Joe Biden’s stint in the Oval Office has left some indelible imprints, reflecting his clear-cut ideology. To his credit is a slew of legislation relating to various sectors including the economy, infrastructure, clean energy, firearms regulations, semiconductor industry, among others. He stroked his pen across these proposed legislations not without hesitation, a testimony of his indecisiveness, and ironically, these have been seen by many to bring false hope and unrealistic expectations. There is indeed no erasing his mixed bag legacy, although the glaring question of his presidency’s significance still looms large.
The majority of Biden’s legacy predominantly centers around the events of November 5. The fate of Kamala Harris standing against Donald Trump in the election will significantly influence public opinion of him. If Harris manages to rise above Trump’s challenge, Biden’s feet-dragging and adamant resistance to quit a potential second term might find some absolution, and even some glorification for his ability to relinquish his aspirations. On the other hand, should Trump emerge victorious, Biden’s legacy will most likely be viewed through a much harsher lens.
Bizarrely, Biden’s unyielding initial stance on candidacy – despite the public’s evident worries over his age and vitality – is what led to Kamala Harris’s accelerated and unanticipated rise as the Democratic presidential nominee. His late withdrawal from the race, a mere three days post the Republican National Convention and less than a month before the Democratic National Convention’s commencement, left no breathing space for any meaningful debate to find his successor. The absence of a clear process to evaluate potential candidates against each other in a bid for the nomination only made things more complicated.
Questions will inevitably be asked about who might have come out on top in a fair race for the Democratic nomination, had there been one. Would Harris have fared well, or would the tides have turned otherwise? However, the speculation post a Trump win wouldn’t necessarily be centered around Biden’s ill-advised, potential ammunition-like remarks that have been known to offend, such as a recent one referring to Trump’s supporters as ‘garbage’. Instead, much thrashing would be about the unresolved queries surrounding the primary that failed to occur, with Trump being heralded as a possible threat.
Biden’s somewhat reluctant leap from semi-retirement at a ripe old age to frontline political action was fuelled by a self-imposed mission to kit up against Trump as he perceived the latter as a considerable threat. Biden’s concern, comparable to that of a watchdog on guard, is echoed in Harris’s concluding pitch. On a recent Tuesday night, she made an address from a place in Washington with a historical marker – the site that witnessed Trump’s supporters run riot and lay siege on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
She reminded the public about Trump as a menace to democracy and an instigator of anarchy, a sentiment that echoes louder than any. The possibility of power transitioning from Biden back to Trump potentially spells doom, leading to a collective despair and an intense debate more extreme than any conventional party shift. The scenario would undoubtedly set into motion the analysis of the losing candidate’s strategic decisions, strengths and weaknesses.
Post-election hindsight paves the way for regrets, pointing out missed opportunities and drawbacks. What if Harris had chosen an alternative running mate? What if she had tackled media scrutiny head-on earlier, to proactively dispel any implications of over-caution? The list of ‘what ifs’ could stretch to the moon and back.
In sum, Biden’s legacy remains marred by a high degree of uncertainty and the potential ramifications of his decisions. His presidency is destined to be viewed through the prism of the outcome of an electoral battle, where his runner, Kamala Harris, though propelled in a frantic and irregular fashion, is set against the formidable Trump. The relentless critique of his tenure and his apparent lack of ability to decide or lead have seen his reputation in the balance.
Whether it were the sudden changes in his policies or his reluctance to step away from a second term despite clear public apprehension about his age, Biden’s presidency has been marked by a lack of clarity. The hasty nature of Harris’s campaign, driven by the direct result of Biden’s initial doggedness to pursue re-election, has raised more questions than answers.
It’s clear that a Trump victory would not just delve into the reckoning of Biden’s blunders and the hurried nature of Harris’s campaign but further serve to illuminate the neglected questions surrounding the aborted Democratic primary. Ironically, Biden’s supposedly selfless decision to come out of a semi-retirement to ‘save the day’ has, in fact, thrown his party into an even greater state of uncertainty.
Sheer attempts to draw attention to Trump’s damaging nature, as seen in Harris’s recent address, might serve to remind citizens of the catastrophic events under Trump’s reign, yet it underscores the Democrats’ inability to offer a credible alternative. The potential shift back to Trump would raise deeper questions about the party’s strategic decisions and apparent weaknesses.
If one considers the ‘what ifs’, there appears to be plenty of room for course correction and improved strategic decisions prior to the election. The analysis opens a Pandora’s box of possibilities, regrets and lost opportunities that can only guide future Democratic strategies.
Ultimately, the narrative reflects a time of great uncertainty, revolving around Biden’s hamstrung presidency, Harris’s accelerated and unexpected rise, and the potential return of Trump. It illuminates the weak spots in strategic decisions, lack of a clear succession plan and the potential daunting prospect of handling a transition back to a Trump presidency. Only time will tell the true impact of these events on the Democrats.