President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday afternoon that he had changed his mind and would not seek a second term was not totally unexpected—yet it totally shook-up American politics. The decision had appeared to be imminent, but President Biden did it with class and dignity. In a world where politics has descended to the lowest level of respect in American society, Joe Biden made the hardest decision a politician can ever be required to make, he opted out of a political fight that he still believed he could win.
Biden’s decision was somewhat analogous—though in reverse--to Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson’s decision in 1960 to agree to run as Senator John F. Kennedy’s vice-presidential running mate. Johnson who had never liked the Kennedys—especially Bobby Kennedy—agreed to run on a ticket with John Kennedy because his old Texas mentor, House Speaker Sam Rayburn, told him that the Democrats needed to carry Texas to win the election. Without Johnson on the ticket, “Mr. Sam” reportedly said, they would lose the presidency to Richard Nixon. The Majority Leader gave up one of the most powerful positions in Washington when he agrees to be Kennedy’s vice-president. Johnson knew that if elected, he would be relegated by the Kennedys to presiding over the Senate, with minimal input and participation in the affairs of state.
As did Johnson so did Biden with his decision on Sunday afternoon. Biden heeded the call of his party and the country. As he has said from the beginning, he felt that he had the best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November. He believed that America’s democracy might not be able to survive another Trump presidency. Clearly, his decision not to run was based on his accepting the reality that the Democratic Party for which had worked and served his entire life as well as the country which he loved dearly, would not succeed in defeating Trump if he remained as the candidate.
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Short Takes
Perhaps the only strange behavior among leading Democratic politicians has been that of former President Barack Obama. Former President Bill Clinton as well as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and many other office holders who had joined the efforts—privately or publicly—urging Biden to not run, now praised his decision to withdraw and supported Biden’s endorsement of Harris.
On the other hand, Obama praised Biden for his decision but did not endorse Harris. While it did take former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 24 hours to endorse Harris, it appears that she as well as Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer held up their endorsements given their roles as the leaders (or revered former leader) of the House and Senate caucuses. (They needed to permit the caucus members to take the lead in order that it not be assumed that they were pushing their party into the decision.) Obama’s support for Biden without an endorsement of Harris reflected a continuation of his arms-length affection for his own former vice-president. Those suggesting that Obama is playing the role of the elder statemen are forgetting his pressuring Biden not to challenge Secretary Clinton in 2016 as well as not supporting Biden’s run for the presidency at the outset of 2020.
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To what undoubtedly will be Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s great disappointment on Wednesday, all eyes will be on the Senate’s presiding officer, Vice-President Harris, when Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress. Meanwhile, the absence of the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Senator J.D. Vance, who is expected not to be present, will undoubtedly raise comments in some circles. This will happen as there continue to be reports that Netanyahu still is maneuvering to have a meeting with former President Trump added to his schedule. This is especially frustrating for Netanyahu as he already has a meeting scheduled with the Vice President.
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As the political three-ring circus continues to mesmerize many Americans, the Summer Olympics will begin Friday in Paris where France itself remains emmeshed in its own political turmoil. Perhaps the greatest concern in Paris—as has been the case since 1972—is that there might be a terrorist incident, especially one launched against the 88 athletes in the Israeli delegation who will be competing in fifteen different sporting events. Already prior to the Israelis’ departure, French extremist legislators expressed their disapproval that Israelis were even being welcomed to the Olympics.
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Footnote:
Some astute political analysts have observed that after this election season, no one will ever say that “presidential debates are unimportant and inconsequential.”
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