Joe Biden

Crucial Vice Presidential Choices In American History, Good And Bad

Ronald 3 Comments

As Joe Biden decides soon who will be his Vice Presidential running mate, this is a good time to look at crucial Vice Presidential choices in American history, both good and bad.

There is a myth that the Vice Presidential choice does not matter, but it most certainly does.

Abraham Lincoln, in order to help his reelection chances in 1864, dropped Vice President Hannibal Hamlin in favor of Andrew Johnson. Johnson would go on to be the worst blunder of Lincoln, as he succeeded Lincoln after only six weeks in office, divided the country, and was impeached.

William McKinley lost his Vice President, Garret Hobart, in 1899, due to heart disease. If Hobart had not died, he would have become President in 1901, but instead, it was Theodore Roosevelt, who transformed the office of the Presidency.

Franklin D. Roosevelt dropped third term Vice President Henry A. Wallace in 1944 in favor of Harry Truman, who succeeded him after 82 days as Vice President, and most scholars believe Wallace would have been a terrible choice to be President.

John F. Kennedy could not have won in 1960 without Lyndon B. Johnson, who would carry along to success the domestic goals of JFK, and expand beyond it in the “Great Society” programs in the mid 1960s.

Jimmy Carter had a perfect match for Vice President in Walter Mondale, who became the most active and engaged Vice President, practically a co-President.

Ronald Reagan had no foreign policy experience, and George H. W. Bush was a great asset to him in the 1980s.

Bush made a terrible choice in Dan Quayle as his Vice President, and made everyone pray for his health when he had an “atrial fibrillation” in office.

Bill Clinton was fortunate to have Al Gore as his VP, as Gore helped to direct Clinton on the environment, an issue Clinton had performed poorly as Arkansas Governor.

George W. Bush had a smart, intelligent, capable Vice President in Dick Cheney, except for the reality that he “ran the show” in the first term, and pushed us into unwise wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and managed to make millions of personal wealth from Halliburton.

He is often called the most powerful Vice President in American history, in the sense of his impact and powerful influence in policy under Bush, although somewhat less so in the second term, as Bush separated himself to some extent from Cheney.

The Barack Obama-Joe Biden “Bromance” was extremely close and influential, only matched by the Carter-Mondale partnership.

The relationship between Donald Trump and Mike Pence has been one of total sycophancy by Pence, as he hopes to become President at some point in the future. The evangelical Christian Right has been a major factor in the total degradation, and lack of ethics and morals of the Trump Presidency.

So for good or for bad, the Vice Presidency has made a difference!

Strategies For Joe Biden’s Vice Presidential Selection

Ronald 1 Comment

Former Vice President Joe Biden is forming a committee to consider who should be his running mate for Vice President.

The choice of a future Vice President and possible President is crucial, so many of the proposed choices should not be seriously considered.

Any Vice President has to have the experience, the knowledge, the intelligence to take over on a moment’s notice.

That person needs to be much younger than Biden, who will reach 78 two weeks after the Presidential Election of 2020.

Such a person has to have the success of being an officeholder with state wide success.

Such a person should likely not be a Governor, as such a person should be kept busy dealing with the CoronaVirus Pandemic, not running for Vice President.

Such a person should not come from a state where if such person became Vice President, that state’s Senate seat might switch to the Republicans.

So already, just from what this author and blogger has stated, it is his belief that Elizabeth Warren, Stacey Abrams, Gretchen Whitmer, or Michelle Lujan Grisham, and any member of the House of Representatives should automatically be eliminated, such as Val Demings of Florida.

So who is on the list, and clearly stands out, and has already run for President, giving much needed extra national exposure?

Two US Senators are the finalists, with the reality that the Democratic Presidential nominee has always selected a US Senator as a running mate since 1944, except twice.

In 1972, it was George McGovern who chose Senator Thomas Eagleton, but he was forced out due to fears because he had undergone psychiatric treatment, and was replaced by Kennedy brother in law Sergeant Shriver.

