The problems the Biden administration is having on the foreign policy and diplomacy front are way more interesting than the president missing some steps while boarding Air Force One today. They include Vladimir Putin calling Biden out and challenging him to a public “chat” in the interest of transparency; North Korea’s not-so-subtle warning that the U.S. should stay in its lane as it restarts military drills with South Korea; and Secretary of State Antony Blinken getting blinkered by the Chinese delegation in Alaska, who told him the U.S. had big problems that make them not interested in taking any conversations with us very seriously.

Perhaps Biden’s stumble is the necessary red herring to help the American people focus on something less scary than the fact that we seem to have lost a great deal of respect from the nations that aren’t particularly fond of us to begin with. That’s not to suggest Biden’s stumble was intentional — far from it. And here’s hoping — for his sake and the entire country’s — that his stair mishap isn’t a sign of something more serious. Because the trouble on the foreign policy stage most certainly is.

I talk about all that on today’s show, as well as reviewing the terribly brilliant “Mank” (trailer below), and offering thoughts on what it means that China may not broadcast the Oscars because a documentary on Hong Kong is included in the list of nominees.

But stay hopeful. There’s a way to change the trajectory, and it comes in 2022.

The show lives below on Spotify and you can also find me at iHeart radio, Apple Podcasts, FCB Radio’s Spreaker, and Deezer.