannot overcome or very little that will threaten us.
Sorry to disagree. He should pick a progressive VP. But let’s be honest he is not picking he is accepting who the lobbyists that filled the coffers and the Establishment owned Democrats will appoint for him. Please let’s not pretend about Biden. He picks a Sinema type Democrat for his VP, and many of us will be very hard pressed to support and vote for him!
Good long term thinking that could get us Trump (in another Electoral College Victory) for another four years. People need to put aside who they would prefer to be on both sides of the ticket and vote to defeat the 2016 popular vote loser.
In fact it did and it does, every day. It doesn’t seem to have taught our Democratic leadership in DC much. They are still doing same old, same old. Curious why do you think I should feel guilty for rejecting the lesser of 2 evils mentality, but you don’t seem to have a problem with the fact that the DNC has learned NOTHING. Why is that?
Two points. What makes you think either the DNC has learned nothing and what have they not learned. Second, it should be stressed that Mr. Biden was not in my top five. I invite you to read these columns I wrote during the primary season https://blogforarizona.net/not-so-fast-joe-and-bernie-democrats-have-an-embarrassment-of-riches-to-choose-from/
https://blogforarizona.net/we-should-hear-more-from-the-governors-at-the-next-presidential-debates/
https://blogforarizona.net/for-the-good-of-the-country-biden-and-sanders-democrats-will-need-to-learn-from-history-and-unite/
Take care and have a great day.
David, it has nothing to do with him being your top 5 or not. It has to do with you trying to make me feel guilty if Trump gets a second term, if I choose not to vote for Biden. That is point 1. Point 2! In terms of why I think the DNC learned nothing is because it is blatant. The maneuvering of Biden by removing all other opponents. Majority Whip Clyburn made sure Amy, Pete eventually Warren and finally Bernie, get out of the way. Their notion was that Biden is the only one able to defeat Trump. That was a fabrication, as all polls indicated any of them would defeat Trump.
It all started when it looked like Bernie was going to go and take it away. IT PETRIFIED the establishment and essentially they together with the media outlets that gave no visibility to Bernie and little to Warren, performed a coup against the progressive wing. They continue and refuse to accept that the energy comes from the progressive side of the party. How do i know that? Well TX just had a primary and in the one district that a progressive was running, Jessica Cisneros, Nancy Pelosi went down there and campaigned for the establishment candidate, who won. This is just one example. It is happening in NY, and look what this Democratic Congress just allowed to happen by signing in with Mnuchin -FRAUD , RAMPANT FRAUD , they left the little people vulnerable again. They can claim the banks’ fault, Trump’s people- NO, They hold the purse and they signed off on that deal leaving the people UNPROTECTED. that’s what working with the Republicans is!
The corruption is rampant. We need term limits. Unless we can fundamentally change, I see little difference between the 2 parties. Maybe it is time for a people’s party for 2024.
Sandra I am sorry you feel that way but Biden won South Carolina fair and square. There was no path for Buttigieg or Klobachur after that state. Elizabeth Warren was doomed after she came in third in Massachusetts, her home state. As to the last Coronavirus legislation, I share your concerns but with divided government, compromise is necessary. They get something and we get something. Overall, it was not a bad piece of legislation. I believe all the Dems in the Senate went for it without objection. Let us see what happens with the next bill which should focus on aid to state and local governments. Take care and have a nice day.
David, Pete and Amy dropped out and endorsed Joe “nothing is going to fundamentally change” Biden on the Monday before Super Tuesday. This is after Pete sort of won Iowa and Pete and Amy were the darlings of New Hampshire despite Bernie winning that state. For both of them to drop out, especially Pete, after Biden’s expected win in SC is curious indeed. We’ll know more when we see what they get for it, assuming Joe wins.
If I had donated to Pete’s campaign I would want a refund.
Sanda is right. The corporate Democrats were terrified of Sanders. They would have used the superdelegates against him, there was no way they were going to let him win, but they didn’t want to have to do that.
Another great post, Mr. Gordon, but I’m with Sandra and Wileybud.
Biden is America’s rebound boyfriend/girlfriend.
He’ll be a one term POTUS and he’s a bridge between the horrors of the last three years and the next generation of Americans. because they outnumber us boomers and have a very, very different American experience.
We need to give them a reason to vote now and in 2024.
In 2010 the Dems ran from Obamacare like scared little kittens, and the voters sensed it and they got “shellacked”, as 44 put it.
In 2016 the Dems ran a corporate owned neoliberal, and Rachel Bitecofer’s flippers (my term, not hers) went for something new.
Trump is having a very bad year, there should be a huge Blue Wave in November, and I think now is the time to be thinking long term.
I’m not saying AOC, but Tim Kaine was a safe choice and did nothing to help in 2016.
Hello, My wife and I laughed at your third line and, as I indicated in my second reply to Sandra, I agree. That said, we can not afford to have purity tests. As for reasons to vote how about what the Republican Party stands for and what the Democrats stand for. Unlike the views of the Nader voters that helped pave the way for Bush or the Stein supporters that helped Trump, there are differences as two wars, unnecessary tax cuts, a great recession, four conservative Supreme Court Justices, and a poor reaction to a pandemic can attest. It is amazing how many people forget that Hillary was the liberal part of the Clinton duo and she would have been a good President. Tim Kaine was picked because of Virginia and he would have been a great asset in governing. AOC has a bright future but we do not want her developing into the left’s Dick Armey or Eric Cantor or Kevin McCarthy. Take care and have a nice day.
Is it really a purity test to ask that the person I vote for not be evil? Joe Biden is a lesser evil, as was Hillary Clinton.
I appreciate and agree with much of what you have to say, David, but ultimately the only power voters have to to withhold their vote/vote for someone else. Pledging my vote to Biden and then trying to persuade him to do the right thing will not work. Trying to persuade people is fine, but shaming people for who they vote (or do not vote) for is counterproductive IMO.
And how could the DNC learn anything from the 2016 election if 1) They didn’t do a post-mortem 2) They let Barack Obama put Tom Perez in as the DNC head over the actual progressive Keith Ellison 3) They purged most of the progressives out of leadership positions while making more room for lobbyists.
But just which Democrat is going to challenge a sitting President for the nomination? That’s a pretty ballsy move.