World News: Biden needs to do better

Tuesday, October 4

President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, in Washington.

Yes, Trump is a problem. But Biden needs to do better too.

Good evening. Today we have a note from Columnist Ingrid Jacques about the comments our political leaders are making and how we need better.

With only a few weeks until the midterms, we've definitely entered the silly season of politics. The name-calling and mud-slinging are heating up and impossible to avoid.

Some of the rhetoric is just over the top.

A few weeks ago, I called out President Joe Biden for his extremely divisive comments. He in effect put everyone who voted for former President Donald Trump in the "semi-fascism" category, and he slammed Republicans for all the troubles facing the country.

That was over the top.

But Trump and Republicans are also to blame for what they're saying in very public forums.

USA TODAY columnist Ingrid Jacques

Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY Network

For instance, at a weekend rally in my state of Michigan, Trump and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said some outrageous things about Democrats (and even some Republicans).

Trump called Democrats "cruel and vindictive left-wing tyrants," among other insults. Not to be outdone, Greene said: "Democrats want Republicans dead. They've already started the killings."

While there have been instances of violence against conservatives, including an 84-year-old Michigan Right to Life volunteer who was shot going door-to-door, unhinged comments like these from Trump and Greene will only serve to make things worse.

The same goes for Biden and Democrats.

— Ingrid Jacques

More from Ingrid

•	Biden's fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants approach to canceling student loans is a mess
•	Dumping Roe may backfire on abortion opponents. Republicans weren't ready.
•	If pandemic is truly 'over,' Biden should end national 'emergency'
•	First lawsuit is filed challenging Biden's costly, unfair student loan forgiveness plan

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