On August 21st, 2023, Joe Biden and his administration were in the spotlight during the WILS radio show. The guest, Raven Harrison, discussed various topics concerning President Biden's leadership and the upcoming presidential election. Here are the highlights of their conversation.
WILS August 21st, 2023 with Raven Harrison
During the radio show, Raven Harrison, a former congressional candidate and political strategist, joined the host, Mike Austin, to delve into the current state of affairs under President Joe Biden. The discussion revolved around the president's response to national disasters, his absence from certain events, and the strategy of the Democratic Party moving forward.
Raven Harrison expressed concern over President Biden's lack of action in response to recent disasters. Harrison highlighted how, unlike past presidents who were on the ground during crises, Biden seemed distant and uninvolved. The radio show brought up incidents such as the Maui wildfires and the East Palestine train derailment, where the president's response was delayed or seemingly absent altogether.
Moreover, the conversation touched upon the disparity in aid provided to different nations. The focus shifted to the significant financial support given to Ukraine while the assistance offered to American citizens affected by disasters seemed inadequate. The radio hosts and guest analyzed the monetary figures and questioned the priorities of the current administration.
The upcoming presidential debate was also a topic of discussion. With former President Trump choosing not to participate, there were doubts about how the remaining candidates would handle the absence of their major rival. The conversation pondered whether it would be wise for the candidates to focus on Trump's non-participation or if they should aim to differentiate themselves and present their own vision for the country.
Transcript
- Mike Austin: This is Mike Austin. Yeah, it's about 8:19. We're going our way on through your Monday. Take the edge off the grindstone a little bit for you. Joining us now are usual Monday guests about this time. Good friend of the show, former congressional candidate, political strategist now and author of the rave book. Everybody's loving about Raven. It's called Fighting the Betrayal of America, Raven's Mantle. Raven Harrison's with us. Hey, Raven, how you doing?
- Raven Harrison: Good morning, Mike. Happy Monday.
- Mike Austin: Yeah, well, I don't know. Happy and Monday don't usually go together for a… You know what though? That's too bad. That they should. We should be proud of what we do to earn what pittance we earn. We should still be proud of trying to take care of our family. We should look at Monday and not regret it. We should look at Monday and attack it. That's my thought.
- Raven Harrison: Well, Monday helps you appreciate Friday.
- Mike Austin: Boy, it sure does. All right. So let's talk about this a little bit. The president offered his no comment famously the other day when he was asked about the Maui wildfires. And then on Thursday, reporters asked him about his upcoming trip to the state. And what did he say? Did he say no comment again? He's really sort of been sort of, I don't want to say flippant, but he hasn't said a whole lot.
- Raven Harrison: Yeah. Well, he made one comment that Jill and I are anxious to surveil the damage, blah, blah, blah, and PS don't forget to send money to Ukraine. So something along the lines, but I mean, I honestly, it's not even laughable because what Hawaii is going through, but this is what we've come to expect from leadership. When there's a hurricane, we normally have the president on the ground. When there's a national disaster, but this seems to be something that plagues this presidency. I mean, we had the East Palestine train like nothing. We had, you know, the southern border cricket. Now this might be the first recorded time that a president refused to go to Hawaii in a meaningful time. And you know, the aid that has been offered to Hawaiians, this is what really lit up the internet was a equate to about $700 per resident when we're sending billions. We've already sent $42 billion to Ukraine, another $42, I'm sorry, $24 requested. And yet this is the pittance that our Americans got when we have, you know, 111 dead and possibly a thousand more still missing, ravaged.
- Mike Austin: I know that there's some calls in Congress, of course, from the Republican side, not another dime for Ukraine until we get our own southern border under control. And you know, I had completely forgotten, unfortunately, about the Palestine or Palestine, I think they were saying, that train derailment, you know, it's out of sight, out of mind, but they're still cleaning up out there and dealing with that. And it took forever for anybody from the administration to visit there.
- Raven Harrison: He went to Delaware, I think, instead of then, and then also, I mean, these people are still struggling with drinking water, health issues, he has yet to set foot there. The president has not made it, you know, it was just really, you know, horrific and then late when the response did come, it was late. So this is a pattern.
- Mike Austin: This has got to be a subject that comes up in the debate on Wednesday, I would think, on Fox. They should bring this up and ask about it, I would think, wouldn't you?
