On a mission to save democracy

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A consequential overseas trip by Joe Biden, the first of his presidency, is being carefully watched by pro-democracy observers, who have some big questions they hope to see clarified over the next week. Namely, how strong is the Western alliance after the rise of nationalist movements that have served to weaken their unifying institutions? Is the United States still capable of leading the world's democracies, despite the unprecedented domestic threats against its own democratic institutions and practices? Can global democracy be secured from encroaching authoritarianism—particularly from Russia and China—in the 21st century as it was in the 20th? And if so, how? These are weighty questions with no easy answers. Add in the climate crisis and the still-ongoing pandemic, and you have quite a hefty agenda. We may soon find out if America is truly "back," as President Biden likes to say. —Melissa Amour, Managing Editor

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** 'America is here to lead with strength'
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President Biden began his first trip to Europe as president with a visit to American troops stationed in the United Kingdom yesterday. "You are the solid steel spine of America around which alliances are built and strengthened," Biden told the troops and their families, speaking in a hangar at England's RAF Mildenhall. The UK visit—the first stop on his eight-day trip—comes ahead of key meetings with NATO leaders in Brussels, Belgium, and with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland, next week. —Stars and Stripes ([link removed])
* — Tea with Boris. Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met for the first time today, looking to highlight their nations' "special relationship" against a backdrop of political and personal differences. The British government has worked to overcome these differences, stressing Johnson's common ground with Biden, who once called Johnson a "physical and emotional clone" of Donald Trump. But Johnson, the host for the G-7 summit to follow, has been frustrated by the lack of a new trade deal with the U.S. —Associated Press ([link removed])
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* — "I'll let him know what I want him to know." Biden told the troops yesterday that he is in Europe to defend the very concept of democracy and, thus, plans to raise touchy issues with Putin. "We're not seeking conflict with Russia. We want a stable predictable relationship," he said. "I've been clear: the U.S. will respond in a robust and meaningful way if the Russian government engages in harmful activities. We've already demonstrated that. I'm going to communicate that there are consequences for violating the sovereignty of democracies in the U.S. and Europe and elsewhere." —CNN ([link removed])
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* — The elephant in the room. Though China has nothing to do with Biden’s visit, it also has everything to do with it. In Biden's view, the U.S. and other democracies are in a competition with China and other autocracies. This is being exacerbated by a period of rapid technological change that could give China an opportunity to leapfrog the U.S. in certain areas. Biden sees building and strengthening the Western alliance as a xxxxxx against China's growing influence. The stakes could not be higher. —The Atlantic ([link removed])

MORE: Anne Applebaum: The disturbing new hybrid of democracy and autocracy —The Atlantic ([link removed])


** Cillizza: A bad week for Kamala Harris
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"[U]nfortunately for her, it's not likely to be just a bad week. [Sen. Joe] Manchin's opposition to the For the People Act, coupled with the complex challenges at the border—there's a reason none of the last three presidents have been able to find a workable solution—raise the possibility that Harris' two main priorities may not deliver her the sorts of wins a vice president with an eye on the top job might want." —Chris Cillizza on ([link removed]) CNN ([link removed])

Chris Cillizza is a politics reporter and editor-at-large at CNN.

MORE: Why Mitt Romney says Vice President Kamala Harris' trip won't solve border crisis —Deseret News ([link removed])


** Fauci punches back
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Long the scapegoat of folks who think COVID-19 is a media hoax or a political tool being harnessed to deprive people of their freedoms, Dr. Anthony Fauci is finally getting ticked off. The good doctor lashed out at those calling for his ouster yesterday, blasting their "preposterous" and "painfully ridiculous" attacks and defending his record as the leading official battling the coronavirus pandemic. Such "attacks on me are, quite frankly, attacks on science," Fauci said in an NBC News interview. He also dismissed criticism of his prior remarks on the virus, some revealed in a trove of his emails made public last week. "If you go through each and every one of them, you can explain and debunk it immediately," Fauci said. "I mean, every single one." —CNBC ([link removed])

MORE: Video shows Chinese CDC scientists exploring bat caves in 2019 —Insider ([link removed])


