Hannitizing Liz Cheney,Bernie's Q&A

Bernie’s Q&A: Biden, Carlson, Giuliani, and much more! (9/24) — Premium Interactive ($4 members)

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Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):

From last week’s Q&A: “I honestly can’t think of any place I’d like to live besides right here. Scandanavian countries sound good … but way too cold for me.” Way too cold?????? Is that the worst you can say about Scandanavian countries???? You do realize that Scandanavian countries are what conservative call dens of socialism???? What exactly do you find attractive about Scandanavian countries???? Watch out! Your comrades in-arms might call you a closet socialist. — Bob H.

What do I find attractive about Sweden? Denmark? Norway? Finland? The people are nice. Friendly. The standard of living is high. With exceptions, crime doesn’t seem to be a problem. Pollution doesn’t seem to be a problem, either. No, I’m not a big fan of socialism, but I’d hire a bunch of smart people who would try to help me keep as much of my money as I can. But money isn’t everything, right? Let’s take a trip together, Bob, and if you like it there you can stay and let me know how it’s working out. Yes?

Regarding ScottyG’s question [in last week’s Q&A] about President Biden choosing not to speak at the 9-11 Remembrance Service. Why, in your answer, did you feel that you needed to make it clear that you would expect similar behavior of President Trump? The question did not ask about Trump..why not also include any other ex-Presidents? My point is that President Biden needs to be addressed, commented based on his actions/words alone, not always in reference to President Trump. It’s kind of like saying…”Yeah, that was cowardly (fill in the adjective) but so was Donald Trump” or “Yeah, but Trump was worse.” This is a common Biden apologetic…”yeah, but Trump!” blah, blah, blah. I’m tired of hearing it and it lets Biden off the hook.” — John F.

First of all, here was ScottyG’s question from last week: “Could you ever have imagined 20 years ago or even up to very recently that we would have a President of The United States who has been advised NOT to speak live to the American people during a 9-11 Remembrance Service? Isn’t this man a true bully, that talks tough, talks and whispers down to Americans, brags about s*#! he never did; but when it comes to facing a challenge like possibly being booed or heckled, just like a true bully is nothing but a mere coward? Were you blown away that he chose not to speak on Saturday?”

Scotty’s question was about whether I could “have ever imagined” a president doing something like this, which amounts to the breaking of a presidential norm, and displaying poor character and leadership. Here was my answer: “Nothing [Biden] does surprises me, Scotty. Same as with his predecessor. Nothing he did surprised me either.”

My answer would have been incomplete without that context. Whether you love or hate Trump, he broke all kinds of presidential norms and frequently displayed poor character and leadership. That’s why it is not hard for me to imagine “a president” doing it. That’s not an “apology” for Biden (no one reading my columns could mistake me for a Biden apologist). It’s a criticism of both men (as well as today’s political environment). Biden could have been different from Trump in this regard, but he has proven over and over again not to be. So, as was the case with Trump, this latest example from Biden didn’t surprise me.

No doubt about the left wing slant of the mainstream media and kid gloves for Biden, but iron fists for Trump. It’s also true that Presidential approval poll numbers rise and fall with the economy and those lower poll numbers could reflect a weakening economy. More significant to me is how a medicine has been “partisan-ized” by the media. I keep hearing of Ivermectin as a “horse dewormer” and also elsewhere as a possible Covid treatment. I’m thoroughly confused on whether it has real application for humans or not. How did we get to this point on something that should be irrefutable? — John R.

I hear all sorts of stuff on cable TV mostly from supposed “experts.” They often disagree on treatment, masks, booster shots and a whole bunch of other things involving the virus. I’m also confused — and not only about the drug you mention, John. I’m confused because I don’t trust news organizations anymore to play it straight. Too often the “experts” they put on their shows are there simply because they reflect the station’s values and biases.

Bernie, I don’t know but I think that Joe Biden is actually worse at telling the truth than Donald Trump. Donald Trump only looked worse because the media kept calling him a liar no matter what he said. Also, can you provide some specific lies that Donald Trump, not including the lie about the number of people at his inauguration? I’ve heard the comments about all Donald Trump’s lies but never specifics. — Jerry G.

If I have to provide lies that Donald Trump has told to convince you he’s chronically dishonest, then I’d be wasting your time and mine. Google Trump’s lies. Then discount half of them. You still have thousands of statements that are false, misleading or outright fabrications.

Bernie, as far as I can tell, Joe Biden hasn’t done one true press conference since he was elected, where reporters were called on randomly and without prior knowledge of what would they ask. Am I correct in this, and if I am can you think of any previous President that went eight months into their term without a true press conference? To me, this more than anything shows that not only is Biden not equal to the position he holds but that everyone around him recognizes that he’s not equal to the position. — Bob K.

I think you’re right on all counts, Bob. The reason he doesn’t hold more news conferences and take more questions from more journalists is because his handlers don’t trust him not to screw things up.

On his show Monday, Tucker Carlson said: “The point of mandatory vaccinations [in the military] is to identify the sincere Christians in the ranks, the freethinkers, the men with high testosterone levels, and anybody else who doesn’t love Joe Biden and make them leave immediately. It’s a takeover of the U.S. military!”

In the world of reality (a world that doesn’t have much representation on cable news these days), U.S. military members are required to get several different vaccinations before they can serve (for health and readiness purposes), and receiving those vaccinations (including the Covid vaccine now) obviously doesn’t make those soldiers any less Christian, less independent minded, or have low testosterone. It’s clear that Tucker doesn’t believe a lot of what he says on television these days, but because he knows that millions of Americans really do take him seriously, would it be unfair of me to recognize him as a sadist who gets some kind of special thrill out of sending his viewers into hysterics? — Ben G.

Whether he’s a sadist or not, Ben, he is one crummy human being. Is he perceptive at times? Yes. Does he say things at times that need to be said? Yes. But he has a bad habit of attributing the worst motives to people — and I suspect he does it because he knows that’s what the hard core part of his audience wants to hear. As for the quote you reference: Assuming that’s what he actually said, it’s just one more example of how he crosses the line to make points with a segment of his audience.

