Biden addressed the nation on Thursday night. He delivered a speech that was okay but not what was needed at this moment in time.

I read the transcript of the speech to make sure I heard the things I thought I heard. I’m going with my gut reaction and offering my two-cents. This isn’t some intense analysis, just some thoughts.

With the Israel- Hamas war about to explode, as the ground war into Gaza is imminent, and given that Biden just flew back from Israel last night, I hoped this speech would illuminate some insight as to how Biden plans to handle the situation. Unfortunately, I heard one of the speech analysts say that this speech is one that has been worked on for days but it was originally meant to be a plea for support of more money going to Ukraine. Then it became a speech tying the funding of Ukraine and Israel together. That is exactly what the focus was on.

One of the problems with Biden’s speech is that he included patting himself on the back for going to Israel and then for his trip to Ukraine last February. He always makes his speeches and remarks all about him but it cheapened his speech.

Now earlier this morning I returned from Israel. They tell me I’m the first American president to travel there during a war.

Perfect for a campaign ad, right? I already think Biden went to Israel just 11 days after the Hamas attack on Israel to help his re-election campaign. It’s a cynical opinion, I know, but what did he accomplish? He assured Israel that the United States fully supports the country. He had some photo ops. He spoke to some families about their experiences during the Hamas attack on October 7, he said. And he promised humanitarian aid to Gazans. He could have done all that over the phone on Zoom calls, as he was doing before he made a hastily arranged trip to Israel. I think it was a campaign trip to show he could do it. It was a nothing burger but if you saw any of the leftist cable tv coverage after he returned, you would think it was the greatest presidential trip ever made.

So, Joe Biden is very fond of being able to say he is the first president to do anything. Or to prove he is brave, as he did when he spoke about this trip to Ukraine. It’s the same long train trip from Poland that everyone else took before him but somehow he’s the bravest of the brave for making the trip. That’s what happens when we have an 80-year-old president running for re-election, though he is clearly mentally and physically failing.

He gets credit for finally saying unequivocally that Israel was not responsible for the rocket attack on the hospital in Gaza. He has not done that before. He usually skirts his answer, hesitating to blame one side or the other.

Biden tied Putin to Iran and Hamas to Iran and said that Iran is the sponsor of the wars in Ukraine and Israel. That was a necessary connection to make. He stressed that the leadership of the United States is crucial in the world.

American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel, it’s just not worth it.

Here’s the irony. If Biden was a strong leader himself, he would not find himself as a wartime president. He was determined to not be a wartime president, yet his policies have led him here. The world watched his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, including our enemies, and realized that Biden is not up to the job of leader of the free world. Putin was first to take advantage when he invaded Ukraine. Now Hamas has been emboldened to attack Israel. Joe Biden leads from behind and it is making the world a very dangerous place.

Biden spoke about stopping Putin or else Putin will continue his quest to annex other territory. That’s true but what did Obama and Biden do when Putin annexed Crimea?

I know these conflicts can seem far away, and it’s natural to ask: Why does this matter to America? So let me share with you why making sure Israel and Ukraine succeed is vital for America’s national security.

You know, history has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction. They keep going. And the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising.

So if we don’t stop Putin’s appetite for power and control in Ukraine, he won’t limit himself just to Ukraine. He’s — Putin’s already threatened to remind, quote, remind Poland that their western land was a gift from Russia. One of his top advisers, a former president of Russia, has called Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Russia’s Baltic provinces.

Putin didn’t invade Ukraine during the Trump years. He knows there is a vacuum of leadership now in the United States. Putin is losing the war because he underestimated the Ukrainians.

Biden lectured about a possible increase in attacks on Muslims or Jews because of the war, yet he only concentrated on tamping down Islamophobia, not the hideous demonstrations that have been taking place in support of Palestine and Hamas. He has failed to call out the disinformation put out on social media by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has failed to delete her tweet spreading the lie that Israel sent the rocket to destroy the hospital in Gaza. She hasn’t apologized or corrected the information. Joe Biden is scared to confront members of his own party. He’s running for re-election.

He said he cautioned Israel to not fight back too hard, or something. And he said what the leftists are fond of saying – not all Palestinians are Hamas. However, the Gazans elected Hamas to be their political leadership in 2005.

Biden spoke about the humanitarian aid being delivered to Gaza. He admitted it may be hijacked by Hamas. He knows it will be but he made the gesture. He wants to look like the good guy.

Look, at the same time, President Netanyahu and I discussed again, yesterday, the critical need for Israel to operate by the laws of war. That means protecting civilians in combat as best as they can. The people of Gaza urgently need food, water and medicine.

Yesterday, in discussions with the leaders of Israel and Egypt, I secured an agreement for the first shipment of humanitarian assistance from the United Nations to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. If Hamas does not divert or steal this shipment, these shipments, we’re going to provide an opening for sustained delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians.

Restrain yourself, Israel. That was the message. It’s disgusting. The only solution is to destroy Hamas. Talking about a two-state solution at this time and naive hopes for peace are out of place. It is not the time. Now is the time for Israel to do what it needs to do. Finish them.

Look for swooning praise from the media over this speech. It started right away on social media.

Hume: It may be remembered as one of the best if not the best speeches of his presidency. He was firm. He was strong pic.twitter.com/NjUaWCIJdF

— Acyn (@Acyn) October 20, 2023

Yes, Brit Hume on Fox thought it was a great speech. It was not.

There is this whiny wienie:

One hour after Biden's prime time address, Hannity is mocking Hannity's "weakness," saying, "I bet he already had his warm milky in his sippy cup, and he's already in dreamland, and he should be watching this show." He calls POTUS "Joe" instead of president.

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 20, 2023

Biden will ask Congress for $100B for Ukraine and Israel. That is what this speech was about. Israel was an afterthought that was squeezed in. I think the leadership in Israel must be disappointed that Biden didn’t strongly tell Iran to back off and what would happen if it does not. He also did not pledge to stop funding Iran. He can’t slam Iran for nefarious acts in other countries and then turn around and send billions of dollars to that country.