- Raven Harrison: Well, they will, and you know, and it would be good for them to do that because that's what we should put the focus on. They should, there's going to be, there's a lot of talk about what this debate is going to look like without President Trump and this is the whole essence. Trump is lapping in the field. He is, you know, in the great position. So are these guys going to carve out a name for themselves by making Trump the center of attention for not being at the debate? The horrible strategy. But right now, it seems to be who's vying for second.
- Mike Austin: And you know, Donald Trump said that, you know, everybody knows who I am. I don't need to be there. He's really right. I don't think, I don't think anybody's looking at this as a, say, quote, chickening out or anything. He didn't need to be there. And if he were there, that whole debate would become about him. And he doesn't want that.
- Raven Harrison: Well, I mean, he, the media is doing a great job of putting all the attention on him. So he's right strategically, much as we would all like to see what that is, but we all know what that would be. That would be basically everybody taking aim at President Trump and he's never shied away from a challenge like that. He went on CNN. I mean, he normally goes right into the lion's den, you know, into the fire, the stakes and popcorn. So what we're going to see here, though, is that we're not getting the meat of no candidate stands up because they're attaching themselves to Trump. So I think it's a really good strategy for him not to attend.
- Mike Austin: And then on the other side, going into a political, you know, a political presidential election season, we're not that far off here. We're getting underway with a debate on the Democrat side. I don't know what is their strategy going to be if President Joe Biden is their guy, which he is. What's that strategy? Just not talk to anybody because he doesn't.
- Raven Harrison: Their strategy is to hide him like they did during the majority of the campaigning in 2020. It was obvious there's something going on with Joe Biden, you know, with an isolated gaf only because they really restricted his appearances and he literally did campaign from his basement. So they, they had a good strategy, but he has literally accelerated whatever is going on with Joe Biden. The decline is rapid and it's very widespread and pronounced. So that is their goal right now is to protect their, their candidate and their narrative, who is going to be 83, you know, at the time of reelection and until they can find out another strategy, they can get behind. And it's just really, you see the other ones, RFK being ghosted by the party and Mary Ann Williamson just not even gaining traction yet.
- Mike Austin: Which leads me to this. Who's really running things?
- Raven Harrison: Obama.
- Mike Austin: You know, you think so?
- Raven Harrison: So without question, I feel like that any of us who have seen that video of Obama saying he would like to have a third term where he could just be behind the scenes and somebody else be the front man, we've all seen that interview and we're all watching this in real time. Anybody who thinks that Joe Biden is running this country is not paying attention.
- Mike Austin: Wow. Raven Harrison. Her book is Raven's Mantle. It's an interesting story and a shocking story in a lot of ways. Raven's Mantle fighting the betrayal of America, doing a book signing, coming to Lansing area. Do we have a date nailed down yet?
- Raven Harrison: No, we don't. It'll be shortly after Labor Day.
- Mike Austin: Okay. Well, keep in touch and we'll talk again next week and move on down the road. Boy, oh boy. Hey, Raven. Thanks for having me on your podcast, by the way. That was fun.
- Mike Austin: It was an honor and I hope everyone checks it out. Raven has a podcast and she did me the honor of interviewing me about fatherhood. And you know, this is so-called toxic masculinity, which is a farce. And the need for good strong men in this country.
- Raven Harrison: Yeah.
- Mike Austin: And it was fine. And I like it. I like your podcast. You did a, you have a nice professional way of doing it. I will tell you that. Boy, you got a machine there. That's pretty slick.
- Raven Harrison: We have a team, but yes, people should check you out. Check out Mike on Raven's Radar. It was a fantastic interview.
- Mike Austin: Thank you. Well, me and you, we'll chat again next week. All right, have a good week.
- Raven Harrison: You too.
- Mike Austin: All right, see you, kiddo.
Wrap-up
As the conversation shifted to the Democratic Party's strategy, Raven Harrison expressed concerns about Joe Biden's ability to lead effectively, referencing his declining health and limited public appearances during the 2020 campaign. The guest suggested that there might be other individuals, notably former President Obama, who hold significant influence and are guiding the administration from behind the scenes.
It is crucial for listeners and voters to stay informed and engaged in the political process. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, understanding the actions, policies, and leadership of candidates like Joe Biden is essential. Take the time to research and analyze the platforms of various candidates to make an informed decision that aligns with your values and vision for the country.
Remember, your vote makes a difference, so stay informed and actively participate in shaping the future of the nation.
