New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's daily press conferences put Donald Trump to shame. The governor is everything that Trump is not: intelligent, informative, and inspiring. Watching Cuomo each day leads me to reflect on the traits of leadership, something I never questioned when Barack Obama was president:
Leadership is honest. Someone who leads tells the truth. All of Cuomo's press conferences begin with an overview of the facts. We get the numbers, the projections, and the honest assessment of deaths, as hard as these are to hear. What about Trump? "I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. I've always viewed it as very serious."
Leadership is responsible. Cuomo told us one day last week that people were angry at him for closing businesses. His response? "I take full responsibility," he said. Trump, on the other hand, blamed Obama for the slow testing rate in America and said, "No, I don't take responsibility at all."
Leadership acts decisively. Governor Cuomo closed the schools and nonessential workforce, deployed the National Guard, selected new hospital sites, and secured volunteer services from retired medical professionals. Each day he announces new measures and new ideas. Trump? Not so much. His contradictory remarks sow confusion and fear. On Friday he announced the possibility of a quarantine for New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and by Sunday he'd canceled it.
Leadership is empathic. When Andrew Cuomo talks about the loss of life, the bravery of healthcare workers and first responders, and the generosity of people all over the country, he shows that he understands the feelings of others. Donald Trump, on the other hand, seems not to care. He doesn't speak movingly about the sacrifices of Americans or about our dying citizens. He speaks only in platitudes: "It's going to disappear," he says, "We're going to be hopefully a best case, not a worst case," scenario.
Finally, leadership believes in something larger than self. In today's press conference, Governor Cuomo talked about two paramount concepts: Excelsior and E pluribus unum. In Latin these mean respectively "ever upward" and "out of many, one." Cuomo believes in aspiration and unity, inspiring listeners to something higher than themselves. President Trump? He's made it clear that he cares more about financial markets and wealth than about American lives. It wasn't until the stock market crashed repeatedly that he demanded action. His personal interests are his highest calling.
Governor Cuomo has stepped into the leadership vacancy that exists at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and I couldn't be more grateful.
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Sunday, March 22, 2020
2020 Election$
I'm sure I'm not the only person who noticed that President Trump acted with speed and deliberation once the coronavirus threatened the nation's economy, but with zero speed and deliberation when it threatened the nation's health. We've learned this week what we surely sensed: that federal officials received intelligence reports in January and February, alerting them to the potential medical disaster that lay ahead. What did Trump do with this information to protect the American people, WHICH IS HIS JOB? Nothing. Denial. Lies. Braggadocio. Slurs.
Meanwhile, we learned this week that some of our senators apparently used the information from these intelligence reports to enhance their portfolios. According to The Washington Post, Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia sold millions of dollars in stock shortly after she attended a private briefing about the dangerous virus and later purchased holdings in a teleworking software company. How prescient! Her colleague Senator Richard Burr, never one to care much about constituents here in North Carolina, sold holdings in hotels and restaurants, shipping, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare, all of which have suffered in the pandemic.
The election before us on November 3 couldn't be more important for many reasons, and one of the main ones is this: do we want to be a country where money matters more than people, or where people matter more than money? The America we live in today values the dollar more than the person. It's the dollar that determines the care and medications we get when we're sick, the quality of our children's education, the purity of our water and air, and the safety net (that's full of holes) when things go wrong.
While the Democratic party has participated in creating this situation, the Republicans under Donald Trump have taken it to an entirely new level. The cronies surrounding the president represent corporate rather than human interests, and this administration's response to the emergency we now face lays bare the disastrous consequences of valuing money over people.
One way out of this national tragedy is to vote Democratic on November 3: Make America Humane Again.
Meanwhile, we learned this week that some of our senators apparently used the information from these intelligence reports to enhance their portfolios. According to The Washington Post, Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia sold millions of dollars in stock shortly after she attended a private briefing about the dangerous virus and later purchased holdings in a teleworking software company. How prescient! Her colleague Senator Richard Burr, never one to care much about constituents here in North Carolina, sold holdings in hotels and restaurants, shipping, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare, all of which have suffered in the pandemic.
The election before us on November 3 couldn't be more important for many reasons, and one of the main ones is this: do we want to be a country where money matters more than people, or where people matter more than money? The America we live in today values the dollar more than the person. It's the dollar that determines the care and medications we get when we're sick, the quality of our children's education, the purity of our water and air, and the safety net (that's full of holes) when things go wrong.
While the Democratic party has participated in creating this situation, the Republicans under Donald Trump have taken it to an entirely new level. The cronies surrounding the president represent corporate rather than human interests, and this administration's response to the emergency we now face lays bare the disastrous consequences of valuing money over people.
One way out of this national tragedy is to vote Democratic on November 3: Make America Humane Again.
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Joe's Back!!
