"Putin's War" has replaced Donald Trump as the culprit on whom Biden conveniently blames everything bad.  Gas and inflation rising?  Putin's war is at fault.  Biden's delay in sending arms to Ukraine?  Putin's surprise decision to fight rather than engage in diplomacy.

As disturbing as what Biden left out of his State of the Union speech was the way he left after his speech.  Admittedly, such addresses are, to an extent, celebratory occasions.  They mark another year in which the union is alive, even if not all that well.  Anticipation is in the air.  And the party in power makes a big pretense of having earned the people's trust.

The purpose of the SOTU, however — particularly in these troubled times — is not for a leader to grandstand, but to stand tall and level with those he governs.  Yet Biden unsuitably overplayed the part of an inveterate schmoozer, glad-hander, and presser-of-the-flesh who enjoys basking in the power of his position.

His tortuous exit from the chamber reflected how much he relishes an atmosphere void of pesky reporters and chock-full of sycophantic liberal bees swarming and buzzing around him.

In spite of the adulation, President Biden seemed confused, sometimes looking past well-wishers or not recognizing others.  He often stared blankly at those who approached him.  His lingering and slow advance had the sergeants at arms peering around uncomfortably, their duty being to keep him out of harm's way.  Yet Biden himself saw no harm in going out of his way to prolong the attention.

Such behavior also characterizes his other presidential duties.  He is slow, self-absorbed, vague, and angry at being challenged.

In his State of the Union, the best Biden could do to explain the current state of affairs was to point out what his mother used to say at times like this: some good will come from the bad.  And he reassured us, as if we were his children, that everything would be "all right."

Scattered through the hour-long-plus speech were proverbial topics close to Biden's heart: Vietnam and his son Beau's fatal cancer.  Minors with mental problems needing to be on Medicaid.  More help to detect and fight COVID.  More maternity leave.  And perhaps oddest of all, a monetary pledge to fight cancer — in order to "finally" find a cure!  In typical Democrat fashion, Biden assumes that throwing more money at a problem is tantamount to solving it.

Later that week, the president was in jovial spirits at a rare Cabinet meeting, surrounded by appointees who chuckled on cue.  Our commander in chief seems more interested in people paying homage than paying attention.

I was six years old when Hitler began his march of terror across Europe.  When the war finally ended six years later, I was old enough to understand what had happened.  And now I wonder, with deep dread, if it could happen again.  I sense a chilling irony in the fact that the same guy who botched an attempt to get America out of a lengthy "foreign" war has foolishly facilitated our possible involvement in one of greater consequence.

At this perilous time in history, America cannot afford a president who is in his second childhood.

Image: Gage Skidmore.