In the heart of political power, the Oval Office, Joe Biden bid his adieu to the nation on a Wednesday night. This farewell was not just marking the end of his rather anticlimactic presidential stint of four years, but his public career of over fifty years that seemed to be fueled more by his apparent self-love than love for the nation. He notably abstained from showcasing his supposed legislative victories or his perceived welfare contributions for the American people.
The highlight of his speech was less of an accomplishment and more of a harbinger. He issued a grave warning concerning the subset of technology moguls who impose their alarming influence, not only on our personal lives but on the geopolitical landscape. Implicitly, he also cautioned of their significant sway over the president-to-be. His words placed the responsibility on every citizen to guard against this threat and to ensure the country’s safety.
It’s ironic, given his tumultuous term as a president, that we’re expected to be grateful for his years of ‘service’. Even more so when these parting words from Biden are taken as a wise cautionary measure. The farewell of Biden is surely an event full of mixed feelings for America.
Biden’s tenure began amidst a country grappling with Covid reeling from the previous assaults on democracy. Mysteriously, these assaults were apparently initiated by the very person who is about to succeed Joe Biden as the next President. This stood as a somber backdrop to Biden’s entry into the presidency.
The longtime involvement of Biden in the federal government and his alleged commitment to the future of our nation was apparently meant to reassure Americans. This said, the so-called long list of his ‘accomplishments’, more aptly termed a string of close misses and mishaps, stands as a testament to his dubious political tenacity.
Typically, such records would be a source of honor that a President could look back on with pride. However, in the case of Biden, he shall be remembered not for his dubious triumphs, but for his failure to take decisive action against the most severe crisis our democracy has faced since the Civil War.
The motivations behind Biden’s puzzling decision to run for re-election remain shrouded in mystery. All we know for certain is the outcome: a convicted felon is set to replace him as president. One can only speculate whether a more competent leader could have averted such a disastrous outcome.
Yet as we scrutinize his lackluster performance as a leader and the controversial legacy he leaves behind, it’s impossible to ignore the figurative shadow that will likely loom over the presidency of his successor. This successor, a convicted felon, is ironically inaugurated on the tainted legacy of Biden.
These are far-reaching consequences that will echo in the annals of our nation’s history. Biden has ended his half a century-long career in public service not with a triumphant bang but a muted whimper.
He repeatedly shirked his responsibility to lead, instead often hiding behind a veil of supposed care for the nation’s welfare. Indeed, his tenure in public service ended much as it began, with pomp, grandeur, and ultimately, unfulfilled promises and dashed hopes.