1/21/2022
My dear Friend, JRB,
I see that your public schedule does not have anything on it & that the temp in DC is bone chilling today. As you spend the day staying warm & working quietly in the WH, I hope you will consider making a statement about a woman’s right to choose. As you know, the antiabortion folk are out in the cold rallying on the National Mall. This is more disturbing than ever given recent decisions by the SCOTUS. In your remarks, evoke RBG & remind the nation that the majority of us believe abortion should be legal & that you will work to keep it that way.
Making noise about reproductive rights might distract folks from your “minor incursion” remark at the press conference on Wed. The Editorial Board of the WP called this a “truth” that would have been better left unsaid. Their columnist, Henry Olsen, called it a “blunder heard round the world.” The G called it a “flub” that KDH had to clear up.
Most Americans are somewhat oblivious to the Russian’s activities on the border of the Ukraine, but they do know about women having to cross state borders to terminate unwanted pregnancies so best to make some noise to put that in the news.
Something else to crow about is the news that TotalEnergies & Chevron will be pulling out of the Yadana gas field, Myanmar’s largest natural-gas project. This should bring some hope to the Burmese people there that the world disapproves of what the Tatmadaw are doing. You might call Chevron CEO Michael Wirth & thank him for making that move.
Amanda Gorman has a great FDResque column in the NYT today where she writes about her experience reciting her poem at your inauguration. She opines, “fear can be love trying its best in the dark. So do not fear your fear. Own it. Free it. This isn’t a liberation that I or anyone can give you — it’s a power you must look for, learn, love, lead and locate for yourself.” I hope that inspires you to keep trying despite the nay sayers who are critiquing your 1st year in office.
BYBS,
