(The following opinion column does not constitute an endorsement of any political party or candidate on the part of Newsmax.)
June 13’s near assassination of President Donald J. Trump overwhelmed all the news on the radar until that moment. Assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks killed Corey Comperatore, 57, and wounded David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74.
Against all odds, Trump survived.
As the Republic National Convention recently voted in Milwaukee, Trump is now the official Republican nominee for president of the United States.
In that connection, it’s worth looking back at President Joe Biden’s "big boy" press conference on July 11. His performance was perfect . . . for Republican prospects.
Biden did not deliver the grand slam that would have allowed him and his supporters to say that he really is sharper than a scalpel, and his dismal debate showing on June 27 really was the jet-lag-and-chest-cold-fueled “bad night” that they have claimed.
Conversely, Biden did not strike out on straight pitches, either.
Another "bad night" like his showdown with Trump would have triggered enough reverberating boos to reduce Yankee Stadium to rubble and bury Biden in the process.
Instead, Biden managed a base-hit single: nothing too impressive, but good enough to stay in the game. This means that Biden will continue to bleed slowly, as the cuts approach the lethal 1,000-mark.
Biden accomplished two especially memorable pratfalls on the evening of July 11:
Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin."
D’oh!
Biden’s Republican opponent described the other snafu via Truth Social, "Crooked Joe begins his 'Big Boy' Press Conference with, 'I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president.' Great job, Joe!"
Hilarious.
Less funny is what Biden said about Trump and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which marked its 75th anniversary at a conference that Biden hosted recently in Washington, D.C.
"Meanwhile, my predecessor has made it clear he has no commitment to NATO," Biden claimed. "He’s made it clear that he would feel no obligation to ho- — honor Article 5."
This is pure malarkey.
Democrats chide Trump for being tough on NATO. These softies would judge a father who makes his kids do their chores and finish their homework before playing video games. Verdict, "He has no commitment to his children!"
Au contraire!
What Democrats never understand is that tough love is the finest love of all.
By inculcating discipline, limits, and self-restraint, such a father would raise adults who work hard, set sound priorities, and make worthy sacrifices to better themselves. In other words: behave like grown-ups.
This is exactly what Trump did with NATO.
Previous presidents let NATO member nations slide on their financial commitments to the alliance. Instead, they handed the bills to US taxpayers.
Putting America first, Trump made clear that he expected other NATO members to keep the promises that they made to help underwrite the West’s collective defense.
Characteristically, Trump did not sugar coat this message.
His undiplomatic admonitions unleashed a cacophony akin to a room full of Kindergartners whose toys just got yanked from their sweaty little hands.
Nonetheless, Trump’s tough love worked.
By the end of his first administration, Trump had collected $130 billion in increased military outlays by America’s NATO allies.
By demanding that NATO nations deliver on their public pledges to pay at least 2% of GDP to collective defense, at least nine European nations promised to pay a combined $400 billion through 2024 to fortify themselves against external aggression, mainly from Russia.
"This is unprecedented progress, and it is making NATO stronger," said NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg.
The fact that Trump bolstered NATO provides even further proof that he gave Vladimir Putin headaches rather than backrubs.
Joe Biden said many foolish things in his much-awaited press conference, not least slamming Donald J. Trump’s outstanding record on NATO.
Deroy Murdock is a Manhattan-based Fox News Contributor. Read Deroy Murdock's Reports — Read More Here.
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