Staff Reports
President Biden’s facing a showdown of epic proportions – no, it’s not a wild west duel, but it’s pretty darn close. He’s scheduled to meet with none other than President Xi Jinping this week, and boy howdy, the stakes couldn’t be any higher. This meeting’s got more tension than a rubber band ball, and it’s all playing out against the backdrop of a relentless impeachment inquiry digging into his family’s moneymaking escapades with China. Yikes!
Biden family’s big-money deals in China in background when president meets with Xi Jinpinghttps://t.co/vG1bozzJfz pic.twitter.com/7PATqvUZiB
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 14, 2023
The White House is spinning this rendezvous as a high-stakes game of diplomacy, with a side order of trying to patch things up in the military communications department between these two powerhouse nations. But Mr. Biden’s got a heap of troubles on his plate, and some folks are saying that he’s about as effective as a screen door on a submarine when it comes to dealing with the big, bad Chinese dragon. They’re fuming that he’s been softer on China than a bowl of warm mashed potatoes, especially when compared to the oh-so-tough former President Donald Trump, who’s apparently nipping at Mr. Biden’s heels in the latest popularity polls.
The Biden bunch is doing some fancy footwork to manage expectations for this powwow with Mr. Xi, ’cause things are as frosty as an ice cream cone in the Arctic between the U.S. and China. But darn it all, Mr. Biden’s 2024 GOP opponents ain’t about to cut him any slack. They’ve got their eyeballs glued to this meeting, demanding nothing short of a miracle from old Joe. If he walks away empty-handed, they’re claiming it’s more embarrassing than showing up to prom in a clown suit.
Republican bigwig and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, is banging the drum the loudest, hollering for Mr. Biden to take China to the woodshed for everything from the COVID kerfuffle to spying shenanigans. She’s making it clear that if Mr. Biden leaves the table without some strong-arming of Mr. Xi, it’ll be a win for the Chinese Communist Party. Ouch!
Meanwhile, over on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are digging into Mr. Biden’s closet, and they’re turning up some skeletons – and a whole heap of cash. It seems like the Biden family’s been wheelin’ and dealin’ with those crafty Chinese folks, and the money’s been rolling in faster than a runaway train. Hoo-boy! Records are pointing to some mighty cozy connections between the Biden boys and Chinese companies with links to the Communist Party and their military.
But wait, there’s more! Mr. Biden’s been catching flak for his seemingly soft touch with China, with critics bemoaning that he’s been undoing all the tough talk and action of the previous administration. They’re waggling their fingers and tut-tutting away, saying that Mr. Biden’s standing by while China’s been acting like a bull in a china shop in the Indo-Pacific Region and even in good ol’ America’s backyard. They’ve got their knickers in a twist over everything from intellectual property theft to a darn Chinese spy balloon meandering across the U.S. like it’s on a Sunday drive. What a kerfuffle!
But lo and behold, there are those who are standing up for Mr. Biden, pointing out that he’s kept a hefty load of tariffs on Chinese imports that were laid down by Mr. Trump. Plus, the man gave the order to shoot down that spy balloon, much to the chagrin of the Chinese. So hey, he’s not just sittin’ on his hands, folks!
As for the actual nitty-gritty of that meeting with Mr. Xi, well, the White House isn’t spilling the beans. Tight-lipped as a clam, they are! But they’re hinting at wanting to nail down some concrete outcomes on areas where the U.S. and China’s interests line up, like that pesky fentanyl trade and getting the military chit-chatting again. Sounds like those two could use some good ol’ fashioned negotiations, don’t it?
And if you thought all of this hoo-ha was enough, there’s an exciting twist in this tale – a circus, if you will! It turns out that Mr. Biden’s critics are wagging their fingers about the decision to tidy up San Francisco ahead of Mr. Xi’s visit. Apparently, they’ve cleared out the homeless folks like a quick game of musical chairs, leaving things spick and span. But hang on a minute, isn’t that old Gavin Newsom, the California governor, a Democrat? Even the Dems seem to have something to say about all this hullabaloo!
Well, folks, that there meeting between Messrs. Biden and Xi is shaping up to be one humdinger of a showdown, and you can bet your boots that this ain’t the last we’ll be hearing about it. It’s gonna be more dramatic than a soap opera, and there’s bound to be enough arm-waving, finger-pointing, and chin-scratching to keep folks talking for a good long while. Golly, ain’t politics a hoot and a holler?
