RUTHFULLY YOURS

Michelle Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention Monday night, ostensibly in support of Joe Biden. Appealing to her intimate knowledge of the office of the presidency, the former first lady offered a glimpse of what it takes to lead the country. Instead of inspiring confidence in the former vice president, however, her speech disqualified Biden for the Oval.

“I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen firsthand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency. And let me once again tell you this: The job is hard,” Michelle Obama said. “It requires clear-headed judgment, a mastery of complex and competing issues, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, and an ability to listen — and an abiding belief that each of the 330,000,000 lives in this country has meaning and worth.”

Clear-headed judgment? A mastery of complex issues? A commitment to life? In just one short list of requirements, Obama betrayed Biden’s capacity.

The long months of this election cycle have consisted of gaffe after gaffe from Biden, causing onlookers to question his mental fitness and thus to doubt his “clear-headed judgment.”

“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” Biden said back in March during a Texas campaign stop. “All men and women created by — go — you know — you know the thing.” The thing to which he refers is of course the Declaration of Independence, and one of its most recognizable lines at that.

Here’s just one of countless other examples of Biden’s unintelligible comments, this time about China, arguably an incredibly “complex and competing” issue for the United States.

For your convenience, The Federalist has been tracking the never-ending list of Biden gaffes here.

Obama is right that the president does confront a host of “complex and competing issues,” in addition to China. Coronavirus has unearthed several, such as the balance between safety and liberty, and the interests of the federal government compared to the states. Pandemic aside, the commander-in-chief must weigh plenty of other complexities, such as national security, women’s rights, immigration, and foreign policy.

Biden has demonstrated, however, that when it comes to complex questions and competing interests, he will do whatever is politically expedient. This is evidenced by his radical swing from moderate democrat to far-left progressive.

For example, in 2006, when Biden was a senator, he voted in favor of the Secure Fence Act, which approved and partially funded fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Fast forward to the 2020 presidential debates, when Biden indicated he supports taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants.

Or consider his inability to stand firm in the face of competing interests when it comes to abortion. During a 2006 interview, Biden said, “I do not view abortion as a choice and a right. I think it’s always a tragedy.” In 2020, however, Biden flip-flopped on the Hyde Amendment, indicating he would support using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions — a clear sign of a broken “moral compass” if ever there was one, as Catholic churches agreed in denying him Communion. It’s also a signal that Biden’s “abiding belief that each of the 330,000,000 lives in this country has meaning and worth” is grossly distorted. To Biden, the most vulnerable are dispensable.

As for Biden’s “devotion to facts,” he has proved unable to get even the facts of his own life straight, having lied about possessing three undergraduate degrees (he has two), graduating in the top half of his class (he was actually 76 of 85), and attending law school on a full academic scholarship (it was actually a financial need-based scholarship that covered half his tuition). Don’t forget about Biden’s war story fabrication, which he repeated throughout his vice presidency and on the campaign trail. Biden himself told a crowd at the Iowa State Fair that he “choose[s] truth over facts” — whatever that means.

Finally, while Biden has often demonstrated an ability to connect with supporters and display empathy even for his political opponents, his “ability to listen” has worn thin on the campaign trail, where he’s called people “fat” and a “damn liar,” and told them they’re “full of sh-t.”

“You simply cannot fake your way through this job,” Michelle Obama said, and she’s absolutely right. That’s why you shouldn’t vote for Joe.