Navy Joan Visits the White House

"Welcome to the White House, Navy Joan. You can call me Grandpa Joe or just Grandpa or anything else that works for you. I'm Hunter's daddy. Will you hold my hand?

It's so nice to meet you. Did you know that we're going to hang a Christmas stocking for you this year? I'll make sure there's something nice in it for you.

Ms. Roberts, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I hope you'll enjoy your visit here. If there's anything you need, we'll make sure you have it. Please be comfortable and enjoy the moment.

My staff will give us a White House tour and then we'll have lunch. I hope you're planning to stay the night. We've had the Lincoln Bedroom set up just for the two of you."

-----

If you can imagine this scene, can you also imagine the effect it might have on American civility? Leading by example? Showing strength in the face of adversity? Bringing people together instead of driving us apart? Peace?

Unwelcome stuff happens to us all the time. Sometimes it's our fault. No matter, it's our job to rise above it, to deal with it in a civilized manner, to learn from it if we can and not repeat our mistakes. It's what we do as civilized Americans. Above all, we do not hurt innocent children or others in the process.

It's too bad that Hunter was never a Boy Scout. That system teaches virtue and responsibility. He would have learned a lot there.

Hunter was a Jesuit volunteer in Portland, Oregon, for a time. Presumably, there were Jesuit administrators of his volunteer program. He, and all of us, could learn much from Jesuitical teachings. They teach love of Christ, service to others and the promotion of justice.

Where there are problems there are often solutions. A solution may be effective but not palatable. Still, if it's the only solution then that's what you gotta do. Bite the bullet, as they say. 

Which solution you choose will reflect, inter alia, on your character. People will notice. 

I can identify with problems with ex-spouses. No matter what, you have to choose the solution that best serves your children. It can be expensive and frustrating but you MUST serve your child. Damn your ego, just do it. Pay the support, pay for summer camp, pay for braces, take your children when you can.

I am a life-long conservative Republican. If Joe Biden treated Navy Joan like this I would vote for him because I could identify with his humanity. I will vote against him because, among so many other reasons, he will not.

 Distractions

Look over there! It's demon COCAINE!!!

KJP spent half of today's White House briefing talking about the little baggie of cocaine found in the White House, in a crack of furniture where visitors congregate. 

The amount is so small that a big-city cop would likely have just emptied it on the ground. Why not? It's legal most places, thanks to political vote fishing. And, just for the record, I don't believe it was Hunter's. Even Hunter is more discreet than that.

That's what the Secret Service should have done, then maybe make a comment to the effect of, "Don't do this, America. This is your house, too."

But NO! Look over there! We found some cocaine!

KJP could have taked about the economy, Ukraine, Prigoshin, China, our transportation crisis, energy and so much more. Instead, "You want a briefing, I'll GIVE you a freakin' briefing." 

It just won't be about anything important. That's the way of today's White House. "We'll talk to you but we won't tell you anything."

That's transparency today. Transparency is whenever they'll deign to talk to us. They count those, you know. Then she can say, "The White House has spoken about this X many times." What underlines that is "Weren't you paying attention?" Prol.

Bottom line for us today is, "Why did you call this press briefing at all?"

The real bottom line for KJP is, "We clicked off another day without reporting an international blunder. The election is that much closer. Whew."