And in 1984 ,Walter Mondale blundered in naming Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro as his Vice Presidential choice.

It should also be pointed out that those two times were the most disastrous for the Democrats, running against second term candidates Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, and in both elections, McGovern and Mondale only won one state and Washington, DC in the Electoral College.

Those two US Senators are Kamala Harris of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, with California certain to have a Democratic replacement in the Senate.

But Minnesota is much more uncertain, although right now that state has a Democratic Governor, Tim Walz.

But in a followup election after a temporary appointment, Minnesota could not be guaranteed to elect a permanent Democratic replacement in the US Senate.

So while either Harris or Klobuchar (age 56 or 60) are the two best choices, Harris has a slight edge in the sense her Senate seat is safely Democratic, but either woman would make an excellent VP, and a potential President of the United States!

Donald Trump Has Finally Gone Too Far: A Sense That Trump Has Endangered Public Health And His Own Presidency’s Ability To Survive

Ronald 55 Comments

Through all of the outrages and obscene words and actions of Donald Trump, even through his impeachment trial, the sense is there that Donald Trump has now endangered public health and his own disgraceful Presidency’s ability to survive.

His acting like a Medical Doctor, and giving his stupid, cult like followers advice on medications and now on ingesting or injecting disinfectant into their bodies has led to some hospitalizations and likely deaths. Others are not understanding that the President is totally unhinged and dangerous, and that they should ignore his ranting and raving in his daily, disgraceful displays of insanity!

Trump is now being given advice to stop participating in the daily updates, and on Friday, he took no questions and ended the press conference within a few minutes.

If he has not lost all credibility now, and if he continues to have a “Jim Jones” type effect on his lunatic followers, then those morons will deserve to die, and at least clean our nation of people who support his racism, nativism, and misogyny. The danger he presents to our domestic progress represented by the New Deal of FDR and the Great Society of LBJ, and to a stable foreign policy in support of our allies in NATO and in East Asia is massive.

And now, he threatens to destroy the Postal Service; stop all immigration when it is an essential part of the American success story and necessary for economic growth; eliminate all environmental laws on the books; and to bomb Iran. The latter is a ploy to gain an image as a wartime President, making it possible for him to be reelected, but he must be prevented from any such action.

The pressure to resign, and let Vice President Mike Pence finish the term, will start to grow to prevent a total destruction of the Republican Party, and the sense that he might finally have reached the point, where the nation’s safety and security is at stake.

Clearly, anyone who still will take the view that Trump should be reelected, as Joe Biden and his potential female running mate have this or that fault or shortcoming, is a sign that such person has severe mental illness, and cannot see what is essential for the nation!

That is the resignation of Donald Trump, far more dangerous now, than Richard Nixon was, when he resigned on August 9, 1974!

CoronaVirus Pandemic Will Harm Trump Prospects In Key “Swing” States

Ronald 10 Comments

It is a fact that many senior citizens, the elderly, like Donald Trump, not sure why, but reality.

The number of senior citizens is particularly high in states that voted for Trump, and are often seen as “Red” states, but also as “Swing” states.

This includes the warm weather states of Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Arizona.

And it is reality that senior citizens, sadly, all over the nation, are dying in higher percentages than other groups, due to medical conditions and immunity shortcomings, from the CoronaVirus Pandemic.

It now seems highly likely that a larger number of elderly who tend to like or love Trump, have passed away, and that more will, and will help to swing some “Red” states, particularly the “warm” ones mentioned, and help to elect Joe Biden.

Six And A Half Months To Most Crucial Presidential Election Since 1940

Ronald 5 Comments

We are facing this November the fifth most crucial Presidential election in American history.

Every Presidential election matters, of course, and in the midst of each campaign, there are those who will think it is the most important event ever to occur.

But in reality, the number of times that an election has been truly “crucial” is limited to what this author and blogger believes are only a few times.

