One of the most exciting parts of writing this blog has been the interactions that I have had with so many of you! I have so loved the feedback and also the questions. So, I am taking this week’s column as an opportunity to answer three questions that have come up a couple of times …
1. Have you always been a fan of President Biden?
This is actually a tough question for me to answer. During the 2020 primaries, I actually was pretty convinced that Biden was the wrong man for the job — that he was too old and that his values did not reflect what the increasingly progressive base wanted. And I was willing to entirely write off his candidacy after his dismal performance in the New Hampshire primary. But, with age and hopefully a dash of wisdom, I have become more open-minded. I would describe my metamorphosis on Biden to one of my favorite scenes from my all-time favorite tv show Schitt’s Creek, as David goes from the ICK to eye-opening surprise (and love) as his beau Patrick serenades him. There are still moments when I cringe — especially when Biden with his penchant for gaffes goes off-the-cuff — but his authenticity and dogged determination to get things done has won me over.
2. What do you think will be the most important issue in the November elections?
A part of me would love to say democracy and the fight for the soul of America — since I undoubtedly believe that Trump and his unhinged views, as well as his abandonment of all political norms and mores, are an existential threat to this country. But, democracy in many ways is an amorphous concept that can be challenging to explain to voters — at least in a way that motivates them to turn up and vote reliably blue. What is not a difficult concept to explain to voters is reproductive healthcare. We all understand that we want to have bodily autonomy and that we do not want the government involved in our most intimate, and often most painful, decisions. As last week’s overwhelming Democratic victory by Marilyn Lands in a reliably red Alabama district shows, reproductive rights continue to drive voters. And, there is no reason to expect that this will not still be true in November.
3. What most scares me about the November election?
I would love to say that I am as Zen as I sometimes pretend to be. But, truthfully, that is just a tattered facade that I have constructed. I am scared — no terrified — that Trump will somehow pull an inside straight, again, and eke out a victory. I am scared that Republicans who voted for Haley in the primaries and told exit polls Never Trump will lose their courage and put party over country. I am scared that Biden will stumble on a step and that conversations about age will come roaring back. And, I am terrified that low information voters will succumb to the propaganda that they are fed on Fox News and Newsmax on issues ranging from immigration to the economy. But, I am choosing not to give in to the fear and instead use it to motivate me to do more to ensure that Democrats are elected up and down the ticket in November.
And, if you still need more motivation to knock on doors or pick up the phone and make calls, this little ditty from Schitt’s Creek always reminds me that sometimes it is more than okay to look a little bit corny to do the right thing.
~Bree J. Schuette
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