November 7th 2024.
Although Joe Biden's name was not on the ballot, his legacy will likely be linked to Kamala Harris' resounding defeat in the recent election. As the Democratic party begins to pick up the pieces after President-elect Donald Trump's decisive victory, there is frustration among some of Biden's supporters. They believe that his decision to seek reelection until this summer, despite concerns about his age and unease about post-pandemic issues, ultimately led to their party's loss of the White House.
Andrew Yang, who ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary and endorsed Harris' unsuccessful campaign, expressed his belief that the biggest burden of this loss falls on President Biden. He believes that if Biden had stepped down in January instead of July, the outcome of the election may have been very different.
Biden will be leaving office after leading the US through the worst pandemic in a century, rallying international support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion, and passing a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that will have a lasting impact on communities. However, his presidency will be cut short after just one term, making way for his immediate predecessor, who faced numerous challenges during his time in office.
Thom Reilly, co-director of the Centre for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University, believes that while Biden may be remembered for his achievements in the long term, in the short term, he will be known as the president who defeated Trump only to pave the way for another Trump administration four years later.
On Wednesday, the president stayed out of the public eye for the second day in a row, making congratulatory calls to Democratic lawmakers who won downballot races and to Trump himself. Biden even extended an invitation for a meeting at the White House, which was accepted by the outgoing president.
The following morning, Biden avoided directly addressing the apparent rejection of his presidency by the electorate. Instead, he focused on the accomplishments of his administration, noting that their impact will be felt for years to come. In a brief Rose Garden address, attended by Cabinet members and top aides but not by Harris, he stated, "Don't forget all that we accomplished. It's been a historic presidency - not because I am president, but because of what we've done. What you've done."
Biden also mentioned that he had spoken with Trump and assured him that his administration will ensure a peaceful and orderly transition, because that is what the people deserve. This was a subtle nod to how Trump, in 2020, refused to accept the outcome of the election. The president reiterated that the US election system is honest, fair, and transparent, and it can be trusted whether one wins or loses.
Shortly after Harris delivered her concession speech on Wednesday, Biden released a statement praising her for running a historic campaign under extraordinary circumstances. However, some high-ranking Democrats, including three advisers to the Harris campaign, expressed deep frustration with Biden for not recognizing earlier in the election cycle that he was not fit for the challenge. These advisers spoke anonymously, as they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Biden, who is 81 years old, ended his reelection campaign in July, just weeks after an abysmal debate performance that caused concern among his party members about his mental acuity and stamina. However, polls had shown for a long time that many Americans were worried about his age. A poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs in August 2023 revealed that 77% of Americans believed Biden was too old to be effective for four more years.
On July 21, Biden bowed out of the race after receiving not-so-subtle nudges from prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He endorsed Harris and handed over his campaign operation to her.
While Joe Biden's name may not have been on the ballot, it's clear that history will remember Kamala Harris' resounding defeat as his loss too. As Democrats try to make sense of President-elect Donald Trump's decisive victory, many of Biden's supporters are expressing frustration over his decision to seek reelection until the summer. Despite concerns about his age and unease over post-pandemic issues, such as inflation and the US-Mexico border, Biden's choice all but sealed his party's loss of the White House.
Andrew Yang, who ran against Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2020 and endorsed Harris' unsuccessful run, placed the biggest onus of this loss on President Biden himself. Yang believes that if Biden had stepped down in January instead of July, the outcome may have been very different.
Biden will be remembered for leading the country through the worst pandemic in a century, rallying international support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion, and passing a $US1 trillion infrastructure bill that will have lasting effects on communities. However, after running four years ago to "restore the soul of the country," Biden will now give way to his immediate predecessor, who overcame two impeachments, a felony conviction, and an insurrection launched by his own supporters. Trump has vowed to drastically reshape the federal government and undo many of Biden's policies.
Thom Reilly, co-director of the Centre for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University, believes that it may take 20 or 30 years for history to fully appreciate Biden's achievements. In the shorter term, however, Reilly doubts that Biden will be able to escape the legacy of being the president who defeated Donald Trump, only to usher in another Trump administration four years later.
On Wednesday, President Biden remained out of sight for the second day in a row, reaching out to Democratic lawmakers who won downballot races and even speaking with Trump himself. Biden even invited Trump to the White House for a meeting, which the president-elect accepted.
On Thursday morning, Biden avoided directly addressing the electorate's seeming repudiation of his presidency. Instead, he reminded Americans that the effects of his administration's signature legislative efforts will be felt for years to come. He also assured Trump that he will ensure a peaceful and orderly transition, as that is what the people deserve.
Biden subtly alluded to Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results by saying, "In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails." He also reiterated that the US election system is honest, fair, transparent, and can be trusted, regardless of the outcome.
Shortly after Harris delivered her concession speech on Wednesday, Biden issued a statement praising her for running a historic campaign under extraordinary circumstances. However, some high-ranking Democrats, including three advisers to the Harris campaign, expressed deep frustration with Biden for not recognizing earlier in the election cycle that he was not up to the challenge. These advisers spoke anonymously, as they were not authorized to comment publicly.
At 81 years old, Biden ended his reelection campaign in July after a disastrous debate performance raised questions about his mental acuity and stamina to serve as a credible nominee. However, polls had shown for months that many Americans had concerns about his age. In August 2023, a poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs reported that 77% of Americans believed Biden was too old to be effective for another four years.
After getting nudges from Democratic Party leaders, such as former president Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Biden officially bowed out of the race on July 21. He endorsed Harris and handed over his campaign operation to her.
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