Told ya on Monday the insanity over the omicron variant was going to whip the less sane parts of the populace into a Salem Witch Trials-esque state of lunacy, and it has arrived. It is almost beyond belief what we are seeing out there.
Alas, if you look at our last two presidents, you realize neither had the ability to communicate a clear and effective message to the public. First there was the bloviatin’ blowhard, now there is the comatose cougher, occupying the White House.
Which leads on to think back to the presidents who actually could deliver a speech about troubled news with strength and calm resolve. Below, there’s John Kennedy speaking to the nation about the Cuban Missile Crisis, which, had things turned out differently, could have shish-kebab’d all of the D.C. region and much of the rest of the country, too.
You could tell JFK was tired, as he had every right to be, but his remarks were focused, strong and calm. Wish we had that these days.
And while we’re on the topic, I’ll toss in another speech: FDR requesting Congress to declare war on Japan (the “yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy…” speech). Again, a political leader who rose to the occasion.
Each had his faults, no doubt, but oh that we could have them back!
— Scott McCaffrey