Editor’s Note: Say What? is the segment of Liberty Nation Radio where we unveil some of the most wacky, astonishing, and damnable things uttered by politicians and the chattering class.
Tim Donner: So the country just may, may, may be on the verge of thinking about, starting, creeping toward normalcy.
Donald Trump: We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time. Governors will be empowered to tailor an approach that meets the diverse circumstances of their own states. Every state is very different. If they need to remain closed, we will allow them to do that. And if they believe it is time to reopen, we will provide them the freedom and guidance to accomplish that task and very, very quickly depending on what they want to do.
Tim: At last, some light at the end of the tunnel, the recognition that a few states still have a problem with COVID-19, particularly New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, but some 30 states, or 60% of the country, do not, and the rest falls somewhere in between. But no matter what happens in the COVID world, there will be a presidential election in just six and a half months. And this week, after 28 of the 29 candidates running for the Democratic presidential nomination dropped out, Joe Biden was left as the last man standing. The man who resuscitated Biden’s career from the ashes finally delivered his endorsement, as if he had any other choice. Barack Obama, who reportedly urged Biden not to run in 2016 or this year — no way to know if the multiple reports to that effect were true or not — did his better-late-than-never on a video like everyone else these days.
Barack Obama: If there’s one thing we’ve learned as a country from moments of great crisis, it’s that the spirit of looking out for one another can’t be restricted to our homes or our workplaces or our neighborhoods or our houses of worship. It also has to be reflected in our national government. The kind of leadership that’s guided by knowledge and experience, honesty and humility, empathy and grace. That kind of leadership doesn’t just belong in our state capitals and mayors’ offices. It belongs in the White House, and that’s why I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States.
Tim: So Obama’s endorsement is based on character qualities, not policies or ideology or track record, but Obama did his best to make his former vice president as palatable as possible.
Barack Obama: Choosing Joe to be my vice president was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend, and I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a president right now. He’s someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere, how to bounce back when you’ve been knocked down. When Joe talks with parents who’ve lost their jobs, we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he’d lost his. When Joe talks about opportunity for our kids, we hear the young father who took the train home each night so he could tuck his children into bed. And we hear the influence of Jill, a lifelong teacher.
Tim: So, again with the personal qualities like empathy and struggling through personal adversity, but nothing about Biden’s vision or leadership, which is actually what voters are looking for. Not a kind old grandfather, but a leader. However, no matter whether most of the economy reopens in the next few weeks or not, Trump will have to run on a dismal economy. The polar opposite of what it was just about six weeks ago. And if he gets this wrong, it may not matter if Biden is neurologically challenged. But if Trump keeps the Corona death toll down, as it appears it is now, and the economy recovers in halfway decent shape in these months leading up to the election, Trump could possibly win a landslide.
These days anything seems possible. Obama’s endorsement came after Bernie Sanders waved the final flag of surrender, officially bowing out of the presidential race and then dutifully endorsing the only candidate left in a split-screen video with the presumptive nominee.
Bernie Sanders: Today I am asking all Americans, I’m asking every Democrat, I’m asking every independent, I’m asking a lot of Republicans, to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy, which I endorse, to make certain that we defeat somebody who I believe, and I’m speaking just for myself now, is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country. A president, then you made this point, who downplayed this pandemic, who ignored the advice that some of his people were giving him.
Tim: Again, not exactly a ringing endorsement. I’m supporting you because Trump is evil. Nothing about Biden’s policies or the manner of reopening the country. Perhaps the most jolting announcements of all were the complete shutdown of all sports everywhere. March Madness canceled, NBA and NHL suspending their seasons during the height of their drive to the post-season playoffs, and Major League Baseball stopped dead in its tracks just before the start of their season. Here’s Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred on Fox Business:
Rob Manfred: Unfortunately for us, the pandemic struck right at the low point for us, right before we begin our season. It’s had really serious impacts on our business. Obviously, 40% of our local revenues, gate and gate related. Obviously that’s all at risk right now. We do have both significant media contracts, both national and local, but at the end of the day, those contracts are dependent on our ability to provide content.
Tim: There’s been talk of the 2020 Major League season being played entirely in spring training stadiums in Arizona and maybe Florida with no fans. Rob Manfred, the commissioner, says that’s one of a number of ideas being kicked around.
Rob Manfred: We don’t have a plan. We have lots of ideas. What ideas come to fruition will depend on what the restrictions are, what the public health situation is, but we are intent on the idea of trying to make baseball part of the economic recovery, and sort of a milestone on the return to normalcy.
Tim: You may recall that after 9/11, baseball was indeed a big part of our national recovery, culminating with a thrilling World Series between the Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks.
We close with another prominent member of the entertainment industry demonstrating astounding ignorance. Witness Whoopi Goldberg on that bastion of ignorance, The View, speaking about Joe Biden’s wife, Doctor Jill Biden, because she got a PhD in education, anointing her as not just a medical doctor, but maybe even the female Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Whoopi Goldberg: I’m hoping Dr. Jill becomes a Surgeon General, his wife, Joe Biden’s wife. She would never do it. But, yeah, she’s a hell of a doctor. She’s an amazing doctor.
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Read more from Tim Donner.
For home study students and young people, Liberty Nation recommends…
All About Democrats
High School: The Democratic Party: From Jefferson to Today
Middle School: The Democratic Party: Origins, Policies, and People
Elementary School: The Democratic Party: What is It?
All About the Government Response to Coronavirus
High School: White House Acts on Coronavirus
Middle School: Trump Takes Action on Coronavirus
Elementary School: Trump Versus Coronavirus