Sir Bernie, your prediction came true! Apparently three black women from Texas attempted to enter Carmine’s Steakhouse in New York City, but they were asked to leave because of the vaccine mandates in place (you know, those mandates that President Biden and the liberal Democrats support so much). Apparently the three women could not or would not show proof of being vaccinated against Covid. So what did these classy women do? Well the three black women assaulted the young Asian hostess (golly gee whiz—so much for stopping Asian hate, but I digress). Then the three hooligans allied themselves with BLM to harass Carmine’s staff and customers with the same old hackneyed accusations of racism that’s been a part of the liberal playbook for decades. I’m sure you’ve known many liberal Democrats—What do the liberal Democrats say when they witness such incidents?—-How do you think those diversity loving left wing Democrats in New York City feel when they see incidents Like this that destroy several of their narratives all at once? I’m really curious. — “New York Strip with a side of Assault & Battery” Regards from The Emperor

I don’t know what actually happened. But there are reports that paint a different picture than the one you’ve outlines, Your Holiness. Here’s a report from something called “Eater, New York” …

“Vaccination requirement controversy at Carmine’s takes another turn

Late last week, various media outlets reported that a trio of customers allegedly assaulted a hostess at Carmine’s on the Upper West Side after she requested to verify their vaccination status. The incident sparked a flurry of news coverage and outrage over social media over the weekend; however, the conflict took another turn on Saturday: The New York Times reports that the customers, three Black women visiting from Texas, did in fact show documentation of their vaccination status, according to their lawyers as well as Carmine’s.

Video footage from a security camera appears to show that three men tried to join the women in the restaurant but two weren’t able to prove their vaccination status, according to reports. At that point, the women exited the restaurant and the Carmine’s hostess allegedly used a racial slur and assaulted the customers first, one of the lawyers representing the women told the Times. The restaurant has denied the women’s account of the altercation through its legal team. The women now have a court date for October 5.”

I’ll wait to see if truth emerges, Sir Emperor. Yes, I’m going to touch the third rail of political speech – abortion. To me this issue is one where we need strong voices on both sides (all sides?) and a constantly evolving argument. I’m uncomfortable with the government interfering in the most intimate of medical decisions. I’m also put off by this “celebrate your abortion” mentality of the left, which I think is an unconscionable departure from “safe, legal and rare”. Likewise, I am in favor of the death penalty, but this is also a moral issue that needs to be constantly debated by intelligent people. Aren’t these difficult issues the reason we have free speech? Instead we want to declare “settled law” so our side can win and move on. Medical ethics, discoveries, taboos and social mores are necessarily shifting and evolving. Shouldn’t our public discourse be thoughtful and unsettled as well? — Steve R.

You make a lot of sense, Steve. But as you know, both sides are locked in. Some, but very few people are moved or influenced by arguments put forward by the other side. If there were more like you out there, we’d be less polarized — and more open-minded.

Hey Bernie, where can I find the resource for those who is paying the taxes percentages you mentioned [in this week’s “Off the Cuff”? It’s not that I don’t believe you, I just want to be able to back it up when I share it. — Titaniumman11

Here’s the link.

Bernie, as public figures who insisted the 2020 election was “rigged” continue to face costly defamation lawsuits from the voting-system companies they falsely implicated, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Lindell appear to have joined forces to generate extra revenue for their legal defenses: Three questions:

1. Isn’t this the greatest collaboration of two individuals since Simon & Garfunkel, or at least since Hulk Hogan and Randy “Macho Man” Savage formed the “Mega Powers” tag-team in the WWF in the late 1980s? 2. Do you agree that “Towels that Work!” is an absolutely genius product tag-line, being that so many of us are sick and tired of falling victim to regular towels that refuse to absorb moisture? 3. Is there a “Bernie” promo code that I can use on my next My Pillow online order?

Thanks. — John D.

All interesting questions, John D. And by interesting I mean you’re clearly off your meds — again. But I’ll take a whack at it anyway.

1. It is a great collaboration … the guy who makes pillows and the guy who made things up. I agree with you that Simon & Garfunkel might be a tad higher on the “Great Collaboration” List … but only a tad higher. As for Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage: I’ll bet you didn’t know that they recorded “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” BEFORE Simon & Garfunkel did. But Jesse Waters threatened a lawsuit claiming the song was about him and he wanted a piece of the action. 2. Towels that work are much better than towels that don’t work. I stand by that. They’re especially useful if you fall into troubled waters. 3. Yes there is. It’s “BernieSaysGFYS”. YS stands for your self.

Thanks, everyone! You can send me questions for next week using the form below! You can also read previous Q&A sessions by clicking here.

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Message: * Submit Bernie’s Q&A: Joe Biden, 9/11, Robert E. Lee, and more! (9/10) — Premium Interactive ($4 members)

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

Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):

Is there any chance of launching a nightly newscast similar to Bill O’Reilly? Your voice surely needs to be heard, the country would benefit greatly. — Joseph B. I appreciate the vote of confidence, Joseph, and the very kind words. They mean a lot to me. But as a practical matter, it’s not likely to happen.

So, if you know what you know now, who would you have voted for in the 2020 elections… Biden, Trump, or O’Reilly? — Tony P.

If you’re wondering if I would — with hindsight — have voted for Donald Trump the answer is no. I did not vote for Joe Biden. At the time I said, I think Donald Trump is a detestable human being … and I hope he wins in a landslide. That’s not as goofy as it may sound. I’m not looking for the perfect candidate but I could not cross that line and vote for Donald. His personality is toxic. As for O’Reilly: Maybe!

I remember a chemistry teacher from high school who explained to us that science is the quest for knowledge. He followed with a session on ethics which quite honestly, I slept through. But I do recall one point he made is that the quest is not always for good, and history has proven that point well. We have a virus that in most likelihood originated from a Chinese lab. Perhaps it was not financed to be a biological weapon but who knows. If it was an innocent research project to investigate a Corona Virus in Bats; my question is Why? A question I believe that world leaders should be asking. We have agencies looking for intelligent alien life and tracking asteroids. We have a world organization addressing climate change that won’t impact us for one hundred years. And today, we have nearly five million dead worldwide from COVID-19. The CDC, WHO, the United Nations, and our own country have treated scientific research as an art to pursue as needed in pursuit of knowledge. As an investigative reporter, do you accept the lame investigations by these agencies into this Virus? I have a different view of these agencies today. I don’t believe they are serving us in our best interest. Just want to hear your views on that. — Tim H. The Chinese Communist Party, being what it is, will never cooperate in any investigation. You raise legitimate questions, Tim … and somebody needs to ASK and eventually answer them. Maybe we’ll get to the bottom of this without the Chinese, but I think the mystery will simply drag on until everyone is bored by the subject. Millions will have died; we won’t know what started the whole thing; and I fear, that will be the end of it. I wish I could be more optimistic.