** The Economist: Vaccines could be democracy's savior
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"The United States and its allies displayed great technological mettle by developing several highly effective vaccines and scaling up their production in record time. They therefore have something tangible and urgently needed to offer the rest of the world. President Biden is unlikely to get a better chance to demonstrate the benefits of American leadership, and the power of democracy and free markets to boot. Making sure that the rest of the world is inoculated as quickly as possible would be a shot in the arm for America and its allies, too." —The Economist ([link removed])

MORE: COVID-19 Delta variant first found in India is quickly spreading across globe —The Wall Street Journal ([link removed])
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** A fair point...or outrageous whataboutism?
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Five Senate Republicans are alleging "unequal" treatment by the Department of Justice in its handling of criminal prosecutions for those who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 compared to those involved in vandalism and violence during last summer's social justice protests across the country. Sens. Ron Johnson, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Rick Scott, and Tommy Tuberville wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking information on the "potential unequal justice administered," emphasizing that they believed "criminals" should be held accountable in both examples. More than 465 people have been arrested on various charges for their involvement in the insurrection. —The Hill ([link removed])

MORE: Posing as Patriots: Active campaign by suspected Russian actors targets far-right U.S. audiences —Graphika ([link removed])


** Focus on Lafayette Park
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A report by Interior Department Inspector General Mark Greenblatt, released yesterday, reveals more details about the June 1, 2020, incident in which racial justice protesters were cleared from Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C. The timeline of events shows chaotic parallel tracks—on one side, the U.S. Park Police's plan to clear protesters to build a security fence, and on the other, Donald Trump's plan to walk to nearby St. John's Church, hold up a Bible, and have his picture taken. And in between? Lots of miscommunication. ([link removed]-)
* — The primary finding is that the USPP did not clear protesters from the park specifically for the president's photo op. The report states that the USPP made an independent decision "to allow a contractor to safely install antiscale fencing in response to destruction of Federal property and injury to officers." ([link removed]-)
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* — The USPP's plan was in place before a 2 p.m. meeting that day with former Attorney General Bill Barr. The USPP operations commander said Barr didn't mention the ex-president's plans at that time, and he wasn't made aware of them until much later. "This plan doesn't get developed in 2 minutes," he said. "[Barr] might be a very important guy in the government; he's just not my boss." ([link removed]-)
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* — Thus, the area was not fully cleared before the president began his walk and the Secret Service took over. The report points to two law enforcement failures: 1) the Secret Service's deployment before the USPP—which does not share a radio channel with the Secret Service—had begun its dispersal warnings, and 2) the USPP's failure to provide dispersal warnings that were loud enough for everyone to hear before the clearing operation began. The report does not address use-of-force issues. —NPR ([link removed]-)

MORE: McGahn on Trump's pressure: I felt 'perturbed, trapped' —Politico ([link removed])


** WaPo Ed Board: The Senate can still protect voting rights
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"The bad news is that, without [Sen. Joe] Manchin's support, the [For the People Act] will not even attract a simple majority, let alone the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The silver lining is that Manchin has full-throatedly and repeatedly endorsed another election bill, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which Sen. Lisa Murkowski also favors. Despite many Democrats' desire to continue working on the For the People Act, the future of Americans' voting rights now lies with the John Lewis Act, which lawmakers must immediately prioritize." —The Washington Post ([link removed])

MORE: Sen. Manchin remains opposed to voting bill despite 'productive' meeting with civil rights leaders —USA Today ([link removed])

Isn't denial of, and hiding evidence from, Jan. 6 enough to make Trump, et. al., accessories after the fact? —Ken G., Colorado

Imagine if the Republican Party had nominated Mitt Romney or John Kasich for president in 2016...and, after a series of spirited but civil debates, he defeated Hillary Clinton...and then lost to Joe Biden in 2020 after, again, a series of spirited but civil debates.

There would have been a gracious concession speech delivered on Election Night, with a solemn pledge to work with the new president to conquer Covid and restore America. And members of the current administration would have been on the Amtrak to Wilmington, Delaware, the next morning, sharing every bit of information they had on the pandemic with the incoming Biden team, which the new president would have acknowledged during his Inaugural Address.

And Jan. 6 would have been just another day at the Capitol, when directing tourists to the nearest restrooms would be the most hazardous assignment Officer Sicknick would have confronted. —Jim V., New York
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** The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff or the Stand Up Republic Foundation.
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