This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

The Wall Street Journal is one of my favorite newspapers.  I read it every day, sometimes in print and sometimes on-line.

But an editorial this week prompted this blog headline.

Writers got mad at President Joe Biden when he had the temerity to say that he felt his son, Hunter, had done no wrong.

What would you expect him to say…as a father?

The Journal tried to indicate that, by talking, Biden had, in effect, given the U.S. Department of Justice instructions not to charge his son with anything.

Come on!

The Journal has been quick to fault Biden for not talking enough as president, including the fact that he holds far fewer press conferences than some of his predecessors.  So, when he does talk, he’s at fault again?  No.

The Journal should go back and recount all of the times – there were many – that a president the Journal often supported, Donald Trump, told “his” Justice Department to do this or that or not to do this or that.

Trump’s instructions were issued often and there was little doubt but that Trump felt his comments did amount to “instructions.”

Biden has been careful to emphasize that he keeps safe distance from “instructing” what should be an independent Justice Department actions.

So, I say, give Biden a break as he assumes the role of father.