My interest in politics flourished while I was a student in high school, specifically during the last two years when I had one of the most engaging, effective American History teachers possible, a similar experience with a teacher in civics and economics, combined with all of the political news surrounding the Watergate scandal and the resignation of both Spiro T. Agnew as Vice-President and Richard Nixon from the Presidency. It was a superb combination, exactly the kind of thing educators dream about.
Since then, Presidential politics was not just a hobby. I majored in history, to teach it, minoring in English and took a core of concentrated courses in political science. Friends and family members warned me that the combination of those majors would lead to becoming a flaming liberal. They were right about that. It sure did. Do I sound unhappy about it? Not now, and not at any time during the 43 years since I got my B.A.
From the time I've been watching, we've had some great Presidents, we've had mediocre Presidents, and we've had one horrible President. Being a Democrat, I tend to evaluate the Democrats from my perspective, which means that I think the Democrats who have been in office that I can remember were pretty successful. I don't remember Lyndon Johnson much, except from media clips and history studies, but I do remember Jimmy Carter, a great man and in the hindsight of history, a good President. He was personable, and made me feel like he knew who I was and cared.
In terms of real accomplishment, President Clinton and President Obama were achievers. They were also examples of strength in the face of adversity, defending their convictions in spite of opposition that was most often disrespectful and didn't deserve their respect. Their presidencies can be evaluated as competent successes in contrast to both of their predecessors. I admired them both and I count them among the greatest ever to have served in office.
President Biden fits well with the success of his most recent Democratic predecessors, but there's something about him that sets him apart. President Biden somehow manages, in spite of all of the stress he experiences, the critics, the issues and the way politics has become, to make me feel that he thinks of me, as a fellow American, as a member of his family. I've never met him personally, but there's just something about him, his speech, mannerisms, and the way he thinks and acts, that reminds me a lot of my own father. He makes me feel like we could sit down for lunch and carry on a conversation like I've known him forever. And in some ways, I guess I have.
Our country is going through a dark time. The ghosts of ideologies and political movements we thought were long dead, that dragged us into Civil War, and caused the world to be dragged into the flames of two world wars, have resurrected themselves and are appearing everywhere. We saw the beginnings of turmoil in the Middle East, in two wars in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. It has now flared up again, bigger, and far more serious, in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where the same old ideologies are simply wearing new labels.
This darkness has also infiltrated our Congress, the governing body of the United States, with the same kind of bigotry that we saw prior to and after the Civil War, and which is rooted in problems that we don't seem capable of resolving. It has already tried to start a second Civil War, and is still an active presence and a danger. It gained a foothold in the previous Presidency and made a move to grab the power out of the people's hands on January 6, 2020, but fortunately, failed. However, it is still very much there and it has friends around the world who would like nothing more than to see a neutralized United States of America, or an America taken over by darkness and helping spread it to the rest of the world.
We needed someone as President who had experience, knew the depth of what is being dealt with and willing to put himself on the line, regardless of the political cost, to stop it. When President Biden was inaugurated, the kind of unity we needed seemed impossible to achieve, and in many ways, it still does. But there is no doubt in my mind, two years into this term, that he was the man for the hour, and I pray for his continued good health and clarity of mind because his expertise, knowledge of how this all works, commitment to public service and his empathy and compassion for people, and his devotion to American democracy and the Constitution are the strongest combination of strengths and skills that this country needs right now, especially with the House under the control of the other party, influenced by unhinged extremists.
Because of who he is, and how he operates, and what he brings to the table, he is under attack. That's been going on since before he was elected. They've attacked everything from his age and mental health to his family members. It's been relentless. What he needs now is our encouragement, support, and confidence. There's a lot that can be done locally to demonstrate support, from letters to the editor of local newspapers and online media to the social media outlets, even the ones owned by his detractors. They've got nothing on him because there's nothing to get on him. They've been trying, including the use of bribes with foreign government leaders and now, making a huge deal out of nothing. And they'll keep trying. The media can do all of the speculation and projection it wants, Joe Biden is an honest man, an American patriot with character. That's what I know.
The political turmoil must be discouraging. But he's shown, time and time again, that he's not easily discouraged. So we're at one of those points when we can get behind him and do everything within our power to help him do the job we elected him to do.
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