Joe, Walking Backwards is Dangerous

By Ray Cardello for September 3, 2022 Season 12 / Post 49

The modus operandi of the Biden administration has been to say something publicly and let the press secretary and staff walk the statements back or clarify the actual message the next day. The aftermath of the horrendous made-for-tv speech by Joe Biden follows the Biden MO to the letter. Joe was doing his own walking backward on Friday in an attempt at damage control.

This methodology lends tremendous confusion to the messaging of the President and the White House. Since he took office, joe has made statements, and the next day, you get an honest response. This tactic is amateurish at best but also leads to questions. Take this week, for example. On Thursday, Joe Biden condemned MAGA Republicans as terrorists and a threat to our democracy. On Friday, the story changed completely.

Joe Biden is now denying that he claimed all Trump supporters are evil, but the damage was done. People read the headlines. Nobody ever reads the retraction on page six. CNN was one of the few networks to carry the President’s speech live. I give the others credit for seeing through the White House’s intentions that this was a President’s speech to the country. They saw it as a political campaign speech for Biden and the Party. Though CNN’s ratings are at their lowest ever, its viewers soaked up the President’s vile rhetoric and the positive, giddy commentary following. The folks at MSNBC were over the top on Friday with praise for the speech and the tone of the President’s message. Some went so far as to say this moment was why Joe Biden was elected. At the same time, the commentators at FOX News were calling this moment Joe Biden’s deplorable moment, referring the Hillary Clinton’s famous gaffe. Biden’s speech cannot be his shining and deplorable moment simultaneously.

The fact that Biden was correcting his words the next day seems to nullify both views of his speech. If he claims his words were spoken or misinterpreted, then the reaction received is of the same value as the speech. They are both a waste of time and only help to confuse American and world viewers.

So, other than confuse us all, what has the President done with these twenty-four minutes of political theater? He has riled up both sides of the aisle, but I think he has further damaged his leadership position. He has angered the Right, which will have a longer-lasting impact than the euphoria felt on the Left. His performance has given the Right considerable material to be used in campaign ads at every level to exemplify how out of touch and unrealistic the President and his Party are. The projection contained in the speech was evident to anyone apprised of the facts.

We have gone through the list ad infinitum. The Border Crisis, the rise in crime, inflation, energy shortages, supply chain issues, gas prices, Fentanyl deaths, and falling educational standards are all the products of bad Progressive policies. To blame the Conservatives for these issues is, at best disingenuous and, at worst, a lie. I guess we will have to wait for the President to finish his backward walk to know the truth. Hopefully, he doesn’t fall in the process.