Everyone loves a hero

Joe Biden has been one of the most effective and consequential presidents in half a century. His accomplishments are many, but he ran out of time before he could do everything he wanted to do.

What he did for his country on July 21, however, was heroic – and historic. When Biden announced he was suspending his own campaign, it brought sadness for Democrats, but also relief and gratitude for a new direction for the party. Leaders at home and around the world are paying tribute to him for the sacrifice he made for his country.

With Biden’s endorsement of his vice president and her immediate support from the delegates, Democrats feel good about the change; Republicans, not so much. Their nominee’s predictable reaction is to fall back on his tried-and-true strategy: Attack, insult and defame his opponent.

There was a time when political rivals didn’t call their opponents insulting names. They didn’t make fun of someone’s disability or weight or appearance. The entire political climate changed with Donald Trump’s entry into politics. Language and behavior coarsened dramatically. Social media became the favorite way to insult one another. Racist and misogynistic attacks on political opponents became commonplace – with very little pushback from moderate members of the GOP.

There was a time when Republicans would have hated this new way of messaging and behaving. Compared to the civility during the times of Reagan, Bush ‘41 and ‘43, Romney, Ryan and McCain, today’s Republican Party has become almost unrecognizable.

A few years ago, former Iowa Rep. Steve King was kicked out of the party for his uncivil language. It wouldn’t happen today. Now, except for a few hold-outs, the GOP firmly embraces Trump and his boorish behavior. Their recent national convention was replete with radical and tasteless speakers – people who at one time would have been shunned by rank-and-file Republicans.

When Biden captured the Democratic nomination in 2020, he became the target of Trump’s vitriol that was directed previously at his 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, a woman of color, was hit with the ugliest comments ever heard in American politics. Fortunately, it prepared her for the hateful, racist, misogynistic attacks being thrown at her now as she campaigns for president. Trump, his running mate, J.D. Vance, and the MAGA crowd have already begun their assault – and it’s brutal!

Biden has had an extraordinarily successful presidency. His achievements in three and a half years rank him near the top of American presidents. As he said, he desperately wanted to serve four more years “to finish the job.” Democrats never felt he was incapable of serving another term, but as he began campaigning more frequently, his advanced age was hurting him.

Democrats believed Biden could serve well as president, but they began to lose confidence in his ability to campaign and feared he might not be reelected. Meanwhile, experts were warning Trump’s economic policies will tank the economy. Diplomatic experts were warning his contempt for NATO and affinity for dictators threatens America’s national security. As Biden slipped further in the polls, panic set in that Donald Trump might regain the White House.

Biden’s poor performance during the debate between him and Trump prompted more and more Democrats to warn publicly - if Biden continued to run, Trump could beat him. When the president declared he “wasn’t going anywhere,” despair and depression overtook loyal Democrats. They were convinced their president – even though a terrific president - was going to lose.

Just when everyone was resigned to the idea Biden wasn’t going to step down, he stepped down. It was his decision alone. Perhaps becoming ill with Covid helped him accept the inevitable, but more likely it was polls showing he was fast losing support. With the writing on the wall, he announced he would no longer run for reelection.

Overnight, Joe Biden became an American hero. Everyone loves a hero and he will go down in history for making one of the most selfless acts in American politics. For a president to give up the ultimate seat of power for the good of his country is one of the greatest sacrifices he could have made.

Biden understood what George Washington meant when he said, “Democracy is giving up power when you don’t have to.”