December 4, 2020--Fight Like Hell

Like many of us, president-elect Joe Biden is thinking about why it is essential for Americans of all persuasions to find ways to talk to and work together.  

About this, in a wide-ranging interview with Tom Friedman of the New York Times, the former vice president said--

"I want to make sure we're going to fight like hell by investing in America first."

And this time, he insisted, rural America will not be left behind.  "We have got to rebuild the middle class, but especially in rural America.

"There is no way Democrats can go another four years and lose almost every rural county in America and be successful as a party.  For their sake and the country's, Democrats have to figure out what is going on there and speak to rural voters more effectively."

Biden continued, "You know, it really does go to the issue of dignity, how you treat people.  I think middle Americans feel forgotten.  I think we forgot them."

Biden closed the interview by reflecting on the ugliness of the last four years--first seeing the glass half empty but then decided in the end, "who knows, maybe it's half full."

"Seventy-two million people is a lot of people to vote for Trump," he said, "But maybe, just maybe when Trump is gone from the immediate scene I'm not so sure that ugliness stays.  There may be twenty percent of it.  Twenty-five percent of it, I don't know.

"But some portion has to come back to a place where we can collaborate.

"We need to figure out how to work together.  Otherwise, we're in real trouble."

Joe's got it figured out. Now, for the rest of us . . .