The Biden Files

“It is actually easy not to mishandle classified information.”

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Declan joins Sarah, David and Steve to break down President Biden’s classified documents scandal. The team then discusses McCarthy’s backroom dealing, the proposed SANTOS act, and the riots in Brazil. Plus: An anatomically descriptive Worth Your Time(?) segment that made David deeply uncomfortable.

Show Notes:

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Comments (33)
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  1. Dpickard178

    Now fully briefed by Sarah on the topic of Harry's chilly willy, I feel no urge to read the tome.

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    MB2141

    Here is what I have learned from the Dispatch: Biden will be supported by Democrats to run for re-elections IF it is understood that he can win. IT seems that what really matters more now than ever is the PARTY in American politics. If Biden can win, then who cares. The Dems are in power. It is like what the Dispatch has taught me about Congress.... members of Congress don't matter anymore... they don't even really vote on things... it is just the Party. Unless I am missing something, I think Jonah means this stuff when he says we have moved to reflect Parliament more than ever.

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    Bizgjs

    Born and raised in the UK, having lived my entire adult life in the USA, and back in the UK right now to care for my dad through his hospice journey, I was appalled at the "not worth your time" segment on the Royal Family. Sarah has so much expertise on many topics, but this isn't one of them. Declan's, David's and Steve's comments were excellent, particular David's comment about the degree to which Nancy would care and Steve's comment that this discussion was the very definition of "not worth your time" in terms of The Dispatch's mission.

    I look to you for in-depth, thoughtful, expert analysis. Please, please stick to topics on which you truly have expertise and which truly are worth our time.

    (This is an unusually strong comment from me. I really can't believe what I just heard, while listening to your podcast as I took a walk in southwest England.)

    (And the anatomical references were juvenile.)

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  4. GregS

    Curious that you think Biden not announcing the document discovery before the election is the scandal.
    Is the standard now that anyone under DOJ investigation must immediately announce that they are under investigation? So the DOJ shouldn't announce active investigations, but the *target* of an investigation must announce it - and if they don't, its a scandal?

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    Slp

    I wish that David had given us a hint of where to look to learn about how easy it is to manage classified documents. Based on the only information I have, which is the public release of information about last three Administrations, it seems difficult. In any case, things need to be tightened up.

    Regarding the late queen, she played a role that we don't have a corollary for in this country. I appreciated and was comforted when I heard her speech during the early pandemic. It was very brief but kindly telling us to buck up, we'd been through bad things in the past and we would get through this.

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    Ben Connelly

    Some guy named Harry says, “Who the f**k is Faulkner?” To which I respond, “Who the f**k is this ex-prince?”

    I’m with Sarah: when it comes to Team William and Kate vs. Team Megan and Harry, I’m on Team America. We fought a war so that we’d stop having to care about feuds between various royals. Odds are this feud won’t end up starting another English civil war - still, they say you should leave on a high note and the monarchy should have ended when Queen Elizabeth II died.

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    1. Hartzlk

      Agreed, I could not even name them if I had to.
      Asking me if I wish I knew more about the royal family would be similar to asking Sarah if she was interested in learning to speak Sindarin.

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        Ben Connelly

        It’s never too late for Sarah to become a Tolkien scholar

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  7. Tom Johnson

    Maybe just me, but it seems like a healthy sign that a lot of folks on Twitter are wishing for Trump and Biden to be cellmates.

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  8. M. Adrian Canadiensis

    As a Canadian subject of His Majesty, I find talk of "the Royals" to be rather typically American (it's turning the adjective into a noun that does it--and the overdone celebrity worship, which Americans have perfected). I suppose, since a conservative bent in the Commonwealth really does make me a Tory (i.e. a member of the King's party, against those dastardly Whigs), I find the alignment of conservatives with William against Harry rather natural.

    But even in the broader American tradition, if we're going to divide the royal family into sides, it makes sense to pick the side that has chosen to stick to the family business and "do the job," vs. the brother who on the face of it wants fame rather than duty (Harry's service in the military was exemplary, but it's also in the rear view mirror). And the cultural opposition against Hollywood--where Harry and Meghan fit right in--on the American right makes it fit even more.

    The monarchy is at its best when the monarch is dutiful and dull. William does seem to hie closer to that ideal than Harry, but if he gets sucked into "me vs. him," as merely one of a binary choice of princes, that's not good for the monarchy. But, then, it's quite clear that Harry isn't exactly putting what's good for the monarchy first.

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    George.Skinner

    One thing I'd point out about the saga of Prince Harry is that he was born into a royal family, but as a rich man with many connections, what he's done with his life is largely up to him. Other members of the royal family have gotten a proper education (his brother has an M.A., for example.) Other members of the royal family have continued to pursue military careers (like his disgraced uncle Andrew, who served in the Falklands War and continued active service until 2001.) Still others decided they didn't want to have an active role as working royals and have pursued careers (like the children of Princess Anne and Prince Edward.) What they didn't do is try to step back from a public role while receiving money from the sovereign grant and cashing in on their royal status.

    I also don't know why the British Royal Family would have any particular fascination for Americans other than as a celebrity story. If you're a citizen of a Commonwealth nation, the Crown has a very real role in how government works, and the members of the royal family actually have some importance (mainly whether they're doing their job of shutting up, being uncontroversial, and looking nice at various ceremonial functions.)

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