Last night's debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders featured two intelligent, thoughtful men, both of whom would guide our country with a sound judgment that we've lacked since January 20, 2017. Their responses to questions about the coronavirus alone demonstrated the shocking contrast between what we have now and what we could have in the future. Still, Joe Biden's performance confirmed his place as the front-runner in three major ways.
He's found his voice, the voice of reason and calm. He didn't bumble around, as he did in previous debates, confusing listeners and struggling for words. He didn't shout in a rote, defensive manner, appearing out of control. No, this was the Joe that many of us have hoped to see: a long-serving senator and vice president whose experience and knowledge are what we need. A steady, wise leader willing to listen, negotiate, and compromise. He's ready for Day 1 in a way that Bernie is not.
He's found his vice-president, or at least identified her gender, indicating that he gets it. He gets how many of us feel. Why can't we elect a woman as president of the United States? Indira Gandhi was prime minister of India in 1966; Margaret Thatcher of the UK in 1979; Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan in 1988; Mary Robinson of Ireland in 1990; Angela Merkel of Germany in 2005. And these are the names we recognize. Check this CNN website for new names, where you'll see that in 2010 - 2011, the following countries elected women as heads of state: Australia, Costa Rica, Kyrgyzstan, Slovakia, Trinidad and Tobago, Denmark, Kosovo, Mali, and Thailand. We're way overdue, and we're not there yet. But Joe is committed to making it happen, whereas Bernie hesitated, indicating that he's not.
Finally, Joe has found his smile, which had gone missing on stage--his smile of the joy of politics, the delight of debate and conversation, and the compassion for others. What a relief to see its return, for I miss having a president who smiles in a genuine, selfless way, managing to dispel fear and anxiety. Donald Trump's smile is smug and self-satisfied. Bernie, unfortunately, doesn't smile enough. I need a lighter demeanor.
We're closing in on nominating our candidate. Let the race begin, and let us unseat the demagogue in the White House who serves only himself and not the people of this country.
He's found his voice, the voice of reason and calm. He didn't bumble around, as he did in previous debates, confusing listeners and struggling for words. He didn't shout in a rote, defensive manner, appearing out of control. No, this was the Joe that many of us have hoped to see: a long-serving senator and vice president whose experience and knowledge are what we need. A steady, wise leader willing to listen, negotiate, and compromise. He's ready for Day 1 in a way that Bernie is not.
He's found his vice-president, or at least identified her gender, indicating that he gets it. He gets how many of us feel. Why can't we elect a woman as president of the United States? Indira Gandhi was prime minister of India in 1966; Margaret Thatcher of the UK in 1979; Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan in 1988; Mary Robinson of Ireland in 1990; Angela Merkel of Germany in 2005. And these are the names we recognize. Check this CNN website for new names, where you'll see that in 2010 - 2011, the following countries elected women as heads of state: Australia, Costa Rica, Kyrgyzstan, Slovakia, Trinidad and Tobago, Denmark, Kosovo, Mali, and Thailand. We're way overdue, and we're not there yet. But Joe is committed to making it happen, whereas Bernie hesitated, indicating that he's not.
Finally, Joe has found his smile, which had gone missing on stage--his smile of the joy of politics, the delight of debate and conversation, and the compassion for others. What a relief to see its return, for I miss having a president who smiles in a genuine, selfless way, managing to dispel fear and anxiety. Donald Trump's smile is smug and self-satisfied. Bernie, unfortunately, doesn't smile enough. I need a lighter demeanor.
We're closing in on nominating our candidate. Let the race begin, and let us unseat the demagogue in the White House who serves only himself and not the people of this country.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Geriatric Quiz Time
How much do you know about our three geriatric contenders for the presidency? Test yourself in today's quiz:
1. Who is the oldest current contender?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
2. Who plays the most golf?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
3. Who has the most stents (that we know of)?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
4. Who has the most grandchildren?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
5. Based on average life expectancy for men in the U.S., which candidate will be alive for the next presidential election in 2024?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
6. Who hasn't altered his hair?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
7. Taking the average age of our three contenders, how old must the next vice presidential candidate be to present a ticket with an average age of less than 50? (Hint: Mike Pence is too old)
A. 35
B. 28
C. 23
8. Which movie topped the decade of the 1940s (when our trio was born)?
A. Gone With the Wind
B. Citizen Kane
C. The Wizard of Oz
9. Which baseball team won the most World Series games in the 1940s?
A. Los Angeles Dodgers
B. St. Louis Cardinals
C. New York Yankees
10. Who said, as he reflected on his life, "I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is." (Hint: Perhaps this is why anxiety is so pervasive these days.)
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
Answer key:
1B, 2C, 3B, 4B, 5C, 6B, 7C, 8B, 9C, 10C
Count yourself a Geri-meister if you scored 9 - 10 points. Anything less means you must be a young'un!
