Biden Avoids Tough Realities in First Address After Exiting Race
In his first opportunity to shape his historical legacy, Joe Biden delivered a rare televised address from the Oval Office on Wednesday night. This marked his first public appearance since unexpectedly ending his re-election campaign on Sunday. During his speech, Biden highlighted his achievements, reflected on his humble beginnings, and lauded the American people. He emphasized that the future of American democracy rests in their hands.
However, despite his pledge to always be forthright with the American public, Biden did not directly address the pressing question of why he chose to become the first sitting president to forgo a re-election bid, just months before the voting was set to begin.
Historians will be particularly interested in this omission. Although Biden alluded to reasons and skirted around the issue, he did not confront it directly, leaving Americans to interpret his words. “In recent weeks,” he noted, “it’s become clear to me that I need to unite my party.” He echoed a growing sentiment among Democrats that it was time to “pass the torch” to a new generation. While listing his accomplishments and asserting they warranted a second term, he stated, “nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy – and that includes personal ambition.”
What went unsaid was the stark reality: Biden stepped down because it was increasingly evident he would lose to Donald Trump in November, a result his party viewed as disastrous. Trailing in the polls, suffering from a poor debate performance, and facing mounting calls within his party to step aside, Biden saw no viable path to victory.
Trump, meanwhile, had no reservations about stating the obvious. At a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, hours before Biden’s address, Trump claimed Biden dropped out because he was losing badly. He then launched an attack on Kamala Harris, the new presumptive Democratic nominee, labeling her a “radical left lunatic” and the “ultra-liberal driving force behind every single Biden catastrophe.”
Republican groups have been aggressively campaigning in key battleground states to define Harris on their terms. According to research by the Associated Press, Trump’s side is set to outspend Democrats 25-to-1 over the next month. One ad accused Harris of being complicit in covering up Biden’s “obvious mental decline.”
Biden’s speech provided a prime opportunity to counter these attacks and address doubts about his capacity to continue his presidential duties. Nevertheless, he largely refrained from seizing this moment.
Towards the end of his address, Biden did praise Harris, calling her “experienced, tough, capable” and an “incredible partner for me and a leader for our country.” Despite these strong words, he spent more time discussing Benjamin Franklin than his vice-president, whom he endorsed on Sunday and who will be crucial in carrying his legacy forward.
With limited support from Biden, Harris and her team must now decide how to respond to the relentless Republican attacks in the coming days. Biden might have another chance to endorse his former running mate at the Democratic convention in Chicago next month, but this is a critical period for Harris as she begins her campaign and introduces herself to the American public.
Biden may have felt uncomfortable being overtly political during what could be his final Oval Office address. Yet, if he is concerned about his legacy, Harris’s success or failure will be more consequential than any other action he takes from here forward. This will determine whether history views him as a man who made a noble sacrifice or one who jeopardized his party by clinging to power for too long.