11/12/2021

My Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Even though the fog is obscuring my view of the VH Green, I am clear eyed this AM. Today’s light schedule will allow me to get my act together to close out the quarter with gusto. I hope the same for you.

            Did you get a chance to meet Remigio Cabacar at the Veteran’s Day events? The KC Star had a front-page photo of him today. He was among the 260,000 Filipinos who fought for the US in WWII & then didn’t get GI benefits. I’m glad he & his fellow vets eventually got some recognition & hope that we do not forget the discrimination that he & others had to endure.

            Are you aware that you aren’t getting much press? You had 0 mentions on today’s NYT webpage & only 1 on the G. If you want to sell BBB, you need to make some headlines! Perhaps you can say something provocative about our need to stop subsidizing coal or pledge to limit your air travel. You could tell JM3 that he needs to get some clarity or make a comment about KLS’ latest outfit. Your predecessor embraced the idea that “there is no such thing as bad publicity,” & I think he was right.

            The only outlet mentioning today’s meeting with APEC was Reuters. In that meeting I hope you will make a pledge to the island nations to compensate them for climate change damage. Of the various things that the activists at Cop26 would like us to do, that seems to be the most politically palatable.

            Speaking of Cop26, I was disappointed with the art this year. Usually, creative folk come up with all sorts of evocative visuals, but I couldn’t find any this year. Maybe CV has sapped our energies.

            I hope that the APEC group discusses Myanmar & the plight of journalists, like Danny Fenster who has just been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

            BYBS,