I disagree with the thrust of [Monday’s] article. Saying Joe Biden won because of who he wasn’t seems true to me and framed quite nicely. The right wing gloating over the problems associated with pulling out of Afghanistan strike me as shallow. This is a defeat for America. As for politics, Ann Coulter tweeted, albeit in much saltier language, that Biden showed he had guts by pulling out and that Trump showed by promising it and never delivering, that he had none. I think this dynamic is what will affect the persuadable few in our country. — John R.

Not sure what you disagree with on my Monday column. But no matter. Let’s move on. The left isn’t persuadable. The right isn’t persuadable. And those who are, I think, will make political decisions based on what they saw on TV — and the fact that as of this moment, we still have Americans in Afghanistan who we left behind. Not sure this is what you were looking for but since you didn’t have a question, this is the best I’ve got. Thanks.

Bernie, I agree with your analysis of Joe Biden’s totally inept handling of the Afghanistan mess, however, I take exception to your statement that they (the people) voted for Biden because they were “tired of the chaos and deception they got from his predecessor, Donald Trump”. That is simply an unfair state and it mars an otherwise excellent article. The chaos and deception under Donald Trump was generated by a corrupt and bias media along with an unhinged Democratic party. If you remember there was the two and a half year Russian probe, two bogus impeachments, the corrupt use of the FBI as a partisan political weapon, all done with the purpose of taking down a duly elected president. — Frederic N.

Was the media biased against Mr. Trump? Absolutely! Was the Democratic Party unhinged and suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome? Yes again. But that doesn’t mean Donald Trump was just minding his own business and all this bad stuff happened to a nice guy. He was vengeful, dishonest, petty, and disloyal to people who had been loyal to him. Please don’t make him out to be a victim.

Bernie, if this nation had a crisis of confidence in the late 1970s, then it has a crisis of credibility in the early 2020s. Americans do not know who to trust on foreign policy, the economy, Covid, or a host of other issues that are plaguing the nation. Today, it seems like Americans are more than willing to trust a random stranger on Tik Tok or Twitter over elected leaders, the mainstream media, and in some cases, their own doctors. Much of this is due to self inflicted wounds by all of the aforementioned groups. If this crisis continues then this nation may face unprecedented issues than do not have a quick fix. Is there anything that can be done to end this crisis of credibility? — Joe M.

I agree with your analysis, Joe. And you’re right, there is no quick fix. We’ve got too many people and institutions who have not been worthy of our trust. So, obviously, we don’t trust them. Unless they change, we won’t. We’ll continue to have, as you say, a crisis of credibility. Maybe we’ll reach a tipping point and things will turn around. But I don’t see it happening anytime soon.

Perhaps it is because I am so melancholy considering the post 9-11 world but it seems to me that we are locked into a great irony with no real way out. As our nation has politically devolved into something resembling a cross between armed camps and competing high school pep rallies the quality of our leadership choices has devolved concurrently. Like calls to like. My point reflects my deep sense of gloom (I once was an optimist believe it or not) in that hyper partisanship guarantees the destructions brought by populist candidate after populist candidate with each political side armed to the teeth, so to speak. So Bernie, since in your position you have significant access to a likely broader paradigm , are you seeing any constructive alternatives out there as we gather speed through this seemingly never ending tunnel? Or is this a time for an indefinite British style stiff upper lip? — Jesse B.

The best I can offer, Jesse, is that things could be worse. Let me know when you stop rolling your eyes and saying, “Bernie, thanks for NOTHING.” All I can say is let’s not be too pessimistic; we’ve gotten through a lot. But a stiff upper lip, like chicken soup, couldn’t hurt.

Bernie – perhaps the approved and pending Minneapolis ballot question for the upcoming election cycle may change your mind to come visit us sooner vs later???

“Shall the Minneapolis City Charter be amended to remove the Police Department and replace it with a Department of Public Safety that employs a comprehensive public health approach to the delivery of functions by the Department of Public Safety, with those specific functions to be determined by the Mayor and City Council by ordinance; which will not be subject to exclusive mayoral power over its establishment, maintenance, and command; and which could include licensed peace officers (police officers), if necessary, to fulfill its responsibilities for public safety, with the general nature of the amendments being briefly indicated in the explanatory note below, which is made a part of this ballot? _ Yes _ No”

— TheBulldog

Sorry Bulldog. I lapsed into a coma while reading the ballot question.

Why do Liberals want to live in and perpetuate decaying cities where as you’ve noted education is failing, crime is acceptable, small business is handcuffed, and quality of life is deteriorating for the tax payer? This is how they get votes? I don’t get it. –ScottyG

First of all, liberals don’t send their kids to failing schools. They talk a good game but send their darlings to private schools. As for the rest, they would rather put up with all the crap that you’re talking about, Scotty, than live in flyover country. That’s who they are.

Sir Bernie, this week’s Off The Cuff you published is spot on , but let’s face it, this is nothing new. Liberals have been blaming (white) conservatives and that old Boogie Man of white supremacy/ white racism for the failures of black people for Decades. For some odd reason, liberals seem to think that any persons belonging to a minority group are completely incapable of accepting personal responsibility for themselves, nor are they capable of succeeding in life without left wing policies and programs to do it for them, DESPITE all evidence to the contrary. Okay so I get why liberals would often be in denial of these facts, because they disprove the liberal narrative they want to promote, but I must ask——WHY do you think so many black families have bought into this nonsense? Recently I’m seeing more black people speaking out against the terrible liberal policies and denial, but this seems to be a relatively recent phenomenon. And why is achieving success “trying to be white” when the same complainers gripe about how they never get a fair chance in life because of white supremacy? I’m sure you can the paradox here. Your thoughts? –“Soft Bigotry AND Low Expectations” Regards from The Emperor

Someplace along the way — maybe with Nixon and his Southern Strategy — black voters began equating GOP with bigotry. So they vote for Democrats … complain about how bad things are … then vote all over again for Democrats. No one said voters are rational. Maybe if a Republican candidate comes along who can figure out how to connect with black and other minority voters, things will change. If Obama had been a Republican, we wouldn’t be having this conversation … because he was charismatic and, I believe, would have changed the political landscape. So that means the GOP needs a Republican Obama. Know any?

