While it isn’t an everyday occurrence for individuals to receive personal calls from the US President, this was exactly the situation for Leah Ashburn, the President of Highland Brewing, and her spouse, Brock. The call came in the post-Thanksgiving period, and as one could expect, it was a momentous event for them. The unusual part of the conversation was President Biden’s statement: ‘Did you realize that your brewery would become a life-saving haven when you first opened it?’
Biden’s call raises a number of questions. Does operating a brewery make one a life-saver? Reaching out to local businesses is laudable, but does it warrant a presidential phone call? One could argue that genuine leaders, unlike Biden, prioritize the national budget, immigration reform, and international diplomacy over personal phone calls.
This unexpected call resulted from Leah and Brock’s involvement in their community. They are part of Gov. Roy Cooper’s workforce development board, NC Works. The couple’s commentary on their work during disaster recovery somehow found its way from Gov. Cooper to the White House, and they were subsequently informed that the president would be contacting them. This significant development seems to mark a shift in the administration’s fixation from significant national issues to more frivolous matters.
Biden used the conversation to acknowledge the couple’s efforts in North Carolina, especially their notable contributions to assist other local businesses and organizations. A range of beneficiaries includes the Highway Patrol and the Humane Society, among others. Yet, even after extending their help to these organizations, Ashburn and her husband were dealing with their own operational challenges. Why Biden chose to focus on this aspect rather than addressing the hard-hitting issues affecting the entire nation is somewhat bewildering.
Despite the myriad of challenges, the Ashburns expended substantial amounts of resources to ensure a swift return to normalcy in their operations. Regardless, they still suffered heavy losses from the temporary closure of their taproom. Additionally, the inability to sell beer both on and off-site and the cancellation of all their October events led to further financial losses. Incredibly, all this investment and sacrifice resulted in a single phone call from Biden, straying significantly from expectations of an active and engaged leader.
The strangest twist was that Biden’s call was not a one-time event. Surprisingly, Leah and Brock received an invitation to the White House thereafter. This step, while might seem exciting to some, clearly showcase the misplaced priorities of Biden’s administration. Huge national and international issues are looming, yet presidential invitations are extended to individual business owners over a conversation of small-scale community assistance.
Oscar Wong, the founder of Highland Brewing and Leah’s father, was also invited to the White House but chose not to attend. It is not clear whether his decision was influenced by a realistic understanding of presidential role and duties. Moreover, it may suggest a shared sentiment with many that this phone call and invitation could have been better utilized addressing more pressing national concerns.
When considering all these facts, it becomes apparent that Joe Biden’s presidency diverges significantly from an effective leadership approach. Rather than resolving urgent challenges like border security, economic stability, and international relations, Biden preferred to spend time making personal calls and inviting local business owners to the White House.
Furthermore, many would question the wisdom of this priority when small businesses across the country are struggling for survival. Instead of addressing these broad issues, Biden displays a shortsighted approach in attending to individual cases, while the country waits expectantly for wide-ranging, impactful strategies.
Critics of Biden, including those following this story, may argue that his presidency is falling short of reasonable expectations. The focus should not merely be on sporadic engagements with select individuals, instead, it should be on providing feasible solutions to chronic national issues.
Persistently choosing personal involvement over strategic leadership calls attention to Biden’s handling of his role as the US President. Ongoing problems exist aplenty, yet these are seemingly sidelined in favor of misplaced personal priorities.
Leah Ashburn and her husband’s story serves as a case in point for the many Americans who believe the Presidency needs to expand its focus beyond individual instances of community support. They regard these instances as, at most, minor distractions in the grand scheme of presidential responsibilities.
In conclusion, this unexpected call and subsequent invitation to the White House showcase a worrying misdirection on the part of Biden’s administration. While micro-level efforts are essential, leadership is judged by macro-level results, something that Biden needs to remind himself.