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I'm afraid that my more measured take is pretty much the same: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2023/02/state-union-has-lessons-transatlantic-unity

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I generally love your analysis but I think you missed the boat on Biden’s comments tonight. First, what more should he/we have done except shoot the damn balloon down? Seems like we established our defense of sovereignty as shown by China’s relative silence. Biden refused to escalate the rhetoric (and was shown to be correct by the Republican heckling on the point). Second, the impact of Chinese manufacturing (aka the liberal economic order) is exactly what devastated middle America and provided a rich stew for MAGAism. It may have been great for American consumers (who didn’t happen to be industrial workers) and for American corporate investment in China, but that’s the point. Well, it was late in your part of the world, so we can all take a second look tomorrow!

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Biden has to go, or he has to stay. There should be a middle ground for such experienced people of such advanced age.

There should be a formal body of retired leaders who have great experience, and who no longer need to worry about the next election. They should have budgets and staff and their own building.

Let's call them The Elders. The Elders should be offered great respect, so that those still in office will aspire to achieve that rank after their careers are over.

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It's politically very smart, which means pundits will howl about it.

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Hi Dan. It's nice to have a quiet place to comment on your stuff again -- but I didn't actually do the homework, er, watch the speech. Maybe I will be better prepared next time?

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Love your analytis. It would have been nice had he bothered to learn the name of the Ukrainian ambassabor. When he said our allies are watching, does he get that they heard the protectionism?

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