Those few elections that have been crucial to the extreme would include, chronologically the following:

Election of 1860, a four way race, with the Civil War seen as on the horizon, and Abraham Lincoln winning with only 39.8 percent of the vote, over Stephen Douglas, John C. Breckinridge, and John Bell.

Election of 1864, in which Lincoln defeated former General George McClellan, at a crucial time in the Civil War.

Election of 1932, in which the nation was at its lowest economic point in history, with the failure of Herbert Hoover, and the alternative of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal.

Election of 1940, when America faced the danger of Fascism in the world, but isolationism reigned, and Franklin D. Roosevelt faced a businessman with no government experience, Wendell Willkie, as the world was engaged in World War II.

Now, in 2020, we face a CoronaVirus Pandemic; a collapsed economy worse than any time since the Great Depression; and a crazed, dangerous President who should have been removed from office for abuse of power, and instead is, effectively, taking the nation over the brink of the cliff that it is facing at this time!

So just as Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt came to the rescue, each of them twice, now Joe Biden and his female running mate face the challenge of the greatest crisis in 80 years, and we have to hope he can gather the strength, courage, and decisiveness of Lincoln, FDR, and other great Presidents, including Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama in difficult moments in their Presidencies!

Biden Leads Most United Party Since 2012, And Gains Republicans And Conservatives Who See Trump As Existential Threat To Nation And World

Ronald 3 Comments

Former Vice President Joe Biden is now, officially, the Democratic Presidential nominee, with the announced withdrawal of Bernie Sanders.

But Trump supporters and far left whackos are attacking him as having mental issues that make him incompetent to be President.

Has anyone paid attention lately to the mental incompetence of Donald Trump?

Yes, Joe Biden has some lapses at times, but he is backed up by a wife who has a brain and commitment, unlike Melania Trump!

He will do just fine in the Oval Office, by having top advisers who have principles and beliefs that are far different than the crooked, corrupt, incompetent people around Donald Trump.

He will have a top notch Vice Presidential running mate, who if necessity requires it, will be fully competent and qualified to take over the Presidency, much more so than religious extremist and right winger Mike Pence!

No one expects perfection, but Joe Biden leads a united Democratic Party, more than it has been since 2012, and many Republicans and conservatives, including those in the Lincoln Project, are fully backing him, as will many Independents.

Donald Trump is clearly seen as an existential threat to the nation and the world, and the thought that he might win a second term is horrifying!

75th Anniversary Of Death Of FDR: A President We Need Desperately Now In 2020 And Into 2021!

Ronald Leave a comment

Today is the 75th Anniversary of the death of the greatest 20th Century President, Franklin D. Roosevelt!

Other than Abraham Lincoln, no President matches the significance and impact of FDR!

Of course, there are naysayers, and as a scholar and author of a book on the New Deal, and having taught about FDR and the New Deal for decades, it is clear that there were faults and shortcomings in the FDR record in both domestic and foreign policy!

But the reality is that FDR came to office at the worst time since the Civil War, and while the Great Depression did not end until World War II, millions were helped by FDR New Deal policies, and he saved the nation from total collapse, as was happening under his predecessor, Herbert Hoover.

A person such as FDR is needed now, at a time when the situation is the worst for America since the Great Depression and World War II!

The question is can Joe Biden be the savior for the next four years, since he will be 78 two weeks after the Presidential Election of 2020.

Many will see Joe Biden as having possible signs of dementia, but this blogger and author has observed and listened to him, and while he has his “moments” of sounding a bit silly or clueless, can anyone really say that Donald Trump sounds less silly or clueless?

In fact, Trump daily seems much more dangerous, as his personality and viewpoints on all issues domestic and foreign, is horrific!

And if one looks back at Lincoln and FDR, Lincoln had definite issues with depression and circulatory issues with his health, and FDR had polio and bouts with poor health in his last few years. And yet, they both led brilliantly under the strains of their times!

Biden has elements of decency, compassion, sincerity, humanity, empathy, and a genuinely kind personality, and he has always been this way. Joe is loved by many because he is real, not a phony. That does not mean everything he has ever said or done is perfect, far from it!

