“Y Tu ….Barack & Nancy”

     In March of 44 B.C.E (Think Thornton Wilder’s “The Ides of March” or Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”) Julius Caesar, the Emperor of Rome, was having a difficult month.  He was thought to want to retain too much power by his peers. He was immensely popular with the people but unpopular with the envious Roman Senate. One of his trusted advisors was a man named Marcus Junius Brutus, a leader in the Senate.

    In a meeting with a group of Senators, he found himself suddenly surrounded by people he had to this point felt comfortable with. To his surprise, many of them brandished knives and all of them, including Brutus, stabbed Julius Caesar to death. (FYI, he was replaced by Augustus who “restored faith” in the Roman Republic). Julius Caesar’ last words on March 15, 44 BC some 2068 years ago, were said to be directed at his close friend involved in the stabbing. He is reported to have cried with his last breath “Y Tu Brute”, bemoaning this huge betrayal.

     Fast forward with me to a Beach House in Rehoboth, Delaware. The President of the United States, Joseph Biden is running for re-election. He is quarantined at the beach house with covid. He is having a bad month. He humiliated himself in a debate with his rival. He is behind in most of the polls including those in the essential battle ground states. He is having some trouble with his parties’ Senators and House members. President Biden is being pressured to pull out of the race. It looks like he won’t win. He has sworn he won’t leave unless God Almighty or a doctor tell him he can’t run. Short of these, he’s all in. 

     Understandably, the President feels he should be given a chance to turn this around.  After all he has been through a primary process (Which by the way costs each state a significant amount of money) winning millions of votes and gaining almost all of the delegates. He had raised a boat load of money (In the 100’s of millions). He has the support publicly it seems of most of his party. He’s been down before and come back. He thinks he can do it again.

    Ironically, somehow Sunday, he heard from the almighty (aka former President Barack Obama). He said “no way Jose” to Joe Biden. Coincidentally, the good doctor (aka former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) had a diagnosis for him. She charted him as DNA (Do not resuscitate). Sooner than he’d like he finds himself surrounded in spirit by “his friends”. One by one they thrust their statements into him. “Not cognitively up to the job” they declare. ” For the good of country” they pine. Their words are like daggers. He is humiliated beyond belief. Since he is an octogenarian, someone should have called the Adult Protective Service hotline. It was that bad.

     It was clear to President Biden that his political career was over.  Today (Sunday, July 21, 2024) at 2:13 PM he gave up the ghost. In a simple statement, released on X (formerly Twitter), he announced his withdrawal. He said “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”  It was a death announcement. Obituary to follow. Tonight, if you listen real closely outside that beach house in Rehoboth you can hear a hoarse covid strained voice crying out. That voice is saying with its last political breath ” Y Tu Barak and Nancy, Y Tu.

Pastor Dave Watson

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