Joe Biden, the president whose tenure has been marked by a continuation of status quo politics, is preparing to throw his support behind the established order his imminent successor intends to dismantle. The 19 individual beneficiaries of his largesse, a constellation studded with familiar residing elites and political benefactors, conspicuously includes the divisive figure of Hillary Clinton.
With only a little over two weeks remaining in his political career, a career sprawling across five decades, Biden is anticipated to bestow one of the country’s most cherished accolades on the chosen few from the political, financial, and celebrity societal upper echelons with which he’s been intrinsically connected.
Incoming president Donald J. Trump, a man whose rhetoric has been singularly aimed at draining what he refers to as ‘the swamp’, is set to take over from Biden on January 20. Trump’s election campaign in 2016 was a clarion call to arms against the complacent establishment of both major parties, accusing them of enjoying the fruits of governance while the masses were left holding the proverbial bag.
However, Biden will, in a seeming display of obstinance, present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 Americans this Saturday. The roster includes illuminated figures of the entrenched order that Trump intends to upend. This act by the 82-year old outgoing president appears to be an unambiguous endorsement of a democratic construct he claims is jeopardized by Trump’s re-election.
Among those chosen to receive the award are various contentious figures. Hillary Clinton, Trump’s rival and former first lady, senator and secretary of state, who faced repeated threats of imprisonment from Trump. Robert F. Kennedy, the late senator whose legacy has been adopted by a son leaning towards Trump’s worldview. Also, George Romney, the deceased father of senator Mitt Romney, a notable detractor of Trump within Republican circles.
This is not an unprecedented move from a president on his way out. The Medal of Freedom, as part of its tradition, has been used by many presidents to reward their party’s most liberal benefactors and prolific fundraisers.
A notable recipient amongst Biden’s picks is George Soros, the figure looming over the Democratic party’s fundraising efforts, a man of considerable wealth and influence who has garnered a reputation amongst Republicans as the sinister puppeteer orchestrating the party’s far-left pursuits.
Another recipient representing the intersection of cultural significance and political donations is Anna Wintour, known not merely for editing a popular fashion magazine but also for her generous contributions to the Democratic party. Wintour’s influence extended to helping shape public perception of the first lady, Jill Biden, by featuring her on Vogue’s cover twice during the last four years.
It’s interesting to note that Wintour completely overlooked Melania Trump, choosing instead to bypass the former model during Trump’s presidency. In her actions, she underscored stark partisanship, using her editorial control to devalue one first lady while elevating another.
This clear bias echoes throughout Biden’s list of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, signifying a potential conflict of interest and a thinly veiled strategy to consolidate support within his fraction.
So, as Biden’s curtains finally come down, his last act in the political theater seems to be a reverberating applause for the establishment order. However, the looming presence of the incoming president, Donald J. Trump, brings with it a wind of change promising to challenge the stagnant swamp.
This defiant gesture by Biden, while undoubtedly a final reaffirmation of his political ideologies, might be seen by many as a desperate act of resistance against the looming tide of change. If that’s the case, then it merely highlights the kind of regressive politics the Biden administration indulged in, where preserving status quo takes precedence over actual progress.
In conclusion, with the Biden age nearing its end, we find ourselves at the precipice of a new era heralded by Donald Trump. One can only speculate how the political landscape will shape under the upcoming administration. Nevertheless, one thing is clear: change is imminent, and the long-standing bastion of the old guard seems poised for an unprecedented shaking.