But elections are choices, and Joe is far superior to Donald Trump in personality, but also in experience, knowledge, work ethic, and willingness be considerate in what he utters and actions he takes!

And let’s face it, either Biden or Trump could become incapacitated or die during the next term, as it has been a long time, nearly six decades since a President died, and five decades since a President left office during a term. This is longer than at any time in American history since 1841 to 1974, when we had a total of eight Presidential deaths and one Presidential resignation, so in a sense, we are overdue.

So the key issue is not whether either Biden nor Trump make it to the end of the term, but rather does one prefer a woman VP or Mike Pence to be the 47th President of the United States, which may be the end result sometime during the term!

Any sane, decent person would say the former would be preferable!

True Heroes: Supermarket, Pharmacy, And Transit Workers,First Responders, Medical Personnel, Now Many Becoming Part Of Death Toll Of CoronaVirus Pandemic

Ronald 71 Comments

So much attention in the news is always about famous people, wealthy people, controversial people!

How about some attention to the true heroes who often work for minimum wage, and those who sacrifice at work every day without the CoronaVirus Pandemic, or with it, more noticed now!

The true heroes are unsung, including those who work in supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, gas stations, and many other “essential” fields of work!

The true heroes also are the transit workers, those who deliver the mail, first responders (police, fire, emergency medical), and the nurses, doctors, and other medical personnel, who are working long hours trying to save lives, and despairing at the high death count!

This is also a time to appreciate the efforts of teachers, who suddenly parents realize what a tough and thankless job they have in educating the nation’s children, as now parents must become teachers, and not take the educators of the nation for granted!

But notice, not a real tribute to all of these workers coming from the President of the United States. while Joe Biden, his opponent, has spoken plenty about the sacrifices of these different categories of workers!

But that is because Joe Biden, whether you agree with him on all public issues, is fundamentally, a decent, compassionate, genuine, sincere person with real empathy and concern for others, the precise opposite of the cold, uncaring personality of our President!

Joe Biden’s personality traits are exactly what we need in the Presidency, to heal the nation and move forward into an uncertain future!

Donald Trump The Ultimate Loser, As His “Beloved Economy” Is In Tatters, And He Gets Joe Biden, The Candidate He Most Feared, As His Opponent In November

Ronald 2 Comments

Donald Trump has seen his dreams of a second term dwindling dramatically with his “beloved economy”, brought about by Barack Obama, in the greatest economic recovery in American history, now in tatters, and making him a President with an economic collapse that will not end magically in a few months. And never has a President in an economic downturn won reelection, never!

Trump got himself impeached over trying to prevent Joe Biden from becoming the Democratic nominee against him, since he fears him more than anyone else, and now he is stuck with Joe Biden as his opponent in November!

He will discover that Joe Biden will be a much tougher opponent than Hillary Clinton, and once Biden picks his woman running mate, the campaign will be on in force!

So it is time for Joe Biden to announce soon who his Vice Presidential nominee will be, and doing it sooner, rather than later, will enliven the campaign, even before the national conventions this summer!

The Absolute Urgency For Joe Biden To Select The “Right” Vice Presidential Candidate

Ronald Leave a comment

Indications are that former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is zeroing in on potential Vice Presidential running mates for the upcoming Presidential Election in 2020.

Were Bernie Sanders, Biden’s remaining opponent, to agree to withdraw from the race since the odds of his turning around Joe Biden’s approximate 300 plus delegate lead is quite a long shot, then Biden could move ahead and choose his running mate, which would be an excellent strategy.

Rather than wait to shortly before the convention or at the convention, picking a VP running mate now would be insurance if, for any reason, including the CoronaVirus Pandemic, Joe Biden could not continue as the nominee of the party.

While nothing would be official until endorsed by a convention, the VP choice would be the heir apparent in case of need.

So the right thing to do for Bernie Sanders is concede and let the Democrats move forward with their ticket, with the certainty that the VP candidate will be a woman!