Let Biden be Biden

President Joe Biden was exactly right this week to label Russia’s indiscriminate killing of Ukrainians “genocide.” As he explained to reporters on Tuesday, “It’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out even the idea of being Ukrainian.” He added, “We’re only going to learn more and more about the devastation.” He made certain to note that there was a legal process for determining genocide but stressed that it seemed that way to him.

Reporters at the White House’s news briefing on Wednesday appeared miffed at Biden’s remarks about genocide. Didn’t national security adviser Jake Sullivan say last week there was not enough evidence to make that determination, they asked? How can the president contradict U.S. policy? Did anyone know he was going to make that statement? It’s almost as if they forgot that Biden is commander-in-chief and sets U.S. policy. (Ironically, French President Emmanuel Macron received pushback when he tried the lawyerly approach by arguing, “I would be careful with such terms today because these two peoples [Russians and Ukrainians] are brothers.”)

A few aspects of this episode deserve emphasis. First, Biden did not speak out of turn. It’s his turn — indeed, his right and obligation — to set foreign policy. He expressed appropriate moral outrage at the atrocities perpetrated by Russian President Vladimir Putin based on a good deal of factual support even beyond the horrific images coming from Ukraine.

Second, that so many in the media insist that Biden made a “gaffe” in his genocide remark is illustrative of White House reporters’ determination to reduce everything — even war crimes — to petty political scorekeeping.

Reporters also have a tendency to claim that the administration has contradicted itself when new facts are emerging in the conflict, forcing officials to recalibrate their policies. For example, giving Ukraine weapons systems now does not necessarily mean the United States should have given them at an earlier stage in the conflict.

Likewise, the U.S. government’s rhetoric should evolve as evidence of Russia’s atrocious conduct emerges. This is how officials should react in a fluid situation.

Finally, it’s notable that no one in the White House tried to walk back Biden’s statements on genocide, as staffers did after he said last month that Putin “cannot remain in power.” It seems White House aides have learned that Biden’s declarations are morally sound and should not be undercut. That is a good thing.

Indeed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seemed to grasp what many in the U.S. media do not, describing in a tweet Biden’s willingness to use the genocide term as the “true words of a true leader.”

Biden is no Ronald Reagan in terms of rhetoric. But the adage to “let Reagan be Reagan” — a pushback against aides trying to massage his rhetoric — applies to Biden as well.

Biden will make genuine gaffes, as all presidents do. But in the case of Ukraine, an existential battle of good vs. evil and democracy vs. barbarism, he has consistently been on target.