Barack Obama didn't scare America's adversaries. Syria's Bashar al-Assad brushed off Obama's "red line" on the use of chemical weapons, and proceeded to kill more than 1,400 people with sarin gas. Obama blinked, calling off airstrikes.
Similarly, Putin was not scared by Obama, annexing Ukraine's Crimea region as Obama stood meekly by.
Was Putin afraid of Joe Biden? C'mon man. Rhetorical question. The only thing Biden ever claimed to have beaten was Medicare.
Morning Joe devoted a segment today to fretting over Trump arranging peace talks with Russia on Ukraine without, at this stage, the participation of Ukrainian officials.
But the show couldn't process Zelensky's stunning statement on yesterday's Meet The Press: that Putin is "scared" of Trump and that as a result, Trump, who is "strong," can push Putin into peace negotiations.
Morning Joe aired the clip of Zelensky. But not one word was subsequently devoted to it or to the stunning contrast in Putin's attitude toward Trump compared to his predecessors. Jonathan Lemire just kept summarizing Zelensky's speeches and arguments.
If there was an opinion to be offered, the focus was kvetching over Trump's handling of the peace process, daring to negotiate directly with the Russians.
For example, Katty Kay lived up to her name in saying Donald Trump's policy is "America first, Europe last." Columnist David Ignatius of the Washington Post complained:
"What we are seeing is the beginning of peace negotiations over the head of Ukraine . . . It's something that I find really difficult to accept, that we would, in effect, try to orchestrate a peace agreement without our partner."
Ignatius should consider his own statement. This is the "beginning" of peace negotiations. Ukraine would inevitably be brought into the process at an appropriate point. But for now, let Putin's minions sit across the table facing representatives only of Trump -- the man who scares Putin.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
2/17/25
6:04 am ETJONATHAN LEMIRE: President Zelensky also shared details about what he said to President Trump during a phone call between the two last week.
KRISTEN WELKER: Is it true that you told President Trump during that phone call that Putin is only pretending to want peace because he is afraid of Mr. Trump?
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yes. Yes, I said that he's a liar. And he said, I think that my feeling, he said, that he's ready for peace negotiations. And I said to him, no, he's a liar. He doesn't want any peace.
But, I think he's really a little bit scared about President Trump. And I think the president has this chance, and he's strong. And I think that really he can push Putin to peace negotiations. Yes, I think so. I think so he can. But don't trust him. Don't trust Putin.