Non-political question this week. Where were you on 9/11/01, and being that you’re from New York, did you know anyone who died that day? — Jen R.

In Miami, watching on TV in real time like the rest of the world. And thankfully, no, I didn’t know anyone who died that day.

What is your opinion of the voting laws passed by legislatures in Georgia, Florida and Texas? It seems both sides of this debate are typically hurt by their hyperbole. These laws aren’t “Jim Crow 2.0”, nor did Joe Biden “steal” the last election. –Steve R.

Bingo! I agree with both statements, Steve. And one of the reasons we don’t know who to trust anymore is because both sides have become addicted to hyperbole. I keep waiting for a ray of sunshine but it’s been a long wait.

This is from a statement Donald Trump released the other day: “If only we had Robert E. Lee to command our troops in Afghanistan, that disaster would have ended in a complete and total victory many years ago. What an embarrassment we are suffering because we don’t have the genius of a Robert E. Lee!”

Bernie, I have a couple questions:

1. Do you think Trump is right in that a defeated 19th- century Confederate general was the missing piece that would have led to a quick, slam-dunk U.S. victory in Afghanistan? 2. Being that Trump gets a lot of historical references wrong, is it possible he was confusing Robert E. Lee for Bruce Lee, and that he believes “total victory” could have been achieved through the use of nunchucks?

— John D.

Let me take your last question first. Yes, I think it’s entirely possible that Mr. Trump is confusing Robert E. Lee with Bruce Lee. But can you blame him? There are so many similarities, starting (and ending) with their last name.

As to your first question, whether Robert E. Lee could have won the war in Afghanistan: I’m having lunch with Stonewall Jackson today; I’ll ask him what he thinks and get back to you.

Thanks, everyone! You can send me questions for next week using the form below! You can also read previous Q&A sessions by clicking here.

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Message: * Submit Bernie’s Q&A: Joe Biden, Afghanistan, Jason Whitlock, and more! (8/27) — Premium Interactive ($4 members)

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

Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):

I’m curious how many fair minded “we are not liberal biased” papers came after the LA Times for this reported headline about Larry Elder who is running to oust the current Nuisance: ‘Larry Elder is the black face of white supremacy. You’ve been warned’ — Gary

This was not a headline on a news story. It ran over a column, an opinion piece. It was designed to get clicks and readers. I think, Gary, that we’re so numb to this kind of garbage that we just read it and move on. Sad, right?

With China and everyone else watching our weak and incompetent leader, how long do you think it will be before China makes a serious move to take over Taiwan? I give it 2 yrs. or less. I have always felt that whoever was president, good or bad, that America would always survive them. I no longer am so sure. What happens to Biden from here? Impeachment, Court Marshall, or nothing. I suspect the latter. — Beverly B.

If China moves on Taiwan the American people will not be in favor of an American war with China — not over a place so far away. China, I trust, knows this and so your prediction may be right. As for President Biden: Do we really think he should be impeached? Do we really want to go down that road where every time a president screws up we try to remove him from office? That’s not for me. Court martial? I don’t think it applies to civilians, even if they are commander-in-chief. Or “nothing” you ask. Well, there’s always the next election. That’s not nothing.

About 8 months into this Administration and we are seeing unprecedented blundering complete with horrible CYA attempts at justifying the buffoonery. Do you think Joe can survive this level of criticism & accompanying stress for 3 plus more years? I really don’t, but I certainly don’t like the back up plan so I’m pulling for the old bird to keep his wits. Are you? And what scares you most if he doesn’t ? — ScottyG

If Biden doesn’t last his full term, I don’t like the back up plan either, Scotty. I’d rather have a weakened Biden as our president then Kamala Harris no matter her mental condition. If Biden doesn’t last 3 1/2 more years what scares me is that his successor will be worse than him.

I like Jason Whitlock. In some ways he reminds me of someone else I follow (guess who) as he’s not afraid to attack his peers. In a recent article in the Blaze (“Bill Maher is lying. To his audience. And to himself,” he states: “The left is a house of Trump cards. Remove Trump and the progressive movement immediately collapses beneath the weight of its bulls**t. Remove Trump and the left can’t defend the authoritarian actions it’s taking to overhaul America’s cultural norms.” “Compelling liberals to defend their agenda without their trusty Trump card would unmask their wickedness.”

Speaking with my conservative friends, we want Trump out of the picture. I’m not sure what that takes. But perhaps this is a great start. — Tim H.

Whitlock is a much needed voice in American journalism. And if the reference to someone else you follow is who I think you mean, then thanks, Tim. Things are looking pretty rosy for the GOP — at … the … moment. Donald can screw things up royally, something he’s more than capable of doing. Maybe you should start a Whitlock for President movement and settle a bunch of problem for all of us.

Sir Bernie, I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised to see that it’s not just the liberal media that is going after President Biden on his horrible blunders of the withdrawal from Afghanistan—-it’s also Democrats in his own party. I would have assumed (incorrectly) that they would have made excuses for him by attempting to blame Trump as well. For my own part, I don’t think Biden is crazy so the 25th Amendment shouldn’t apply here; I just think he’s F—-ING Stupid—-you know, like Jimmy Carter. In your opinion, Sir Bernie, why do you think Democrats aren’t defending him as much, and what do you speculate that Kamala Harris would have done differently? — “Stupid Is As Stupid Does” Regards From The Emperor

I agree with almost everything you say, Emperor … except … Jimmy Carter, whatever else he was, definitely was not stupid. Actually he was one of the smartest presidents we’ve ever had. But I understand what you were getting at. I think the reason that some of his fellow Democrats have turned on him is self- preservation. Democrat voters watch television news too and they’ve seen what we’ve all seen. Like liberal journalists who (for a change) are calling out President Biden, liberal pols know their reputation and credibility are on the line. As for VP Harris and what she would have done differently: We can only speculate, but I’m guessing she’d screw this up just like her boss has done.

