On This Day Especially, Grace Abounds

probably shouldn't be surprised at how eager the elite press is to turn Brittney Griner's return to the US into a "Biden failed" story

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 8, 2022

The Great Orange belches:

Reminder that despite being besties with Putin, Trump failed to bring Paul Whelan home for more than 2 years pic.twitter.com/dc6V3ocyiC

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 8, 2022

Karine Jean-Pierre proves she is a worthy successor to Ms. Psaki:

"The 'professional athlete' is also an American citizen" -- Karine Jean-Pierre hits back at Peter Doocy after he derisively describes Brittney Griner as a "a professional athlete" pic.twitter.com/afnzb5RO7o

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 8, 2022

The rest of us concur:

President’s #1 job is to bring Americans home.

We’ll get Paul.

(Viktor, enjoy living the rest of your life looking over your shoulder)

Welcome home Brittany.

— YS (@ReallyActivist) December 8, 2022

Britney Griner is wheels up from the UAE.

I can't imagine what she must be feeling on that plane, knowing she's coming home for Christmas.

Truly a great moment for her family, and America.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) December 8, 2022

Really? That’s your takeaway? I think you call yourself a Christian, too, right? https://t.co/AB3vzKNOTA

— Steven L. Hall (@StevenLHall1) December 8, 2022

Fuck all y'all (you know who I mean):

 “I can't even fathom how Paul will feel when he learns. Paul has worked so hard to survive nearly 4 years of this injustice. His hopes had soared with the knowledge that the US government was taking concrete steps for once towards his release. He'd been worrying about where he'd live when he got back to the US,” David Whelan, Paul’s brother, said in an email to the media Thursday.

“And now what? How do you continue to survive, day after day, when you know that your government has failed twice to free you from a foreign prison? I can't imagine he retains any hope that a government will negotiate his freedom at this point. It's clear that the US government has no concessions that the Russian government will take for Paul Whelan. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes,” Whelan said.

“Increasingly, I worry that Paul himself won't survive 12 more years in a Russian labor colony. He has tried to stay healthy but one wonders how long that determination to keep going can endure,” he said, noting that “the likelihood that our parents will see their son again diminishes each day his wrongful detention continues.” 

David Whelan said he did not know if his brother was aware of Griner’s release yet, “although he will surely learn from Russian media.” 

Whelan commended the Biden administration for making the deal to free Griner, however, and acknowledged that the family had been given a heads up. 

“I am so glad that Brittney Griner is on her way home. As the family member of a Russian hostage, I can literally only imagine the joy she will have, being reunited with her loved ones, and in time for the holidays,” 

“The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to happen,” he said. 

Grace abounds.  Go with grace.  You make us all better when you do.