Bernie’s Weekly Q&A (8/4)

Devon Archer, Joe Biden, Colin Powell, and more!

Welcome to this week’s Premium Q&A session for paying members. I appreciate you all signing up and joining me.

Let’s get started:

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Just curious ... leaving aside their electability or willingness to run, who would you feel excited about as Republican and Democratic candidates for President? Who are some people in our country who would be great leaders and help us get a grip on immigration, gun control, and some of the other difficult problems we face? I'm afraid we're going to end up with Biden vs. Trump again. How can we inspire good, capable people who have the respect of the country to step up and end this vacuum of leadership we're experiencing? — W.C.

On the Republican side there’s only one candidate I am really excited about — and I’m glad you said, “leaving aside their electability….” And that candidate would be … drum roll … Chris Christie. He’s smart, articulate, and fearless. But he’s also the least liked GOP candidate in a pretty big field.

On the Democratic side: Nobody.

There are several GOP candidates who I would consider “capable” — and who I could support. But in a broader sense, it would be difficult to get really talented people to run because the opposition would tear them apart. So we’re left with what we’ve got — mainly ambitious politicians who are driven to move up the ladder.

Editor’s note: The question below was submitted prior to Devon Archer’s testimony:

Bernie, what will it take for you to acknowledge there is more than smoke with regard to President Biden’s involvement in his son’s shakedown of foreign sources? If Archer testifies that the president was on phone calls when he testifies Monday, will that do it? Or do you need to hear his voice on a recorded phone call? Or is there some other event that tells you there is a fire? — lensattic

I’m more than willing to accept that Joe Biden is more involved in his son’s sleazy business operations that he’s admitted. We know he flat out lied when he said he never spoke to his son about Hunter’s business. What father has never spoken to his son about his son’s work? But lying — unless you’re under oath — is not a crime. What I need very simply is proof that Joe Biden not only knew his son was shaking down rich business people — and that’s bad enough — but I’d also need to know that he either changed or instituted policy as payback for the millions his son received … or that he took money resulting from his son’s shakedowns.

One more thing: Before Republicans try to impeach President Biden … they better have a smoking gun — or the GOP, not Mr. Biden, will pay a heavy price.

When President Reagan had to appoint a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his military advisors gave him a list of who they considered the most qualified for the job. All were white males. Pres. Reagan told them to find a qualified African-American to be Chair of the JCS. Reagan's advisors then came back with Colin Powell. President Reagan said that appointing Gen. Powell as Chair of the JSC was among the proudest moments of his presidency. Was Reagan discriminating against whites? Was he wrong to appoint Powell? — Bob H.