During the 2020 campaign, I remember hosting a ministerial breakfast in South Carolina when Congressman Jim Clyburn He leaned over and told me he would support Joe Biden. Still, many looked down on Biden and considered him too old; he is not able to withstand the competition or win the election. He defeated every other Democratic presidential candidate and defeated then-President Donald Trump. Over and over they say Biden is not up to the task, and over and over he delivers.
Over the next few days and weeks, there will be extensive analysis of Biden and Trump’s first debate of the 2024 campaign, the ramifications for each candidate and the election itself. Much of the coverage already focuses on Biden’s poor performance and the question of whether he should drop out of the race. Not only is this premature, it is also highly insulting to dismiss a president’s entire record and platform because of a bad debate several months before November. Everyone is already agreeing and asking him to step aside, but I would say the president himself is the only one who might even consider this idea. The real question is: hasn’t Biden earned the right to make this decision himself?
Watching Thursday night’s debate, I am reminded of my own words at the Democratic National Convention two decades ago: Our vote is soaked in the blood of martyrs and cannot be given or negotiated; those who deserved our vote will receive our vote.
It was Biden’s leadership that rescued us from Trump’s disastrous presidency and helped the nation correct course. In the midst of a historic global pandemic (which Trump downplayed and grossly mismanaged, I might add), Biden stepped in and helped us recover. His policies increased job growth, creating nearly 11 million jobs, with more people working than at any other time in American history. Under President Biden, a recession has been averted and more people have health insurance than ever before. The president delivered historic student debt relief, signed executive orders protecting reproductive rights, signed the Respect for Marriage Act that protects marriage for LGBTQ+ and interracial couples, introduced the most aggressive climate and environmental justice agenda, appointed the Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, passed the Inflation Reduction Act, and more.
How can anyone who honestly views Biden’s presidency and list of accomplishments demand that he quit because of a poor debate performance? What about all of Trump’s lies last night? In about 90 minutes, he lied about the January 6th insurrection, immigration, his handling of COVID, the economy, abortion, and the list goes on. Are we really saying that charisma is more important than substance? There is too much at stake for people to make such hasty decisions. Whether it’s voting rights, criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, widespread representation, protections against hate crimes, or democracy itself, the question is not what will happen to Biden, but rather what will happen to us?
As the conventions quickly approach and the campaigns move into full swing, the president can, and should, remind the nation what he stands for and what his opponent does not. He has to talk about the needs of the people of this country and what is best for America’s future – progress or return to an era of division, injustice and inequality.
We forget the deaths of more than a million people due to a deadly pandemic that Trump mismanaged, or the Charlottesville march during his term, or his Supreme Court nominees who have already reversed many of our achievements, or the demonization of marginalized communities or climate? of hate in this country?
Biden has remained true to his vision and delivered on many of his campaign promises. He is the only one who can say they were part of two great recoveries, first as vice president in the Obama administration and then in 2020. He helped the country recover from the Bush recession and disastrous policies (both domestic and international), and then helped us recover from the trauma of Trump and the catastrophic state we found ourselves in. He has more than earned the right to decide where he goes, and we should give him more than 24 hours to make such a monumental decision.
Twenty years ago, I ran for president myself. The nation was still recovering from the worst terrorist attack in its country and still recovering from the disastrous way in which the George W. Bush administration handled the crisis, including the induction of an unnecessary war. Although I failed to win the Democratic Party nomination in 2004, I continued to push for the Democratic candidate because I understood what was at stake and the significance of that election.
In 2004, I reminded everyone that we didn’t get this far by playing political games. Today I say that we will not continue to advance if we indulge in political theatrics. Did President Biden attend the debate like he did when he delivered the 2024 State of the Union address? No. But, as I’ve always said, he’s the best comeback kid. I wouldn’t count him out yet, and anyone who cares about this nation cannot afford to do so.
