By Jim Geraghty
Saturday, January 13, 2024
The Biden administration’s strategy of minimizing the
president’s sit-down interviews is not likely to be effective, because Biden
can still do quite a bit of damage in the off-the-cuff comments from questions
shouted by reporters. From this morning, as Biden was about to get on Marine One:
Q: Mr. President, do you have a
reaction to the Taiwan election?
THE PRESIDENT: We do not
support independence. (Inaudible.)
Q: Mr. President, would you call
the situation on the southern border a “crisis”?
THE PRESIDENT: No, but I wish
they would react. I’ve been pushing them — my Republican colleagues —
since I got into office. I think we have to make major changes at the
border. I’ve been pushing it. I’m prepared to make significant
alterations at the border. And there are negotiations going on for the
last five weeks, so I’m hopeful we’ll get there.
(Cross-talk.)
THE PRESIDENT: Whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa.
Q Any comment —
any comment —
Q What’s your
message to Iran —
THE PRESIDENT: Pardon me?
Q What’s next
with support for Ukraine?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, if my
Republican colleagues don’t fund Ukraine, they’re going to have an awful lot of
— to pay for, in terms of (inaudible).
First, while it is true that the U.S. continues to have
the “One China” policy and does not officially support a formal Taiwanese
declaration of independence, Taiwan’s Lai Ching-te, who goes by William,
deserved a kind word or two and congratulations. A U.S. ally conducted yet
another free and fair election, while living under the constant threat of
invasion by a hostile, nuclear-armed state across the narrow strait. The
Taiwanese people deserved more than just a cursory “we do not support
independence.” Secretary of State Antony
Blinken offered the kind of statement that Taiwan deserved; at 81, Biden
just can’t think on his feet anymore.
Second, Biden’s declaration that the situation on the
border is not “crisis” will likely end up in Republican attack ads. Earlier
this week, Pennsylvania Democratic senator John Fetterman told Fox News, “There’s a crisis at the
border, and I don’t know how anybody could pretend that there isn’t.” That
doesn’t mean Fetterman is on board with every proposal from Congressional
Republicans, but Fetterman recognizes that playing word games, and insisting that
the term “crisis” doesn’t fit, isn’t a viable strategy. If you want to solve a
crisis, the first step is recognizing that it is a genuine crisis.
Third, Biden really wants to fool people into
believing that he’s just itching to strengthen border security and crack down
on illegal immigration, but those darn Congressional Republicans won’t let him,
a complete inversion of reality.
Fourth, Biden continues to speak like Republicans are
these recalcitrant foes of supporting Ukraine, when the message from House
Speaker Mike Johnson and most other Congressional Republicans has been clear
for months: We will happily support aid for Ukraine (and Taiwan, and Israel) if
the Biden administration is willing to play ball on tougher border security and
changing the asylum rules. The ball is in Biden’s court; the negotiations would
end quick if Biden was willing to make concessions.
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