Biden exploits the Russia conflict for political gain

It’s all Donald Trump’s fault, unless there isn’t a war, in which case the president gets the credit

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
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President Joe Biden is preparing to buck responsibility no matter the outcome of the brewing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Biden’s statements about Russia have been anything but cohesive. One day he is giving up the game by stating publicly that he has no appetite for war and would allow a “minor incursion”; the next he’s focusing exclusively on diplomatic channels; the next he’s warning of force if Putin makes another move. All the while, White House officials have planted news stories and touted vague “intelligence” warning of an imminent Russian invasion.

The message is this: war…

President Joe Biden is preparing to buck responsibility no matter the outcome of the brewing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Biden’s statements about Russia have been anything but cohesive. One day he is giving up the game by stating publicly that he has no appetite for war and would allow a “minor incursion”; the next he’s focusing exclusively on diplomatic channels; the next he’s warning of force if Putin makes another move. All the while, White House officials have planted news stories and touted vague “intelligence” warning of an imminent Russian invasion.

The message is this: war with Russia is inevitable, unless it isn’t, in which case Biden gets all the credit.

So who gets the blame if Putin does invade Ukraine and the US responds with military force? Former president Donald Trump, of course.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, with zero self awareness, touted Biden’s “different approach” to the Russian conflict than his predecessor. Francis Fukuyama, a political scientist at Stanford, expressed gratitude that Trump is not in office, asserting that he’d “side with Russia.” Matthew Dowd, the former George W. Bush political strategist, said those blaming Biden for the invasion of Ukraine should plant a Russian flag on their lawns.

What they’re missing, obviously, is that Putin didn’t play games with Ukraine when “Russian stooge” Trump was in office. Perhaps because he had no qualms about giving Ukraine weapons assistance. Maybe because his unpredictability made him fearsome. Possibly because his statements about Russia and Putin that caused — and still cause — apoplectic responses from the establishment were surprisingly good diplomacy.

Further proof that the Biden administration is playing politics with the situation in Russia? They’re conveniently blaming the conflict for rising energy costs and supply chain issues, which have been happening since the start of Biden’s presidency. Biden and Psaki warned there would be a “cost” to pay domestically for “defending democracy and liberty” in Ukraine. CBS News published an article in lockstep with this message, reporting, “The US economy has been hit with increased gas prices, inflation and supply-chain issues due to the Ukraine crisis.”

Just like with the “blame Trump” messaging, other outlets are sure to follow suit.