Since the “debate” last week, in which President Biden’s performance fell woefully short of expectations, there have been many calls for him to step aside. Some claim that his remaining in the race is a selfish act, and lay the blame for his performance and his generally low approval rating at his feet. I am not of that opinion. I’m also not ready to write him off; instead, I feel compelled to write a bit of a tribute to him.
About 20 years ago, when Johnny Carson died, there was a great outpouring of affection and appreciation for him. I noted at the time that it’s a shame that such an outpouring often comes after someone is gone, rather than while they’re still alive. It prompted me to write a tribute to my Dad, who died about 4 years later. My Dad was very moved, and I think it changed our relationship for the rest of his life. It was also cathartic for me, as it gave me pause to think about what he meant to me and to thank him for it. While my relationship with our president is obviously completely different, my conclusion is essentially the same.
President Biden, by any measure, has been a very good president. Whether he’s motivated by a lust for power (which I doubt), a quest for wealth (yeah, right!), or just a true desire to do the best he can to protect and preserve the democracy to which he’s dedicated his life of public service, he’s been a much-needed antidote to the poisonous four year term prior to his.
I don’t believe that President Biden originally intended to run for the presidency in 2020, and when he did, I don’t think he planned to run again in 2024. But when he saw what Felonious Trump had done to the Obama/Biden legacy, and the destruction he wrought throughout the vital institutions of government, he decided that he needed to step up. Now, with FT having a lock on the Republican nomination for 2024, he feels a need to stay and finish the job. I, for one, appreciate that. In a perfect world, I’d be rooting for him to retire and enjoy his time left and the legacy he’s created, but that’s not where we are.
He inherited a disastrous mess, unrecognizable from the condition he and Obama had left for the “succeeding” administration (wow, what a misnomer that is). With razor slim majorities in the House and Senate, he achieved more legislative and social progress than many other presidents, and he did so with a significant amount of hard-fought bipartisanship. He restored the functionality to the executive branch that FT virtually decimated in his pursuit of wealth and power, and assembled a team of leaders who can do their jobs independently and who guarantee continuity. He rebuilt many of the guardrails around the presidency and reinforced the independence of Congress and the judiciary. He restored our place on the global stage, and has led efforts to unite the world against those who would destroy it to achieve their own quests for wealth and power.
Since the midterm loss of the majority in the House, he’s been fighting with one hand behind his back, and with the Senate under the grips of a few extremists who wield the filibuster as a tool to stop any progress he might have the temerity to make, he’s left to try to do his job by way of Executive Orders, which he’d much rather avoid using.
Under the circumstances, President Biden’s success as president has been nothing short of remarkable. Every day, he works for the American people, protecting and preserving, repairing and reinforcing, leading and moving forward. For that, he has my total admiration, appreciation, and support.
There are many reasons that President Biden’s performance in the debate was off. He may have been overprepared and under-relaxed, suffering from a cold, understandably tense facing his nemesis, or maybe just anxious, standing out in a forum that is not favorable to him. There may be other people to blame – campaign officials, CNN, his staff, the dog… Regardless, President Biden has been a very good president, and from where I sit, we need him to continue more than ever.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t agree with everything President Biden has done, or everything he believes is important. I won’t follow him blindly, and I’ll express my opinions as vociferously as I believe is necessary and appropriate. But I have the utmost confidence, faith, and conviction that he has the best interests of our nation, and the world, at heart. That means much more to me than false promises, sugar-high tax cuts, or baseless bravado.
I’m not ready to write President Biden’s epitaph, but I’d be glad to write Felonious Trump’s. When the time comes, and I hope it’s many years from now, President Biden’s epitaph will read something like, “Joseph R. Biden - Here Lies a Good and Decent Man, Dedicated to the Proposition that all People are Created Equal and Deserve All the Freedom and Support Necessary to be all They Want to Become.” Trump’s will read simply, “Felonious Trump – Here Lies.”
Thanks so much Bob. What a wonderful idea you had, in creating a tribute to your Dad while he was still with you. I truly appreciate you sharing that.
You’re welcome Bob, I am honored to be here, with you, a great American, and so many great Americans here and on other substacks. It helps to see comments, concerns, opinions and hopes as well bc it matters. Thank you again, stay safe and healthy everyone. ❤️🇺🇸