Can Biden save Americans like my old pal Mike?

Plus: Ashley Judd in Congo and how to rescue news organizations. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~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~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0SyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjEzJmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI3MTA3Jm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxNjMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTkwJmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ [NYTimes.com/Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TIaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS9jb2x1bW4vbmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIxMyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNzEwNyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTYzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYCGsMihgiDkpF1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) February 13, 2021 The author with Mike Stepp.Nicholas Kristof/The New York Times [Author Headshot](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Y_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) By [Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Y_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Opinion Columnist This is [a column from the heart](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8xMy9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS93b3JraW5nLWNsYXNzLWRpZ25pdHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIxMyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNzEwNyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTYzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYCGsMihgiDkpF1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA). At one level it’s about a childhood friend, Mike Stepp, who grew up with me and walked to and from the school bus with me each morning in Yamhill, Ore. He struggled after dropping out of high school, self-medicated with alcohol and drugs, and finally ended up homeless in a city park. I would visit him, and he carried signed copies of my books that I had given him in his shopping cart. I know so many rich people who complain about this or that, and Mike was always cheery and would joke about how he was lucky to go camping every day. Privileged people ask me to write articles about the tax breaks they think they should enjoy; Mike never asked for anything. He died recently, and so [today’s column is about him](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8xMy9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS93b3JraW5nLWNsYXNzLWRpZ25pdHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIxMyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNzEwNyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTYzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYCGsMihgiDkpF1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) and an exploration about what went wrong for so many blue-collar Americans like him. I think that many educated Americans, myself included, engaged in a myopia and obliviousness that made things worse for poorly educated low-skilled laborers like Mike, in everything from our attitudes toward unions to our response to environmental threats. [Please read](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8xMy9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS93b3JraW5nLWNsYXNzLWRpZ25pdHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIxMyZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNzEwNyZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTYzMCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYCGsMihgiDkpF1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA). And RIP, Mike. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-0) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg3JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg5JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Ashley Judd’s Catastrophic Adventure When I woke up to a text Thursday from Ashley Judd saying that she had suffered a catastrophic accident in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I thought some huckster might have hacked her account in attempts to swindle me. But I reached her on WhatsApp video, and, sure enough, it was her. While in a remote part of Congo, she had shattered a leg and endured a gruesome experience. She had to be carried out on foot and then on the back of a motorcycle. But Ashley didn’t want sympathy; she was wondering about using her experience to call attention to the enormous health needs in Congo. More than 8 percent of Congolese children die by their fifth birthday, 43 percent of kids are stunted from malnutrition, and only 7.5 percent of Congolese women use modern contraception. We had an Instagram conversation, live from Ashley’s hospital room, that you can see on my [@nickkristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS9uaWNra3Jpc3RvZi8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) feed ([part one](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS90di9DTE1nT0NXbmloVS8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) and [part two](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zdGFncmFtLmNvbS90di9DTE1qR1M2SHRBdC8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~)), in which she tells what happened to her and offers a recommendation for how to help Congolese people in that kind of situation. How a War With China Over Taiwan Might Begin [An excellent new report](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2ZyLm9yZy9yZXBvcnQvdW5pdGVkLXN0YXRlcy1jaGluYS1hbmQtdGFpd2FuLXN0cmF0ZWd5LXByZXZlbnQtd2FyP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjEzJmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI3MTA3Jm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxNjMwJnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZ1dG09VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) from the Council on Foreign Relations looks at how China might put military pressure on Taiwan and what might happen. I don’t think an all-out invasion is likely, but the authors of the report (Bob Blackwill and Philip Zelikow) suggest that one approach China might take is to impose some kind of quarantine around Taiwan to prevent military transfers to it. China might say that it’s a bit like the American military quarantine around Cuba during the 1962 missile crisis — except that it would claim that it’s a domestic matter, since much of the world accepts that Taiwan is part of China. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-1) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODA4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODA5JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODEwJmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ I agree that a quarantine is a risk, and I’ve also worried about a Chinese effort to disrupt the Taiwan economy by engaging in cyber attacks or by snipping undersea cables that bring the internet to Taiwan. I hope the Biden administration is consulting with allies about how to reduce the risk of such a crisis and how to respond without triggering a nuclear war. How to Rescue Faltering News Organizations Bravo to Australia for trying to force Google and Facebook to share revenue with news organizations whose work they monetize. Both companies are now threatening to pull out of Australia as punishment, and we should all stand with Australians in response. Local news organizations are facing an economic crisis worldwide, partly because of Facebook and Google, in ways that are deeply harmful to local communities. (I should acknowledge that Australia is leading the way partly because of Rupert Murdoch’s influence, but it’s also the right thing to do.) So it’s great to see Microsoft and its president, Brad Smith, [back the Australian model](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP4QzAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tL2xpdmUvMjAyMS8wMi8xMS9idXNpbmVzcy9zdG9jay1tYXJrZXQtdG9kYXk_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3I21pY3Jvc29mdC1jYWxscy1mb3ItbGF3cy1mb3JjaW5nLXRlY2gtY29tcGFuaWVzLXRvLXNoYXJlLW1vcmUtcmV2ZW51ZS13aXRoLXB1Ymxpc2hlcnNXA255dEIKYCGsMihgiDkpF1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) and endorse something like it for the United States. My first journalism job, while in high school, was at the News-Register in McMinnville, Ore., and news organizations like that are pillars of communities. They deserve our support. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-2) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk1JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk2JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIxM1cDbnl0QgpgIawyKGCIOSkXUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ My Favorite Joe Biden Story … Is About Mike Joe Biden’s dad struggled in a series of jobs, including as a used-car salesman. One day the owner of the used car lot held a Christmas party, and threw out silver dollars to watch his employees scramble on the floor for them. Repulsed, the elder Biden took his wife and walked out of the dealership and away from the job. President Biden tells that story to underscore the dignity of labor, and it’s a tale that my friend Mike would have appreciated. In some ways it was about Mike, left scrambling on America’s floor for spare change. I think there’s a chance that Biden’s humble background and his emphasis on dignity of labor will mean a new effort to address those left behind in America, so that good people like Mike will no longer have to jostle on the floor for coins until they die. 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By Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8xMC9vcGluaW9uL2ZveC1uZXdzLWFjY291bnRhYmlsaXR5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiCresP0ThaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8xMC9vcGluaW9uL2ZveC1uZXdzLWFjY291bnRhYmlsaXR5Lmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMTMmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjcxMDcmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTE2MzAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAhrDIoYIg5KRdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [The Ugly Secrets Behind the Costco Chicken An investigator went under cover and brought back disturbing video from a farm growing those famous birds. 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