Insight

“It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.” —Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

Re: Ukraine

“[Vladimir] Putin, who ranted like a James Bond villain on Monday, took aim at Nikita Khrushchev, of all people, for ‘allowing’ Ukraine to be its own country in the first place, showing that he truly believes he can bring back the Soviet empire. In a straight war with NATO, that would be impossible. But with a dithering, divided West, it is frighteningly possible. In denial after decades of domestic peace, the leaders believe that we cannot fall back to the Cold War or even regional conflicts that preceded the world wars. We have become complacent to the lessons of history. What does Putin take next? The Baltics? Where is the line? What lesson does China take from all this? Does America simply slink off the stage? Those who say it is not our problem fool themselves. It already is. And it will only get worse.” —New York Post editorial board

“Historically, Ukraine has been in the Russian sphere of influence. From the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union, Ukraine was there. But it has drifted western in worldview in part because of Soviet and then Russian treatment. Putin doesn’t like that.” —Erick Erickson

“Putin knew he could take Crimea with Obama and assumes he can now take Eastern Ukraine with Biden because Obama and Biden loved grand coalition talk and sanctions with no action. Afghanistan showed Biden is weak and his team lacks a worldview capable of standing up to Putin.” —Erick Erickson

“For 4 years, the Left parroted the hoax that our Administration was weak on Russia. Yet, they didn’t dare invade Ukraine on our watch. But now they do. Who do you think Putin feared more?” —former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

A Trip Down Memory Lane

“Vladimir Putin doesn’t want me to be President. He doesn’t want me to be our nominee. If you’re wondering why — it’s because I’m the only person in this field who’s ever gone toe-to-toe with him.” —Joe Biden, 2020

“Putin knows if I am president of the United States his days of tyranny and trying to intimidate the United States and those in Eastern Europe are over. I’m going to stand up to him. … And I know he doesn’t want me to be president, but … when I’m president, things are going to change.” —Joe Biden, October 2019

“[Mitt Romney] acts like he thinks the Cold War is still on; [that] Russia is still our major adversary. I don’t know where he’s been. … This is not 1956.” —Joe Biden, April 2012

Dezinformatsiya

“It took only 24 hours for Donald Trump to hail Russian President Vladimir Putin's dismembering of independent, democratic, sovereign Ukraine as an act of ‘genius.’” —CNN, which completely left out all of these remarks (via Fox News): “Trump says China ‘absolutely’ going after Taiwan after Russia-Ukraine ‘disaster.’”

Belly Laugh of the Week

“If Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to gobble up another chunk of Ukraine at little or no cost to his own interests, he should have done it while Donald Trump was still president. With President Biden leading the response, Putin’s potential costs are rising — while his hoped-for benefits have evaporated. … [Putin’s] threat to invade has not divided and weakened the Western alliance. Thanks largely to Biden, it has had the opposite effect. … Even as Russian forces strike, Putin will have to ask himself one question: Where’s Trump when I need him?” —Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson (“Putin invaded Ukraine when Biden was veep in February 2014. They’re invading again now. I don’t think Biden is a deterrent.” —Mark Hemingway)

Village Idiot

“Right now, Joe Biden is living up to the very best traditions of presidential leadership.” —Lincoln Project cofounder Rick Wilson, February 2022 | “Biden is clinically insane. That’s the only conclusion I can reach.” —Rick Wilson, October 2012

Non Compos Mentis Awards

“If you are blaming Biden today for what Putin is doing in Ukraine please take down the American flag from your home or social media account and replace it with the Russian flag. It will help us all know where you clearly stand.” —former George W. Bush chief strategist Matthew Dowd

“‘Honk Honk’ … is an acronym for ‘Heil Hitler.’” —Canadian MP Ya'ara Saks

The BIG Lie

“A recent study shows that electricity blackouts can be avoided across the nation — perhaps even during intense weather events — by switching to 100 percent clean and renewable energy, such as solar, wind and water energy.” —The Washington Post

And Last…

“Pornhub is a Canadian company profiting off of exploitation and child rape. Have the employees’ bank accounts been frozen yet?” —Allie Beth Stuckey