Volume 8, Issue 37
In a court of law, hearsay is inadmissible as evidence. A defendant has a right to confront his accusers. Further, cross-examination may bring forth facts that shed a completely different light on the accuser’s testimony. Most recently, Bob Woodward, a renowned Washington Post reporter best known for his investigation into Watergate, produced a transcript of an interview with the President in his recently released book Rage. He claims that the President misled the public by realizing the severity of the COVID crisis but admittedly playing it down to prevent public panic. Upon further examination, the quote taken in context does not seem so outrageous. As long as proper steps were taken to reduce the effects of the virus, managing public emotion is always critical.
When the President was asked about Woodward’s revelation by a leading network White House reporter, the question was phrased pejoratively. Why did you lie to the American public? The reporter has passed judgement that the President is, by purpose, Prevaricator in Chief. The President for once did not react in kind. He simply said that he took the virus seriously, did everything within his power to control it, and reassured the American public that there was no need to panic. What good does panic ever do?
This past weekend, the national news network Sunday hosts continued to state their opinion as fact. One leading journalist went so far as to say that it’s scary when the press cannot shame a politician; we are losing our power. Think about what he really meant. The President will not yield to their conclusions referencing their world view. They cannot shame him into submission.
Journalistic elitists seldom discuss issues important to Americans outside of their argument for progressive policies. Case in point is that 20% of voting citizens in a presidential election year cite U.S. foreign policy as a priority. Today Bahrain signed a peace treaty with Israel to pursue economic development. The ceremony was held on the White House lawn. This is the second Arab nation recently to sign such a treaty with Israel. United Arab Emirates also entered into such an agreement. These are historic achievements for Israel and the Middle East, supported and partially negotiated by the United States. No recognition of the milestone was mentioned by the left mainstream media.
The American public is not ignorant of the bias.
Last week, the Rasmussen Report cited interesting polling data on the mindset of the American electorate. Seventy percent of the American public does not trust the national press in their reporting on presidential politics. They believe that the press is more likely to attack the President and advocate Vice President Biden’s policies. In other words, they have serious doubts about the information they are receiving and the motives behind news reporting.
As tragic as the fires are on the west coast and the potential damage from Hurricane Sally predicted to hit the Gulf coast at midnight tonight, they are not any one person’s fault. Progressives and the national press scream about President Trump’s insensitivity to climate change. Regardless of the President’s attitude, such national disasters are the result of long-term cause and effect. To center attention solely on President Trump is untenable. Vice President Biden accused President Trump of being a climate arsonist. What does that mean? It certainly is not seasoned, mature policy discussion.
A multitude of factors are the ingredients that make up the societal soup of our social challenges. The pandemic, racial tensions, the economy, national debt, taxes, foreign conflicts, fair elections, deterioration of the family, education, health care, police relations, and general freedom are serious issues that require serious leadership. At times, we expect too much from our leaders. We as citizens have a moral obligation to reciprocity of burden to solve these issues.
In 2016, Donald Trump’s negatives (those who had a negative opinion of him) were 66%. The Democrats were quick to point this out ignoring the fact that Hillary Clinton’s were 67%. In that election of 2016, two-thirds of the American public voted for a candidate they did not personally like.
In 2020, President Trump’s negatives are again above 50%. Vice President Biden’s negatives are lower. However, enthusiasm for the Vice President as a candidate is in the low 30s even among Democrats. He does not resonate with the public on any particular policy issue. Recently, former Presidential candidate and Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the Vice President for not stating a policy position on universal health care or quality jobs. Odd that fifty days from the election the leader of the left-wing branch of the Democrats would make such a point about the nominee he has endorsed. This reemphasizes in the public’s mind’s eye that Vice President Biden’s campaign is all about dislike of President Trump’s character and not about any imaginative policy positions. The public is now faced with making a choice between a policy they desire and a personality to which they can relate.
The first presidential debate is scheduled for two weeks from tonight on September 29th. It may be the most important debate in presidential campaign history. Because the public has such great doubts about the information they are receiving from the national press, and the leadership in Washington that they perceive to be self-serving, they are left to make a decision on policy versus personality as the two candidates make their case in the debates. Vice President Biden is not expected to do well in a debate with President Trump. By the bar of judgement being set low, he could exceed expectations and be perceived as the winner. Or, he may make a mistake on a policy position or a statement of fact which will confirm the expectations of the American public about his lack of leadership. Policy over personality will then be the key standard in the public’s decision-making process.
Most Americans just desire to live in peace with their fellow citizens. Most families just desire to determine their own values. Most people just truly desire what’s best for everyone. Most Americans just want leadership that allows them to reach their potential through fair and equitable application of all government policies and initiatives.
In these times of incertitude, trust the principles that you were taught as a child to reach fulfillment for your desired destiny. Trust in the heritage of ordained choices rendering freedom through unalienable rights.
Believe that, in protecting truth, one is serving future generations in the present.
My name is Marc Nuttle and this is what I believe.
What do you believe?