Introduction
June 6, 2024, was the 80th anniversary (inclusive) of D-Day. The octogenary anniversary of Operation Overlord, on June 6, 1944, drew more media focus this year. Previous articles that remembered D-Day and mentioned scant media coverage were on June 6, 2020, and June 8, 2021.
On Thursday, June 6, 2024, the morning rain cleared into a sunny and humid afternoon. Late that morning, my friend and barber, at Tony's Best Clips, trimmed neatly away a mound of hair. I called our niece, who lives in Kingsport, and my youngest brother. That evening, a leaking copper water pipe, between the finished basement and upstairs at my nearby in-laws' house, brought down a section of basement ceiling plasterboard. That was a memorable experience, which will be funny in a few years!
This 41st entry under the freedom topic section explains, in the conclusion, why it is also the 69th entry under the "poly-tics" (Greek πολλά, many, plus "ticks," known blood suckers) section. President Biden is no President Reagan.
June 6, 1944
Honor is here given to all Allied soldiers, sailors, and airmen, who were involved in Operation Overlord. Many gave the ultimate sacrifice. This section recommends two sources.
First, D-Day Overlord is an encyclopedic and historical memorial. The website states:
D-Day Overlord is the first website dedicated to the Battle of Normandy in terms of content and visits. It allows you to discover in detail the landing of Normandy as well as the entirety of the Battle of Normandy with its 90 days of fighting, from June 6 to the end of August 1944.
[It is] the most visited of the websites dedicated to the Battle of Normandy and is written entirely by Marc Laurenceau.
Having read several sections, I concur fully. Time will be well spent, reading and studying the website.
The other recommendation is from the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. Located in Bedford, Virginia, their “mission is to preserve the lessons and legacy of D-Day.” The section “About Operation Overlord: Why D-Day Matters” is where I focused my reading attention.
I wondered how I would have felt, if I had been an 18-year-old soldier and one of the first to step from a landing craft onto the beach. Would enemy fire have taken my life? Yesterday, my “adoptive” sister (mentioned most recently in the 5/5/2024 article) and I enjoyed another long phone conversation. She reminded me that one of her husband's uncles had died on the beaches of Normandy. I realized that I'd known but not recalled that profound memory.
President Reagan, June 6, 1984
During my initial online search, I found “‘The boys of Pointe du Hoc:’ Reagan’s tribute to D-Day heroes,” NewsNation, by Taylor Delandro, 6/7/2024. The article embeds President Reagan's June 6, 1984, speech at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France.
Later, I found and listened to the immortalized words of the great communicator, President Reagan: “President Ronald Reagan's Address at a Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France,” National Archives Catalog, 6/6/1984. He spoke for almost 13 minutes. His speech begins at the one-minute, 38-second mark. President Ronald Wilson Reagan (2/7/1911–6/5/2004) was 73 years old. His lifespan was 93 years.
Listening to President Reagan's eloquence was inspiring. Reading from notes, his words flowed eloquently and freely from the depths of his heart and soul. He cited Old Testament history and spoke about God. President Reagan spoke as a man who knew the Lord.
President Biden, June 6, 2024
On June 6, my wife listened to President Biden speaking live on television. I chose to focus on a more important task. Later, I watched his speech at “LIVE: Biden commemorates 80th anniversary of D-Day,” NBC News (YouTube), 6/6/2024. President Biden begins speaking at the one-hour and 35-minute mark. (The commercial interruptions can be skipped.) He spoke for just over 15 minutes. Born 11/20/1942, President Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., is 81 years old.
Even though President Biden should be commended for honoring the just-cause sacrifices from 80 years ago, at times his enunciation was unclear, and his tone seemed to be somewhat combative. He lacks the gift of eloquence. Reading from a teleprompter, his words rang shallow, coming from his shallow heart and soul. President Biden did not come across as a man who knows the Lord.
Conclusion
Truly, freedom is not free. Annual D-Day anniversaries remind us. The brave patriots who fought and survived and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice are honored. We must live in honor of their service and sacrifice.
Did President Biden plagiarize President Reagan's speech from 40 years earlier? Similar settings often invoke similar thoughts and words. You be the judge, dear reader. The following two video segments are each just under two minutes: “VIDEO: Biden Plagiarizes Reagan at Normandy,” The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, 6/7/2024, and “What two US presidents said at D-Day, 40 years apart,” BBC, 6/8/2024.
Politics (opposite worldviews competing for power in government) is a necessary evil for a statesman (a moral, wise, and respected political leader). President Ronald Reagan, the great communicator, was a politician and a true statesman.
President Joseph Biden, Jr., is a politician (a person whose interest in political office is for selfish or other narrowly focused, short-sighted reasons). President Biden is a politician, not a statesman.
President Biden is no President Reagan.
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