THE MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY:

In the last week or so, there has been a sudden burst of recognition of the extent to which Democrats and the media worked together to cover up Biden’s progressing cognitive decline. One media figure after another has come forward to call this the “most under-reported” story of the last year or several years. Some examples among many include: CBS correspondent Jan Crawford on December 30 (“That [the most under-reported story] would be, to me, Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline that became undeniable in a televised debate”); Rolling Stone, December 30 (“Matt Yglesias, Josh Barro, and Mehdi Hasan regret failing to acknowledge Biden’s cognitive decline sooner — and its impact on the 2024 election.”); MSN, January 4 (“Media facing backlash for reporting on Biden’s cognitive decline.”)

I agree that this was a very big and very under-reported story during the Biden presidency. But was it the biggest? Not to me. The biggest under-reported story of the Biden presidency was the President’s corruption.

The big difference between these two stories is that the cognitive decline story was much more difficult to cover up. Despite the best efforts of Biden’s staff to limit his appearances, restrict difficult questioning, and prevent all deviations from script, the President was still regularly out in the public eye. Even as every powerful Democrat insisted that Biden was “sharp as a tack,” we could all see him uttering confused answers to questions, mixing up his location, stumbling and falling, shaking hands with the air, and so forth. The refusal to take a simple cognitive test was a persistent tell. Yes, the left-wing media should be ashamed of their reporting; but they were not really able to fool anyone who was paying attention.

The corruption story was different. It takes some knowledge of the facts and the law to understand whether there is anything to an allegation of bribery. The mainstream media simply refused to provide the chronology of facts or a summary of the law to assist readers to understand the circumstances. As just a few examples:

As Karol Markowicz recently tweeted:

POLITICO: REPUBLICANS SEIZE! Trump, Musk unleash on California Democrats over wildfires.

Republicans are seizing on the catastrophic wildfires that tore through the Los Angeles area early Wednesday, blaming Democratic policies for the deadly, wind-fueled conflagrations that forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

President-elect Donald Trump lashed out at Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, calling the fires “virtually apocalyptic” in a Truth Social post and pointing a finger at state rules protecting endangered species for limiting the amount of water that gets sent south from Northern California.

“I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He is the blame for this.”

Well, yes:

Mister, California could use a man William Mulholland again.

BOB GRABOYES: Manifest Destiny 2025Quick takes on Donald Trump’s four hemispheric ambitions. Making Canada a state — the least serious of these — is a bad idea, I agree. “However much you like Canadians—and they are likeable—they did elect Justin Trudeau as prime minister for nine years. Canada’s voting-age population is about as large as California’s (and just as statist), and its per capita income is almost exactly as small as Mississippi’s. Erase the border, and welfare dollars would rush northward with the hydrological power of the tide rushing into the Bay of Fundy.”

EVERYTHING OBAMA TOUCHES. . .

GREAT MOMENTS IN DEMOCRATIC ORATORY:

This is Politics 101 stuff — “It’s too early to play the blame game; my heart goes out to the people impacted by the fire. When I get back to California, I will lead a full inquiry into both the cause of the fire and any shortcomings in the response to it.” Why is she clamming up?

THE TELEGRAPH: Young, single men are leaving traditional churches. They found a more ‘masculine’ alternative:

Young, single men are flocking to the Orthodox church after discovering the “masculine” Christian religion through online influencers.

Some converts said they felt disillusioned with the “feminisation” of the Protestant church and were attracted to the “authenticity” of Orthodoxy, which they claim pushes them physically and mentally.

Priests are now planning to open new parishes to accommodate the “tsunami” of young men who have converted since the pandemic.

IT HELPS TO KNOW HOW THINGS WORK, ASIDE FROM PUSHING THE BUTTON:

Left unsaid: Did the interviewer fill her in or were they just as clueless?

DISPATCHES FROM THE MINISTRY OF TRUTH: Starmer accused of ‘cowardice’ as Labour votes to block national grooming inquiry.

Labour MPs have blocked an attempt to initiate a national inquiry into grooming gangs.

The amendment put forward by Conservative MPs that would have piled pressure on the Government to hold a statutory inquiry into historic child sexual exploitation was voted down by 364 to 111.

The move was branded as an “act of cowardice” by Conservatives following the vote.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: “It is disgusting that Keir Starmer has used his supermajority in Parliament to block a national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.

“Labour MPs have put their Party ahead of getting to the truth and turned a blind eye to justice for the victims. Labour MPs will have to explain to the British people why they are against learning the truth behind the torture and rape of countless vulnerable girls.

“We will not let them forget this act of cowardice.”

Related: ‘If Labour won’t, we will!’ Nigel Farage vows Reform UK will launch national inquiry into grooming gangs by the end of January.

THERE’S PLENTY MORE TRAGEDY YET TO UNFOLD, LARGELY SELF-INFLICTED:

CORN, POPPED: Did Sunny Hostin Rat Out Her Husband on The View? “On the December 11 show, The View discussed the Left’s sexual fascination with back-shooting coward Luigi Mangione, who assassinated United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and had recently been captured. The hosts debated whether Mangione deserved any sympathy, and that’s when Hostin decided to add in her two cents. Or rather, her physician husband’s two cents, so to speak.”

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’:

Elections have consequences.

I got an email from my trade organization asking for public comments on the new draft of “ethical principles” from the American Psychological Association (APA). I scrolled down to check out the Social Justice Principal and read the following:

Justice refers to treatment that is equitable and fair (i.e., free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism). Social justice is justice applied at the intergroup, systems, and societal levels. Social justice includes240 equitable and inclusive policies and procedures within a society as well as equitable resources and241 privilege. Psychologists balance individual, intergroup, systems, and societal factors when evaluating242 fairness, equity, and inclusion. In making evaluations, psychologists consider their individual power and privilege as well as the power and privilege conferred by the psychologist’s role in research, education and practice.

Here is my public comment:

1. Section name: Principle D: Justice and Social Justice

Comment: This “Social Justice” Section is insulting to those of us who are libertarian or conservative psychologists and should be to anyone who believes in the right to autonomy for our clients and ourselves as psychologists. Social Justice is just a buzzword for being a liberal psychologist who believes that a mental health practitioner’s duty is to straighten out anyone who is deemed to have the wrong point of view. I work with men in my practice and most of them tell me they have not been welcome in the world of therapy for years due to the biased nature of the field.

“Justice refers to treatment that is equitable and fair (i.e., free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism). ” If this is the case, why should feminist psychologists be allowed to belittle men and show favoritism towards women? This happens frequently in marriage counseling and other forms of psychological work and as a result, few men would go to therapy to get help. According to some polls, only 6 percent of men would see a therapist if they have a problem. The APA may mistakenly think this is because of men’s inability to accept help but their reluctance is often due to the feminized nature of the field and its bias towards men. Until the APA acknowledges this bias and the resulting bias of its members and academics, this field will continue to lose prestige and trust. Helen Smith, PhD

If public comments are “welcome,” go share your own.

THE ENEMY WITHIN:

I’m (just) old enough to remember when Jesse Jackson was referring to New York City as “Hymietown.”