This is the lead paragraph from an article published in The Hill: The White House is trying to regain control of the narrative on Afghanistan by staging more public appearances for President Biden and highlighting the way in which evacuations have ramped up significantly over the past week. It seems to me; this one sentence sums up what is wrong with our country right now. That the narrative is more important to control than the situation. If the media accepts narrative over performance, the situation on the ground will only deteriorate. How can we as American citizens accept such tripe and how can the White House put out such garbage as the solution to a crisis. A good Commander in Chief would have demanded the resignation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the CIA Director, the National Security Director, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of State. They were all asleep at the wheel. The prime purpose of the Government is to protect the citizens and sovereignty of its citizens. This Administration has proven to be woefully inadequate to this task. What is your take on this Mr. Goldberg? — Douglas C.

My general take, Douglas, is that President Biden is in way over his head. As for mass resignations: If the heads of those agencies are responsible for the fiasco, fine with me. But what if they gave the president solid advice and he rejected it? That’s more than possible.

Here’s Karl Rove on the subject: “Done right, this sort of military withdrawal would have required the president to insist on robust, cross-agency planning. It appears he didn’t. Mr. Biden should have asked tough questions about what was needed for the Afghan government to hold on or to form an agreement to protect human rights if it couldn’t. He didn’t. Regular briefings—on the intelligence on the ground, reactions of allies, status of the planning—were necessary. But were they held? And if they were, did the president pay attention to them? It certainly doesn’t look like it.”

As for your other point, about how the White House is handling the PR aspect of the mess in Kabul: That’s what politicians often do; they try to take our mind off of the mess they created by saying, “But look at all the good stuff we’ve done.” I don’t think the American people are buying their story. They have seen the pictures on television. They know how bad it is, no matter how hard Team Biden tries to spin it.

[Afghanistan is a] foreign policy debacle to be sure, but in the 1976 election nobody cared about President Ford’s messy evacuation of Saigon. I do expect Republicans to take control of the House of Representatives in the 2022 election. Do you think Donald Trump will seek to be it’s Speaker? Do you think Republicans will stick with Kevin McCarthy? — John R.

Donald Trump as Speaker? Even though the Speaker does not have to be a Member of the House — Did you know that? … I didn’t until someone pointed it out to me — there’s no way that Donald Trump will seek the job. No Way! As to your other question: If the GOP takes control of the House next year, I do think they’ll stick with McCarthy.

My eyes have seen almost everything that yours have as I am fairly confident that we are in the same general age bracket. When it comes to Biden’s foreign policy chops I’d guesstimate that, were he a major league hitter, his batting average would be hovering around .100 . I had the very same thoughts that this might be his Lyndon Johnson moment ala Vietnam, or his Iranian Embassy moment ala James Earl Carter. The Biden as FDR nonsense has been humorous if not ridiculous. The odds are heavily weighted against the success of his one term administration. What scares me most is what in the world comes next? — Jesse B.

I’m with you, Jesse … except I think you’re being generous saying he’d be batting .100 … that may be a tad high. As for “what in the world comes next?” … Let’s just home it’s not Kamala Harris … because she makes Biden look like a .300 hitter.

Bernie, prior to the COVID vaccines, did you ever envision that once they were available at every corner drug store, a large portion of the U.S. population would refuse to get vaccinated, and needlessly help drive hospitalizations back up through the roof? And what’s with a bunch of these people seeking out horse de-worming agents and ‘monoclonal antibody treatments’ instead of just getting two shots in the arm of something all of the numbers show to be safe and quite effective? This pandemic is being prolonged with all of this nonsense and I’m sick of it. — Ben G.

I’m never surprised, Ben, when stupid people do stupid things … but when smart people do stupid things, it throws me. What I mean is that I know several intelligent folks who won’t get the vaccine. They have excuses, of course … their own reasons … but they don’t make sense to me. I’m as troubled by this as you are but I don’t want the federal government mandating that everyone must get the shot — or else. Private companies are another matter.

Bernie, I agree with everything you said [in this week’s “Off the Cuff”] except when you said, “I suspect he knows that already.” In reference to Biden and his concern for swing voters. Unfortunately, I think President Biden’s mental faculties are far too gone for such reasoning on his part. Such worries are now in the hands of his handlers. — David P.

Maybe. But if his handlers know he’s in trouble, they’ve told him, I suspect. And he, I think, understands. I do believe that his handlers are driving the car and he’s sitting in the back seat looking out the side window. But he’s a lifelong pol and lifelong pols can smell trouble. I think he knows what’s going on.

Bernie, what country am I in right now? Republicans are now pro-choice (when it comes to vaccines), Democrats are over the me too movement (when it comes to women in Afghanistan), and the liberal President wants to run and hide from the liberal media. I thought 2020 was odd, but 2021 has taken us further down this bizarre rabbit hole. Where are we headed? — Joe M.

We’re headed towards 2022 and it’s going to get even crazier between now and then.

Bernie, Good stuff this week, sad to say Lunch Bucket Joe is providing you and the rest of us plenty of items to comment on. But with all the clamor about Joe’s decision to pull out of Afghanistan and the ensuing chaos, I’m not so sure he’s actually calling the shots here. I don’t think and truly believe there are figures behind the scenes cuing the President up every time he supposedly makes a move. And it seems the moves he makes are handled so clumsily, why, it’s almost as if Obama never left office. Or Carter for that matter. LBJ is another story. And Clinton, for all his bravado, is responsible for Mogadishu. Are Democrats just lost as far as foreign policy is concerned? Or do they let their egos, (Johnson, Obama) get in the way of listening to their advisers? Or are their advisers just political hacks like Blinken who are truly out of their league? — Rod A. Democrats will distance themselves from their nominal leader … and some already have. They want no part of the chaos that President Biden has unleashed. They will look out for themselves and toss Joe over the side if that’s what they feel they need to do. So this time around, it’s more a Biden issue than a Democratic Party issue. Though I get your historical point about Jimmy Carter et al.

Biden ‘s Afghanistan Desertion really bad. It has been a calamity of poor judgment and tragic errors. There’s a LA Times story that 24 high school students + 16 parents from San Diego are stranded ‘somewhere in Afghanistan.’ And an attack at an airport gate with US military injured. This is a presidency killer as you spoke about this week. And things will likely get worse before they get better. In the midst of this, Pelosi and Biden are celebrating their $3.5 infrastructure pancetta squandering while trying to ignore Afghanistan (as they do the Border). I was critical of Michelle Obama when she said something similar, that I have never been embarrassed as an American, but I am now with this collapse in American integrity and fortitude. I am very concerned about about our future, how long will it take us to get our sea legs back and right the rudder. This is really bad. What say you? –Don Estif

I’m with you Don. This IS really bad. This is a Biden screwup from the jump. His presidency is in shambles and as a practical matter he may not be able to recover. My guess, as I write this, is that we’ll now hear from a “tough” Joe Biden. He and his team have to deal with the reality of what’s going on in Afghanistan … AND … the political fallout. Not sure they can do either … or both.

