Why don't I write about Joe Biden more?

On what I am doing here.

I was skimming through the questions submitted for tomorrow’s mailbag — I do this as a way to prep what I want to say — when I came across this one:

“Is there a reason why you don't write and comment on the sitting President's policies and Democrats. An independent observer will notice that most of your political commentaries and analysis revolve around Trump and the Republicans. To keep it fair and balanced, why don't you comment and analyze the President's and Democrats politics too. I understand that the Democrats aren't having Primaries so there may be less political news coming from them. Keep it balanced and fair to both sides. Biden and Trump.”

I have lots of thoughts on this because I think a) it’s a perfectly valid question and b) it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of what I am trying to do here.

I think it’s an important enough subject, in fact, to pull it out of the chat and devote a whole post to it!

So, let’s start here: I don’t have a boss. There is no one telling me what to write about and/or how much to write.

I think this is a really good thing! Because it allows me to pursue whatever interests me that day. To fall down rabbit holes. To be as critical or as praiseworthy as I think the situation merits.

And to not worry too much about being “fair and balanced.” I am, by nature, very much a centrist — politically speaking. But, in political reporting I think trying to match tit for tat (“I wrote one mean one about Trump so now I need to write a mean one about Biden”) is dumb and counterproductive.

That said, I think that a count of ALL the pieces I have written since I started this newsletter roughly a year ago would, undoubtedly, show I have written more about Trump and Republicans than Biden and Democrats.

The reason — as the questioner mentions — is pretty simple: There is an active and competitive-ish primary happening on the Republican side. There is no race to speak of on the Democratic side.

That reality means there is more happening — candidates saying and doing things, strategies being tried (and either failing or succeeding), debates etc. — on the Republican side and, therefore, much more to write about.

Even if that wasn’t true, though, I still think I would write more about Trump and Republicans than Biden and Democrats. Why? Because I think what Donald Trump has done — and is doing — to the Republican party represents a fundamental reimagining of one of the two major parties in this country. Because what Trump has previously done — and says he will do if elected again — represents a major move away from our democratic norms and ideals.

In short: The tectonic plates of the Republican party are shifting (and have shifted) in profound ways. I think that is incredibly interesting. And it’s why I am drawn to the subject again and again.

Then there’s this: Even though I write about Trump more frequently than I write about Biden, I still do write about the incumbent president.

But, I don’t do so uncritically. Inherent in the question above is, I think, another question: Why don’t you write about all the GOOD things that Joe Biden is doing???

I have a two related answers to that question:

1. I am more interested in the 2024 campaign than I am in Biden in the White House. There are lots of newsletter that write in-depth about policy. This ain’t that newsletter.

2. My job — as I see it — is NOT to cheerlead for Joe Biden. When he does something smart politically (as he did with his Valley Forge speech) I will praise him and write about it. When he does something dumb, I will criticize him and write about it. (Same goes for Trump, by the way.)

I have given that second point a WHOLE lot of thought. Because, the truth is, that most really successful Substacks on politics are VERY partisan (and very anti-Trump). People like to have their views affirmed. I get it!

From a business perspective then, the most sensible thing I could do is turn this into a Donald-Trump-is-evil site. Make every post about his latest outrage. Sound the alarm every single day. Make everything he does a mountain and nothing a molehill.

And, on the flip side, praise everything Biden does. Downplay the age concerns in the electorate. And his poor polling. Insist he is going to win because, well, Trump is evil.

I have no doubt that if I made that turn with “So What,” subscribers would increase significantly. I would make more money. The chances of me being able to turn this into a full-time gig would go up.

But, here’s the problem: That’s not me. Yes, I am have MAJOR concerns about what a Trump second term would look like. But I don’t think that everything Trump does is inherently wrong and that everything Biden does is perfectly correct. I just don’t.

I know that will make some of you unhappy. I get that — truly. But, what I pledged to myself when I started this Substack was that I was going to be as authentic (about political stuff and personal stuff) as I could be. And not worry too much about the consequences.

I have been massively gratified by the number of people who have been willing to support me in this endeavor. (We are nearing 10,000 subscribers and 2,000 PAID subscribers; more on that in a post coming soon.)

I can’t express how much it means to me. But I also want to keep being the real me. And the real me is someone who:

a) loves campaigns

b) loves the horse race

c) isn’t a policy wonk

d) isn’t super partisan

e) cares deeply about trying to deliver on your investment in me

I hope this all makes sense. I think one of the great things about the rise of the creator economy in journalism is that there is a Substack (or newsletter or message board or whatever) out there for ALMOST anyone. There are newsletters dedicated to the intricacies of policy. Or to the pumping up of one party or the other. Or to pro wrestling.

This newsletter is a reflection of me and my interests. It will continue to be just that. I don’t know how to make it anything else and stay real. Thanks, as always, for being on this journey with me.