Biden Isn't a Hero—He's a Failing Politician Who Saw the Writing on the Wall | Opinion
Opinion by Nathan J. Robinson
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President Joe Biden speaks at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A July poll found that 1 in 5 Democrats think Biden is one of the "worst" presidents in U.S. history.© Mario Tama/Getty
In the immediate wake of
Joe Biden's departure from the presidential race, liberal commentators began effusively praising the president for his decency, humility, and willingness to sacrifice his political career for the good of the country. Ezra Klein
called him an "actual hero" who had demonstrated what real moral character looks like. Historian Jon Meacham, a personal friend of Biden,
compared him to
George Washington and said that he had "taught us a landmark lesson in patriotism, humility and wisdom." Frank Bruni called Biden's action "
utterly extraordinary." Economist Alex Tabarrok called Biden an "
American Cincinnatus." The statements of Democratic politicians were similarly overflowing with tributes to Biden's
selflessness.
But Joe Biden doesn't deserve any of this praise. There was nothing noble or principled in his choice to step aside. Biden is simply a politician who lost the support of crucial power players, and recognized that it would be impossible as a practical matter to continue his campaign. Decency, a love of America, heroism, etc. do not enter into the story. And when we misrepresent Joe Biden, praising the moral wisdom of a decision that had nothing to do with morality, we not only insult real heroes, but we reduce our ability to understand political reality.
Let's be clear what happened here: At the first presidential debate, it became obvious that Joe Biden and his campaign
had been misleading the public about his cognitive state. They
kept Biden away from the spotlight, restricting interviews and unscripted events. They knew that if people saw Biden as he
was behind closed doors, the public would question his fitness for office. Most people
already thought Joe Biden was too old to serve a second term. The debate proved their fears correct, and even strongly
pro-Biden commentators realized immediately afterward that his candidacy was no longer viable, because it would be impossible to persuade the public he could serve another four years. The deception about Biden's mental state having been exposed, donors and high-ranking
Democrats started pressuring Biden to drop out of the race in order to preserve the party's chances of winning in November.