Here in Colorado, it was recently discovered that the president of our state’s Fraternal Order of Police had illegally taken stolen license plates from a police evidence room, placed them on his own automobile, and racked up close to $1,600 in toll-road charges that were then billed to the victim whose plates were stolen. Do you believe that this is proof that the pendulum has swung back too far from the “defund the police” movement? — John D.

As Newton’s Third Law tells us: For every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. So if we keep taking money from police departments … if we insist on defunding the police … then the police (or the head of Colorado’s FOP, anyway) are going to fight back do what any of us would do: Steal license plates to avoid toll-road charges. I mean, can we really blame the guy? I am curious though about who steals license plates in the first place? Why not just steal the whole car? And why wouldn’t the cops notify the person who’s tags were stolen and return them instead of holding them in the evidence room? Is it true, John D, that you have a stolen vanity license plate on your car, a 1955 Nash Rambler. And is it true that the plate reads: Fancy Boy? And was it stolen from your boyhood idol, Liberace’s, Rolls Royce? Just asking!

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Message: * Submit Bernie’s Q&A: Afghanistan, Clarissa Ward, Steve Doocy, and more! (8/20) — Premium Interactive ($4 members)

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

Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):

Greetings Sir Bernie. Here is what Progressive Leftist You Tube commentator Kyle Kulinski had to say about your recent article about Joe Biden’s loss of popularity being attributed to his progressive agenda.

I would enjoy hearing you debate this young man (and others like him), however at the current time I would like to know your response to his critique of you and your article that many of us here recently read. — “Critical Response” Regards From The Emperor

First, with all due respect your Holiness — and to everyone else who’s reading this — please don’t send me videos or long articles to read. My answer won’t make any sense to anybody who doesn’t read the article or watch the video. So no more links. Thank you.

But this one time, just between you and me, the guy in the video, as you say, is a hard left progressive and thinks if Joe Biden isn’t left wing enough. He thinks that if Mr. Biden moves further to the left, if he increases the size of government, if he gives more Americans “free” money for doing absolutely nothing, his approval numbers will go up. He says FDR was popular because he was a progressive. We don’t live in FDR’s time. We’re not trying to spend our way out of a depression while engaged in a world war. The further left Joe moves the better it is for the GOP is how I see it. But we’ll know more next year.

Bernie, appreciate your thoughts about Twitter, CNN and MSNBC giving platforms to the Taliban and Iranian leaders especially as they seek to silence all others (not just trump) who dare to express dissenting views to their narratives. Along the same lines, have you seen how the phrases “domestic terrorist” and “white supremacist” have been expanded to include people who express divergent views on covid, masking , etc. Given the narrative that global warming is an “existential” threat to the world , will dissent on that topic be similarly categorized in the future? While I am on the subject, how many members of MSM even know what “existential” means? — Michael F. News organizations should give platforms to people, countries, and organizations that make news — even those many of us don’t like. But on the second half of your point … they come off as hypocrites if they silence other views they deem controversial or dangerous. As for calling people names like “domestic terrorist” for things that don’t really constitute terrorism … I can only hope most Americans see that for what it is. And if climate change is seen as a threat to the very existence of the planet, then yes, I can see views that don’t conform to “accepted” wisdom on the subject that very well could be in danger of being silenced.

Bernie: I want to give credit where credit is due and hope that it is the beginning of a changing cable news strategy. Have you watched the reporting coming out of Afghanistan from CNN’s Clarissa Ward? I’m shocked to say she has been outstanding and informative. The footage she and her crew send back from the streets is mesmerizing. This is what CNN used to do – send journalists to perform raw and only slightly-edited reporting from the hot spot in the world. I have begged increasingly for the last 20 years for objective, serious news, and this has been a breath of fresh air in this dark hour of the Middle East. Here’s hoping CNN does more and saves cable news from itself. — Steve R.

Clarissa Ward is very courageous. I hope she stays safe. But I have no great confidence that CNN “saves cables news from itself,” as you nicely put it. At some point in the not too distant future, I suspect it will go back to what passes for normal: give the audience what the audience wants. And if viewers think CNN is too tough on President Biden, they will find ways to go easy on him and go back to bashing conservatives. But for now, even liberal media aren’t giving Mr. Biden a pass. Their credibility — or what’s left of it — is at stake. If they pretend the chaos in Kabul isn’t as bad as it is, even liberals won’t take them seriously. But for now, that’s not a problem. Bernie, do you think our leaders ever study history and learn from the past? What happened in Afghanistan happened to every nation that went there before us. Plus, we already had our Afghanistan moment back in Vietnam, right? How did this happen to us again? — Joe M.

I’m with you — totally. Afghanistan is a backward, tribal country and has been for a very long time. I said in my Off the Cuff this week that I once predicted that 10 minutes after we left — a year from now, 10 years from now or 100 years from now — it would be as if we were never there. The country would revert to what it’s always been. I knew this but the powers that be didn’t? Hard to believe, Joe. So to your question, How did this happened again? Maybe it’s because the people in charge aren’t as smart as they think they are.

Bernie, have you been following any of the vaccine drama on Fox and Friends? I’ve been checking it out mainly through websites since I don’t watch the show, but here’s the gist: Steve Doocy is very pro-vaccine, and whenever he recommends that their audience gets vaccinated (for their safety), the other two hosts suddenly get really nervous and quickly add something like “Wait! We’re just commentators! Everyone should make their own choice! You should be talking to your doctors, not listening to us.” It’s really weird, and I don’t think the other two hosts are so much worried about the health part of it, but rather about upsetting the anti-vaccine portion of their viewership. Appealing to people to get vaccinated isn’t a controversial message. At least it shouldn’t be. What is your take? — Alex D.

Pandering is the business model of cable news. So, if the hosts think there’s a significant anti-vaccine contingent in the audience, they’re going to make sure they don’t offend them. That said, I conclude that you, Alex, are probably right.

Did you see George Stephanopoulos’ interview with Biden? What were your thoughts? — Ben G.

