In a surprising show of audacity, President Joe Biden claimed in a recent press meeting that Vice President Kamala Harris ‘might have’ and ‘should have’ triumphed over President-elect Donald Trump in the upcoming 2024 election, notwithstanding her embarrassing defeat in the November polls.
During the media interaction on Friday, the soon-to-be former president was quizzed once again about his abrupt decision to withdraw from the electoral race. This came in light of his dismal performance in the first debate, where he stumbled and faltered through his arguments.
Confusingly, Biden’s response was a nonsensical amalgamation of could haves and would haves regarding his and Harris’ chances against Trump in the race. ‘I believe I might have bested Trump, should have bested Trump, and I am of the notion that Kamala might have beaten Trump and would have been Trump,’ Biden proclaimed, bumbling through his statement.
Ignoring his own contradictory words, Biden inexplicably proceeded to justify his premature abandonment of the election as a noble act of party unification. He muddled through, saying, ‘It was of utmost importance to bring together the party. When the party fretted over my ability to maneuver, despite me considering myself as a potential winner, I deemed it better to unify the party.’
Indeed, Biden’s sentiment about the ‘greatest honour of my life’ being the presidency while not wishing to be the cause of a divided party losing an election, comes across as a convenient afterthought, designed to paper over the cracks of what many see as his capitulation under pressure.
Most remarkably, Biden remained steadfast in his misplaced confidence about having had the upper hand against Trump if he had chosen to stay in the race. His hollow assurances were despite almost the entire Democratic Party imploring him to step aside following his weak debate performance last year.
The former president was engaged in a media interaction on Sunday where he was asked about any potential regrets. Displaying a standout lack of self-awareness, Biden rehashed his earlier justifications, saying he presumptuously thought he had the best shot at usurping Trump.
When probed whether he could have mustered the energy for a grueling four more years of presidential duties, Biden’s response was a mix of evasion and uncertainty. ‘There was a part of me that believed I was in pole position to dethrone him. However, the idea of sitting in the Oval Office as an 85 or 86-year-old wasn’t particularly appealing,’ he admitted.
‘Who on earth knows what the future holds?’ He continued in his characteristically ambiguous manner. ‘So far, so good. But it’s hard to predict what I’ll be like when I’m 86 years old.’ Such flippant disregard for certain realities paints a troubling picture of a man once responsible for leading one of the most powerful nations on the planet.
Throughout his responses, Biden’s views were fraught with contradictions and an apparent disconnect from reality. It’s startling, the extent to which Biden fiercely clings to his belief that he and Harris could have successfully taken on Trump.
Furthermore, his refusal to admit his missteps and the subsequent assumption that the unsuccessful Harris could’ve fared better, speaks volumes about the flawed logic that pervaded the Biden administration.
Despite his strenuous pledging of utmost faith in her abilities to beat Trump, even while she faced scorn from the Democrat party, it is unlikely that Harris could have overcome the widespread dissatisfaction with the Biden administration that was evident in voters.
The former Vice President’s bizarre confidence in his readiness to take on another round in the presidency, and the dismissal of his age as an insignificant factor, paints a worrying picture of an administration out of touch with the realities and complexities of leadership.
In a political climate that demands sobriety, level-headedness, and a firm grasp on reality, Biden’s remarks shed light on the incongruity between the outgoing administration’s perceptions and the cold, hard facts.
The gap between their expectations of supremacy over Trump and the bitter reality of their electoral defeat is indeed a testament to the out-of-step mindset of Biden and Harris, and serves as a grim reminder of their turbulent reign.