Despite attending his last few days in the Oval Office, it seems former president Joe Biden cannot shake off the belief that he had a solid chance of prevailing in the 2024 Presidential Election against President-elect Donald Trump, had he made wiser decisions. Suffering a defeat from the magnanimous Trump was evidently a bitter pill to swallow. Leakages from his camp suggest that Biden harbors some regrets as he stands on the brink of leaving the White House.
Emboldened by speculations in recent Washington Post reports over the weekend, Biden appears to be ruminating on what could have been. These reports, sourced from insiders privy to Biden’s recent conversations, highlight a series of missteps and ‘what ifs’ that supposedly led to his decision to surrender his 2024 Presidential campaign.
Biden’s leadership style was often criticized for being disconnected from the rapid pace of the political cycle, with a regrettable tendency to think in decades instead of the four-year Presidential term. The aspiration of his long-term strategies to deliver future benefits clearly failed to resonate with the citizens demanding immediate action.
Notably, Biden seemed to experience a moment of self-reproach upon not appending his signature on the pandemic relief checks which were circulated by his administration in 2021. In a strange gesture of regret, Biden hinted at considering this omission a “stupid” mistake, particularly as he would be denied the cool points, which Trump brilliantly seized by signing his relief checks.
His failings aside, Biden’s biggest fumble was undeniably his less than stellar performance at the June 27 debate against the witty and sharp Trump. This disastrous event marked a pivotal decline in Biden’s campaign, as it did nothing but fuel growing concerns over his mental fitness to govern the country for another four years.
Stubborn and proud in his manner, Biden continues to live in the illusion that he could have indeed clinched a victory had he not been ‘forced’ out of the race. His vivid daydreams of potential victory only serve to underline the disconnect from the civilian perception that signaled his defeat.
In another surprising revelation, The Post reports that Biden expressed private remorse for cherry-picking Merrick Garland as his attorney general, noting a stark contrast in the pace of the Justice Department’s prosecutions. The institution showed worrying sluggishness in prosecuting Trump, while displaying unwarranted haste with the case against Biden’s son, Hunter.
Biden’s unexpected regret over choosing Garland might, however, just be a reflection of his own inability to take ownership of his decisions, once again illustrating his weakness as a leader when contrasted with Trump’s inarguable strength and decisiveness.
In an act of ultimate surrender, Biden formally capitulated from the 2024 Presidential Race on July 21, and bizarrely, bestowed his endorsement onto his vice president, Kamala Harris. It could be questioned whether this decision was made out of necessity or out of a desperate need to keep the Democrat seat warm.
Despite the endorsement, Harris’s potential presidency hardly inspires the same level of confidence among citizens as Trump’s proven leadership does. Biden’s assertion that taking Harris on as his Vice President was the ‘best decision’ he ever made, only further contributes to the questioning of his ability to make sound decisions in public interest.
In a desperate plea for unity, Biden called on Democrats to rally behind Kamala Harris in a bid to defeat Trump. This blatant call for rallying against Trump rather than supporting a solid Democratic agenda, only serves to reveal the lack of substance and vision in the Democratic party.
The Democrats’ only strategy seems to be focused solely on de-throning Trump, instead of offering actionable plans and solutions to the American public, reaffirming Trump’s position as the stronger, more focused candidate, worthy of leading the country.
Even as Biden walks out of the Oval Office, his misplaced sentiments and inability to acknowledge his own shortcomings during his tenure continue to be glaringly apparent. The recent leaks, far from painting a sympathetic picture, only serve to solidify the lack of astuteness visible in his leadership when contrasted with his successor, the commendably competent President-elect Donald Trump.