I only saw a clip or two replayed on other news channels. My thoughts? Joe Biden is in way over his head.

Hi Bernie. I read your response to my comments from last week’s Q&A. I understand your reply about boycotting Blue States. I live in a Blue State (Illinois), and wanted to give you a little context from my experiences from traveling to Blue States.

In 2017, my wife and I landed at the L.A. airport during the “protests” (really riots) over Trump’s decision not to allow people from some dangerous countries to come to the U.S. Protesters blocking the entry to the ticket counter, swore at us as we tried to get by, and threatened us (as the police just watched). Our flight crew had to walk from the hotel because the protestors blocked all the roads into and out of the airport. In 2013, I took my family to Seattle. I went to the opera while my wife and daughter went to a park nearby. People were shooting up heroin in the park (while the police watched), and my wife and daughter were accosted before leaving (while the police watched). In 2015, we traveled back through Minneapolis. On the way out of the city, we just missed the “protest” (again really a riot) that blocked route 94 through St. Paul to our home. They blocked it right after us. This year, we flew to Cody, Wyoming (in a Red State) from Chicago. We wore our masks at O’Hare and in the plane (required by the CDC). At the Cody airport, no one else wore a mask. At the luggage claim, a woman in her 50s smiled and said “Welcome to Wyoming”. We immediately took our masks off. In Cody, we were treated to a big, patriotic 1 1/2 hour 4th of July parade down Main Street — the best one I’d ever been to. Last year, we went to South Carolina and Tennessee, and people were extremely friendly and no issues. I’d rather go to a state where folks treat me with respect than a state where they don’t. That is why I will be traveling to a Red State and not a Blue State in the future. –Jerry Groen Thanks for the context, Jerry. It’s still a free country … so boycott blue states if that’s what you want to do. Reasonable people, as they say, may disagree.

Bernie, isn’t it safe to say that the border crisis, Delta variant, and disaster in Afghanistan are really just mainstream media distractions from the larger, far more consequential story: Hunter Biden’s antics. — John D.

I’m guessing you’re channeling the “Crazy Wing” of Conservative America — the folks who abandoned Fox because they think it’s gotten too liberal. Be careful, my friend: If they figure out what you’re doing, that you’re making fun of them, they may say nasty things about you on Twitter — and that may hurt your sensibilities, Fancy Boy. But in fairness to the nut job community: If they gave out Nobel Prizes for Snarkiness, you’d be on your way to Oslo.

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Message: * Submit Bernie’s Q&A: Woodward & Bernstein, Roddy Piper, and more! (8/13) — Premium Interactive ($4 members)

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

Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):

Judging by the comments and questions you get, it seems like your readers are mostly Republicans? No problem with that but if that is true, I wonder why you don’t attract more Democrats being that I find you to be a balanced reporter? — Tony P.

It’s because in these hyper-partisan times most people don’t want balance — they want the views they already hold simply validated. That’s how cable news operates. Give the audience what it wants to hear. I’m not saying this to pander to my readers but I firmly believe they’re more than a cut above your typical subscriber to website that carries political comment. Even when they disagree with me (regarding Donald Trump, for instance) they’re civil and their comments are both reasonable and smart. But that’s the exception not the rule.

A lot can, and will, happen between now and November 2022. And in the end does it really matter whether Biden or a moderate (swamp) republican gets elected? Both sides continue down the same road of ever bigger and more intrusive and controlling government, albeit the republicans about 20-30 years behind the democrats. Just giving the people what they want! Also, is there a major media outlet that does not regularly, even without realizing it, shill for a particular political party, personality, or ideology? — Scott K.

Yes, Scott, it does really matter if a Democrat or what you call a “swamp” Republican gets elected. I get your point but if you care about limited government you’ve got a better chance with a Republican, even a moderate Republican. As for the media: I like the Wall Street Journal. I think the paper is fair. But generally speaking, news outlets cater to their paying customers — and that includes the New York Times, not only the obvious: cable news.

As a long-time observer of American news, sports and politics, is there anything that has surprised you lately? Or we are now entirely too predictable? — John R.

Very little surprises me anymore, John. If I see a conservative on cable TV praise a liberal or a liberal praise a conservative, I’ll be surprised. But generally speaking, I understand the business model: Give the audience what it wants to read and hear and hope they come back for more.

In the 1940s, the New York Times lost their credibility when exposed for the WWII Nazi extermination crime coverup. The power they wielded at the time was forgotten, and life went on. For many years, the liberal/conservative pendulum seemed to swing both ways. The “conspiracy theories” of nearly 30 years ago were either laughed at or shrugged away. It could never happen in America, the leader of the free world! We were too self-assured and confident that being liberal was normal societal progress. But changes crept in while we slept. Will what we see happening in today’s America wake up the sleeping giant within us enough to make a difference? — Sandy S.

We seem to be accepting more and more of what, not that long ago, would have been unacceptable. Not that long ago while we realized there were still some bigots among us — in a very big nation, there are bound to be — we didn’t accept the idea that America was fundamentally racist, that racism is embedded in just about every American institution. But now it’s widely accepted — even by corporate leaders who a decade or so ago would never have bought into this kind of thinking. Things will get back on track when enough of us have had enough. Radicals often go too far. They probably will again.

Excellent [piece on revisiting “Bias”]! I’m retired right now. (Thank God.) And, I am able to live off my retirement savings very well. I feel sorry for the people who have to work in this environment. I think that you probably don’t like Mark Levin, but I am reading his book, American Marxism, right now. And, a lot of what he says is on target also. I’m also going to use his game plan and that is to fight back (mainly through the WSJ blog), and start boycotting – no more movies, watching TV news or much TV at all. (I wish that I could get rid of it.) No more going to see woke prima donna sports stars who are making multi-millions, while trashing the country that provided them that opportunity, No more going to major cities except to go and quickly come back. No more traveling to states run by Democrats, e.g. California, Hawaii, NJ, NY, Connecticut, etc. (Sadly, I live in one, Illinois, and I’ve tried to get my wife to move to Wyoming or South Carolina or Tennessee but she likes it here, so I live in a town called “Libertyville”.) — Jerry G.

I’m with you about not supporting movies or TV shows or athletes whose views you don’t agree with. That’s up to you. But we differ on no more traveling to Blue States. I know somebody on the left who won’t visit Red States. How do you feel about that, my friend? Does that make sense to you? It doesn’t to me.

