Bernie’s Weekly Q&A (3/1)

Mitch McConnell, Jill Biden, Aaron Bushnell, and more.

Welcome to this week’s Premium Q&A session for paying subscribers. I appreciate you all signing up and joining me.

Let’s get started:

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With all the political dynamics put forth (regarding presidential candidates) by Republicans and Democrats, my biggest problem is with Mrs. Biden. How a wife can continue to see her husband stumble and mumble through the day on the worldwide stage and still prop him up and hope he can hold on for the next election is as reprehensible an act as I have seen from any candidate. You agree? — Raymond S.

I do agree, Raymond. She’s the one person who could talk honestly to him about his “issues.” (His sister has some sway with him too.) It’s possible that in private she’s telling him he should step aside and he’s just not listening. But if she’s an enabler, she’s putting her husband’s (and probably her own) selfish desire to stay in power over what’s best for the country.

I’ve been asked to provide my pronouns for a committee at work. Do I just ignore this request, go along or gently refuse? How would you voice disapproval in such a context? — Peter S.

I know what I’d be thinking but if I were giving advice, I’d say play along, keep your job, and let it go. I’d keep my real thoughts to myself because your best friend may be the one who turns you in for not be woke enough. And, if it matters, this is one more reason I’m glad I’m no longer working for a corporate boss.

Mitch McConnell announced he’ll be retiring from the Senate. Probably a good decision in regard to his health and age, but he seemed like one of the few people in Congress who actually took his job seriously and produced results. He even granted Trump his biggest achievements in regard to the Supreme Court (and lots of other conservative judges). Bummer that Trump’s election antics made Mitch a Senate Minority Leader when he could have remained the Senate Majority Leader. Do you have any parting thoughts on him, Bernie? — Nick P.

I admire his ability, at the end, to not fool himself. He knew that he was no longer the leader of a rational party. He knew he had become an outlier. He knew the GOP was now Donald Trump’s party. So hats off to McConnell for saying, I know when it’s time to go. I won’t hang on, or try to. Very much unlike Joe Biden, by the way.

Bernie and John: Trump steamrolled a popular and effective governor, Nikki Haley, in her own home state and will be the Republican nominee for the third straight presidential election cycle. Nixon is the only other one I can think of who did this three times, and his weren't consecutive. This is an impressive feat (or trick). Looking at this analytically, and putting all emotion aside, to what do you attribute his success among Republican voters? — Steve R.