Talk politics.

Could be worse but also could be better. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador gets second place behind India's Modi. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some head scratching to do.

Joe Biden Ranked Sixth in Approval Rating of World Leaders
"According to a survey by Morning Consult Political Intelligence, which tracks the approval rating for governmental leaders in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States on a weekly basis, Biden currently places sixth, with an approval rating of 44 percent."

Regardless of what one may think about the current Oval Office occupant, polls go up and down.

The dear frail gentleman still has plenty of time to become popular with many Americans.

If the Dems keep control of the Congress one year from now, the elderly gent will soon be signing a bill for reparations.

It will be a glittering event at the White House with hundreds of dignitaries attending, such as that fine fellow the Rev. Mr. Al Sharpton.

The Delaware gentleman's ratings will soar to the skies.

So Republicans should avoid being misled by the guy's current low ratings.

Democrats are haggling over whether to drop two of the most popular elements of their social spending bill as negotiations reach the zero hour, according to a half-dozen sources close to the discussions:

Dems weigh ditching Medicare expansion and paid leave in eleventh hour of social spending talks

So, what's left after you gut Medicare expansion and paid family leave? I think I read free community college has already been axed or pared down. Manchin won't approve climate stuff. Sinema is a “no” on negotiating Medicare drug prices. This bill has fizzled. Sure - deaf, dumb & blind aging Baby Boomers beat TaxingTheWealthyAccordingToIncome to provide co-pay free Medicare4All with UniversalBasicIncome & much more, everyday of the week. The majority of the Democrats giveth & the majority of the GOP taketh away.

( So let us recap. )

While the president regularly takes a handful of questions from the press, he has yet to hold a formal, solo news conference since taking office—a break from his White House predecessors.

I know, this isn't a big deal - yet. At this point. For the time being. Or at least it isn't supposed to be. But the press are starting to get irritated from the lack of access to the president; and of course his detractors, primarily conspiracy theorists, are eager to jump on the "Senile Ole Joe" bandwagon, claiming he's not fit to even hold a conversation with people from outside his most immediate surrounding, let alone capable of making autonomous decisions of national importance.

I really don't want to believe this last bit, because it would have pretty damning implications. It would mean the Dems pushed Joe despite his alleged condition (!?) to become their figurehead just for the sake of removing Donnie from power. To go one step further, these conspiracy theories claim they're planning on "retiring" him within a year or so, effectively making Kamala president. Not sure how that'd change things, if They (the ominous They) are really the ones running things from behind the scenes, but anyway. You know how conspiracy theories go.

All of this, for the fact he's not been particularly responsive to the press. Or, like it last happened, live feeds suddenly and inexplicably cutting just as he's about to do that exactly. I don't know if it raises questions of accountability (a recent meme has emerged depicting Joe as an Executive Order spitting machine, meaning he's mostly ruling through that channel - but then again, which recent president hasn't?) But I do believe being more open to the media would help him disperse a lot of that uncertainty and distrust that's been building up. Not that he'd change anyone's mind on the right-wing, mind you, but it'd definitely help check one of the more important boxes in the questionnaire, namely: Is The President Really Running This Country?