The beginning of Biden’s goodbye
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It was very much a moment in history with a president, who appeared in many ways, to be delivering something of his own farewell. He decided to give the reins of his campaign to his vice president for the next 103 days because he realized he could not be as effective as he wanted to be.
What there was not much of was introspection about how he had gotten to this moment of indignity. He may be focused on the soul of America, but he revealed little of his own. Indeed, if there has been much soul searching over these past days and weeks of personal and political trauma that led to this reluctant end of his storied half-century political career, the search has been called off. Or at least the results were not reported.
He said it was time to “pass the torch to a new generation,” but said nothing about his own age, health or capacity that led so many Democrats to desert him since the calamitous debate on June 27. He didn’t describe how he and he alone could beat Trump, as he believed they could. He offered no elaboration on how he had finally decided to give up his bid for a second term, but at the same time, he held back any bitterness he may have felt.
Biden and others see that principle as lost on people like Trump who lost it when they visited Mount Vernon, the nation’s first president, in 2019.
In Washington’s farewell address on Sept. 19, 1796, he also warned that “cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
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It’s a case that Biden sees as necessary for someone to make effectively, considering Trump’s unwillingness to accept the results of the 2020 election and his refusal to agree to accept the results of the upcoming election.
In other words, Vice President Harris gives those who see former President Trump as an existential threat to that democracy the best chance to win because of Biden’s diminished capabilities to prosecute the case against him.
“I love my country more than this office,” Biden said. It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title.”
It was a statement for Biden, 81, who has been a public servant for half a century and has been a presidential candidate multiple times, and was the oldest person to ever be elected president.
“America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.”“In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans. The cause of the country is bigger and more important than even any one of us, so we must unite to protect it. The best way to go forward is to give the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation. Let’s work together to preserve our democracy.
In 2020, Biden advocated for the idea of unifying the country. It hasn’t worked out that way. He has been criticized by both the right and the left for his views and the fact he gets his information largely from source that reinforces his previous beliefs.
After Biden said he wouldn’t run for reelection, a poll was taken to see what people thought of his presidency. Right now, most are unimpressed.
“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term,” he said, “but nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. Personal ambition is included.
Biden was rated the best president in the survey of 46 that have served. Trump was in the bottom five at No. 43. Americans overall feel different at this point.
When a president is no longer in politics, their views can change. The favorability of the former president has improved since he left office, and in particular his views of theAffordable Care Act have hit record highs.
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But the realities of his personal limitations after his dismal debate performance last month, and how his political support had cratered in swing states led to this moment.
For years now, Democrats have been holding their breath with every public appearance he made. They crossed their fingers, but they knew that one bad speech, interview or debate would sink his chances of holding onto the White House.
Democrats have been a bit calmer after watching Harris’ first few days of campaigning, from her first speech to her first official rally.
She has spoken clearly and coherently, and there has been energy from the grassroots. It’s still not certain whether that lasts or if it’s a hit with swing voters.
Biden didn’t explicitly lay out Wednesday night why he stepped aside, but watching what was an, at times, halting address, the contrast was like night and day.