It’s Far Past Time to “Normalize” Joe Biden’s Approach to Leading and Governing!

Make Honorable and Good Great again!

I’ve been closely studying the popular and punditry reactions to President Joe Biden in this critical time in our history. This morning I came across a comment on the very wonderful post (You must read it!) by Robert Hubbell in his Substack, “Today’s Edition Newsletter.”

Commenter Cheryl Hamilton had this to say:

“After watching Joe last night, I think he needs to have press conferences on a regular basis and perhaps should have been doing it on a regular basis. Speaking off the cuff is something that takes practice and putting him in front of the American people on a regular basis would help Americans get to know him better and understand his speaking style, etc. I hope he does more of these news conferences for the American people between now and Election Day.”

I think this is brilliant. It is exactly right.

It’s far past time to normalize Joe Biden’s approach to leading, governing, and campaigning.

With the press’s help and indulgence, Trump’s abjectly absurd, morally and ethically bankrupt, and often criminal approach to governing and campaigning (and to being a human being) has been fully normalized over the past 8+ years to an extent unimaginable only a presidency or so ago. This normalization has grown to such an extent that many millions of his acolytes have felt free and wholly justified in embracing not just Trump, but Trumpism — Trump’s approach to life.

So while President Biden apparently has been carefully managed with respect to unscripted public appearances, perhaps for fear of getting into exactly what has transpired since the debate, the main, ubiquitous and default presence for the media and its publics has been the 24/365 Trump carnival of narcissistic chaos — a Hollywood-infused B-Movie romanticization of the mafioso model of governance by grift.

It’s now clear that this has been a mistake.

The just finished NATO Conference that Biden hosted here in DC demonstrated what many have lost track of: Biden continues to be respected and trusted at the highest levels of government and power within his administration — and also, clearly — around the entire world because he is so smart,experienced, wise, and resolute.

Biden listens. Biden Learns. Biden finds the best people and takes their counsel. He deliberates. And he makes smart, considered decisions in what he and his team believe are in the best interests of our country and the world we live in.

The fact is that, ;largely because of natural aging, Biden now has some difficulties with speaking loudly. And his still sharp mind sometimes races ahead of his verbal output capacity.

But Biden is thinking and doing and demonstrating incredibly strong leadership in a way that is totally opposite of just about everything and anything that Donald Trump ever can or choose to do.

This is Biden’s superpower in this moment.

It needs to be normalized and seen for the power that is still inherent and extremely present in him: in his mind, in his morals, in his dedication to our country and it’s democratic ambitions, and in its power. Joe Biden has steered us and the world through some of the most challenging domestic and foreign challenges we have faced in generations.

It’s time to have Joe Biden speak to the press and to the people at every opportunity. It’s time for people to get accustomed to his way of talking and walking — and of leading. It’s time to enable people to appreciate and embrace real leadership over Trumpian carnival barking.

It’s time to normalize Joe Biden’s example and model of an extraordinarily Good, if not Great. American leader.