In a dazzling display of clairvoyance, Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled her latest tool for political prophecy: an invisible crystal ball. This past Monday, she predicted Trump’s electoral doom. According to Harris, the bromance between Trump and Putin will ultimately cost him the presidency in 2024.
In a scathing interview on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Harris wasted no time in casting Trump as a supplicant at Putin’s feet. “We need to do our part,” she intoned with a hint of dramatic flair regarding matters related to aiding Ukraine, “we have been very clear that the United States Congress must act.” With a wave of her hand towards the bipartisan support she perceived, Harris confidently declared, “Let’s put this to a vote in the House. I am certain that it will pass.”
The ever-skeptical Mitchell dared to inquire whether Putin’s machinations were emboldened by Trump’s past remarks regarding NATO and the Russian leader. Harris didn’t miss a beat, launching into a vicious critique of Trump’s supposed deference to Putin. “No previous United States president, regardless of their party, has bowed down to a Russian dictator before,” she declared with an air of righteous indignation. According to her, the American people are now seeing an example of something they would never support, namely a current or former president bowing down with such words and apparently willing to make concessions to a Russian dictator.
Trump’s comments were based on his belief that other countries must do their part. The U.S. should not be carrying the lion’s share of the bill. Throughout his presidency, Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO over the amount other countries in NATO spend on defense.
For its part, NATO has set a 2% defense spending target for its member countries. However, many nations are not meeting this target. It is important to note that this figure is merely a guideline, not a legally binding contract. Moreover, it does not entail any financial obligations or bills.
Meanwhile, Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, ever the contrarian, took a different tack on the matter. In a tone dripping with sarcasm, Marshall maintained that the solution to Russia’s aggression lay in “standing up” to Putin. “Let’s talk about this,” he quipped, as if the situation were merely a topic for casual conversation. Marshall went on to lambast the House for its reluctance to toe the Senate’s line, suggesting that border security should take precedence over aiding Ukraine or other nations.
As Fox Business Network host Cheryl Casone attempted to steer the conversation back on course, Marshall doubled down on his disdain for what he perceived as a weakness in the Biden administration’s approach to Putin. Asserting that “Putin does not respect Joe Biden.”
“Putin does not respect the European Union nations,” he added to demonstrate how badly Sleepy Joe and the European Union are failing. In a final flourish, Marshall likened the European Union’s reluctance to confront Putin to a timid child seeking refuge from a schoolyard bully. “If you’re being bullied on the recess at grade school,” he quipped, “you don’t ask your mom to come and fight the bully for you.” With a dismissive wave, he concluded, “It’s time for the European Union to stand up and push back as well.” He added that the United States had well over 100,000 troops in Europe. Marshall encouraged other European countries to contribute their fair share and emphasized the importance of everyone paying their part to support the union and NATO.
In politics, where posturing often passes for policy and bravado substitutes for diplomacy, Vice President Harris and Senator Marshall offer contrasting visions of how to confront Russia’s aggression. But whether through crystal balls or schoolyard analogies, one thing remains certain: the game of geopolitical brinkmanship is as much about optics and rhetoric as it is about strategy and substance.