1. Who is the oldest current contender?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
2. Who plays the most golf?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
3. Who has the most stents (that we know of)?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
4. Who has the most grandchildren?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
5. Based on average life expectancy for men in the U.S., which candidate will be alive for the next presidential election in 2024?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
6. Who hasn't altered his hair?
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
7. Taking the average age of our three contenders, how old must the next vice presidential candidate be to present a ticket with an average age of less than 50? (Hint: Mike Pence is too old)
A. 35
B. 28
C. 23
8. Which movie topped the decade of the 1940s (when our trio was born)?
A. Gone With the Wind
B. Citizen Kane
C. The Wizard of Oz
9. Which baseball team won the most World Series games in the 1940s?
A. Los Angeles Dodgers
B. St. Louis Cardinals
C. New York Yankees
10. Who said, as he reflected on his life, "I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is." (Hint: Perhaps this is why anxiety is so pervasive these days.)
A. Joe Biden
B. Bernie Sanders
C. Donald Trump
Answer key:
1B, 2C, 3B, 4B, 5C, 6B, 7C, 8B, 9C, 10C
Count yourself a Geri-meister if you scored 9 - 10 points. Anything less means you must be a young'un!
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Three Old Men Walk Into a Bar
It's time for me to decide. I have to vote on Tuesday, and I'm back where I started when this campaign began: supporting Joe Biden. I didn't expect this, having preferred both Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar in recent months. But it looks like we're left with three septuagenerian white men.
Voting for Michael Bloomberg is not an option for me. He had two opportunities in the debates to prove that he understood and regretted his racist, sexist past, and he didn't do so. His ads are terrific, true, but he doesn't come across as well in person. He's like the Wizard of Oz when Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal the truth: the man behind the splashy ads is not the man to govern this country. Bloomberg's money is better spent on his main concerns, gun violence and climate change, and on Democratic candidates in November.
Bernie Sanders is more difficult for me to reject. The America he imagines is one I'd love to see. Health care is a human right, as he says whenever he gets the chance. Our economy should work for all of us, and not just for the wealthy. He's consistent in his views; who we see is who we get. But he's also said, "I think there are a lot of people who, when they hear the word 'socialist,' get very, very nervous." He's correct, and this is a big part of the problem. He scares people. His views require explanation and subtlety, which don't fit well in the American political landscape. Moreover, Bernie's rigid, angry demeanor are not what we need following the turbulence of these last four years. We need someone calm.
Which brings me to Joe Biden, who's also flawed. As I've written before, he's often seemed confused in debates and presents a backward-thinking agenda. He wraps Barack Obama around himself too much. The world has changed since the two of them governed, and we need fresh thinkers and new ideas. Still, Joe knows how the federal government works. He knows the people who can sort out the mess that Donald Trump created. He knows world leaders and understands the dynamics of international relationships. He's the most qualified of the three to start governing on January 20, 2021.
Three old men walk into a bar. . . It's almost a joke that we've ended up here. But it's not funny, and it's not ideal. Still, any one of the three would do much better than the yellow-haired guy currently serving the drinks, and I think Joe Biden is the one most likely to succeed at taking his place and taking back our country.
Voting for Michael Bloomberg is not an option for me. He had two opportunities in the debates to prove that he understood and regretted his racist, sexist past, and he didn't do so. His ads are terrific, true, but he doesn't come across as well in person. He's like the Wizard of Oz when Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal the truth: the man behind the splashy ads is not the man to govern this country. Bloomberg's money is better spent on his main concerns, gun violence and climate change, and on Democratic candidates in November.
Bernie Sanders is more difficult for me to reject. The America he imagines is one I'd love to see. Health care is a human right, as he says whenever he gets the chance. Our economy should work for all of us, and not just for the wealthy. He's consistent in his views; who we see is who we get. But he's also said, "I think there are a lot of people who, when they hear the word 'socialist,' get very, very nervous." He's correct, and this is a big part of the problem. He scares people. His views require explanation and subtlety, which don't fit well in the American political landscape. Moreover, Bernie's rigid, angry demeanor are not what we need following the turbulence of these last four years. We need someone calm.
Which brings me to Joe Biden, who's also flawed. As I've written before, he's often seemed confused in debates and presents a backward-thinking agenda. He wraps Barack Obama around himself too much. The world has changed since the two of them governed, and we need fresh thinkers and new ideas. Still, Joe knows how the federal government works. He knows the people who can sort out the mess that Donald Trump created. He knows world leaders and understands the dynamics of international relationships. He's the most qualified of the three to start governing on January 20, 2021.
Three old men walk into a bar. . . It's almost a joke that we've ended up here. But it's not funny, and it's not ideal. Still, any one of the three would do much better than the yellow-haired guy currently serving the drinks, and I think Joe Biden is the one most likely to succeed at taking his place and taking back our country.
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