Despite debate errors, Biden is the one who can proceed with resolve

For most of us tuning in for the first CNN debate, the presentation of our current president was a jolt. His presentation offered less of the mature statesmanship or confident visionary of his State of the Union address. On the other hand, from our past president we saw exactly what was expected. Taking every opportunity for a bellicose torrent of blatant lies; misstated results of the policies in his administration; and self-contrived statistics and interpretations of his successor’s effective policy achievements. False statements and invented statistics, designed to further mislead those susceptible to his lies.

For me, the following well-stated words of Theodore Roosevelt reveal the vulnerability and strength of the leader who is willing to face unexpected errors and proceed with resolve.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly …”

Jo Wasta

Cedar Rapids