1/22/2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            You may recall 1/22 stands out to me. On this date in 2021, I wrote my 1st letter to you welcoming you to the WH & on this date, every year, I celebrate my mother. Next year I will request you call her as she will be turning 90. She thrives. I’m not sure how, but she drives, gardens, cooks, knits & takes care of folks at church without the help of any meds. We text about Wordle most days. She rocks.

            How are you feeling about the impending departure of Ron Klain? The NYT claims, “he channels the president as few others can.” I suspect that he is the mastermind behind your no publicity strategy, which Ramesh Ponnuru opined about today in the WP. He applauded you for reducing “the presidency’s imprint in our political culture,” & noted that “the secret of Biden’s success might be hiding in plain sight.” The piece made me reconsider one of my recurring suggestions to get yourself in the news. I am now seeing the wisdom of keeping a low profile.

            I assume that’s why you eschewed Davos this year. Given that John Kerry’s conclusion that the solution to climate change is $$$, I encourage you to mask investments in green projects as defense spending so the GOP can get behind them. You can keep it on the downlow.

            Please put some pressure on Thailand to stop “exchanging miliary culture” with Burma. As you probably heard, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing hosted a delegation led by Gen. Chalermpol Srisawat at a beach resort. He’s trying to find the secret behind the Thailand military’s success  in exerting control “over the stability of the country, despite having staged an unpopular coup (RFA).”

            On this special day, please join me in following the advice of Thich Nhat Hanh,” to walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet” & “to take the time to truly and completely rejoice in all the gifts of Nature.. & partake in its ambrosial goodness (Ella Patrice).”

            BYBS,