Bernie: “Repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes the truth” is never more evident than today in the language of the left. In that spirit, please power rank the following popular leftist lies: “The rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes.” “The greatest threat to our democracy is white supremacy.” “Women earn 72 cents on the dollar for performing the same jobs as men.” “Proposed voting laws are the new Jim Crow.” “Men can get pregnant and have babies.” — Steve R.

They’re all tied for first place as far as I’m concerned Steve. But a friend points out that many of the same people who are hammering the left for their BS remained silent during 4 years of Donald Trump’s BS. I’m not saying you’re one of those people — just passing along a respected friend’s thinking on the subject.

Sir Bernie, I’ve heard that back during the campaign of 2020 that a Biden/Harris campaign bus was passing through Texas when a caravan of Trump supporters surrounded the bus and tried to run it off the road. There seemed to be some facetious remarks made on the internet about the Trump caravan welcoming and “escorting” the bus through Texas, prompting Trump to say “I love Texas!” There are several videos on You Tube showing the caravan and one of the vehicles driving a bit erratically near the bus. It’s obvious that the Trump supporters were NOT welcoming and escorting the bus through Texas, that’s for certain. However I didn’t see any deliberate attempts to run it off the road either. Supposedly the San Antonio police were investigating the incident, but I never heard of any final decision on the matter. In the clips that I’ve seen, at worst it appears to be Trump supporters following the advice of Maxine Waters by being confrontational and letting the “other side know that they are not welcome here.” (I wonder how Auntie Maxine felt about Republicans taking her advice to fruition, but I digress). I just want to know if you know whether or not incident was ever proven to be inappropriate intimidation or harassment, OR an attempted criminal assault. What can you tell us about this incident? — “My Way Or The Highway” Regards from The Emperor

Like Sgt. Schultz … I know nothing. And just between us, a bit surprised that this matters to you — now.

I am the same age as you, Bernie. Growing up I heard the following over and over: there is no such thing as a free lunch; money doesn’t grow on trees; and finally, when I protested one of my parents dictates, the standard reply. Life’s not fair, get used to it. Today our government is doing it’s damnedest to prove these adages obsolete, much to our detriment I am afraid. When as a country, did we stray so far from our upbringing? — Douglas C.

It happened over time. The more society tolerated the more of what we tolerated we got. Like the frog in boiling water: By the time Froggie realizes what’s happening, it’s too late. But … when they go too far the pendulum might swing back. But no guarantees on that.

Care to predict for us how -BIAS- journalism will be 20 years from now? Is there any chance we will see a shift back towards center? Hmmm, How close to center was it ever in your mind? — ScottyG Twenty years is a long, long time — and my crystal ball doesn’t work that far out. So I have no way of knowing what bias will look like in 2041. Yes, there’s a chance reporting will shift to the center, presenting credible points of view from all sides. But there’s also a chance we’ll get even more opinion masquerading as fact. Get back to me in 20 years for an update.

I read with interest your look back at Bias and Slobbering Affair…. as one who’s been in the game for awhile does any of this resonate with you: Woodward & Bernstein became cult heroes when they broke Watergate. Arguably one of the “poster child” moments in investigative journalism. Underdog journalists brought down corrupt leaders, or so the story went. It seems to me something good went way wrong when investigative journalism transitioned into advocacy journalism (oxymoronic in my view) and all those who grew up wanting to emulate Woodward & Bernstein got swept up into a storm unleashed by the always present liberal bias of the media (under the cover of society “needs” us to deal with abuse of power). At the same time, Roger Ailes and friends saw not just a need to tell the other side of the story but to make a ton of dough in the process. Thus, the road to polarization was open for business and journalism as we once knew it is now essentially extinct, laying in repose right next to common sense, which died a painful death a few years ago. Your thoughts? — Paul M.

I like your analysis. Advocacy journalism brought a response from Ailes and his brand of advocacy journalism. And so the two sides went at it … and everyone soon realized that there’s a lot of money in dividing Americans — or as you correctly say: “the road to polarization was open for business.” Things can get better but only if the audience demands it and I don’t see that in the near future. The audience likes the polarized news they’re getting.

Bernie, have you ever had the chance to interview anyone in the WWE? I believe John Daly wrote an article on your site a while back about the “Roddy Piper Presidency” and I recall him mentioning that he was a fan of Roddy. I recently saw a biography on A&E about Roddy and several other pro wrestlers. The documentary about Roddy was interesting but also extremely sad. He apparently had a falling out with WWE over an interview he gave to Real Sports in which he correctly predicted that he would not live to the age of 65 because of the toll wrestling took on his body. The lifestyle for many pro wrestlers appears to follow an often tragic path that involves tremendous success followed by a tremendous downfall that in one way or another leads to a shortened life. I was curious to know if you’ve ever interviewed anyone at WWE and what your thoughts are about that industry. — Joe M.

At CBS I reported a story about how popular with the chic set professional wrestling had become. It wasn’t only for the blue collar crowd anymore. It had become hip. It was a fun piece. Later as you correctly say, Real Sports did a serious piece on the subject. In my story, I remember interviewing a giant, nasty-looking hulk who supposedly was from Russia. His Engish was (supposedly) limited … and I asked him, “What part of Cleveland are you from.” He simply replied, looking unamused … “Moscow.” I looked up at him, laughed, and walked away.

Rudy Giuliani has reportedly been struggling to pay his legal fees going back to the work he did for former President Donald Trump. He hasn’t received payment from Trump for the election lawsuits he filed on his behalf (Trump says it’s because the lawsuits failed), he’s been the target of multiple lawsuits himself (including over false claims he made about voting- system companies), and he’s also having to deal with a federal investigation into his dealings with Ukraine.

So, with times tough and money tight, Giuliani has started to do what any reasonable person in his position would do: sell personalized video messages from himself to anyone willing to pay $200. My question: Since I have a couple hundred burning a hole in my pocket from that child tax credit check, what would you like Giuliani to say in the video message I’ll be ordering for you? — John D.

Here’s what I want Rudy to say for the $200: “Bernie, you were right. Anyone who gets too close to Donald Trump will regret it. I wish I had listened to you. You are such a wonderful, humble, decent, fair and modest human being. And make the check out to ‘Cash.’ I don’t want to report it to the government.”

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