Snapshot: Joe Biden, A Special Man
The president shares his essential humanity in a heartfelt appearance
It was hard to process just how unique Joe Biden’s speech last night was. A sitting president deciding to relinquish his candidacy for a second term to his vice president (talk about the ultimate expression of a peaceful transfer of power). Arriving on stage at the Democratic National Convention, wiping tears from his eyes, after his daughter lovingly introduced him. Telling the exuberant crowd with a smile that he loves his wife more than she loves him (“she walks down the stairs, and I still get that going boom, boom, boom”). Sharing the credit for many of his signature achievements with his vice president. Insisting that his selection of Kamala Harris was “the best decision I made in my whole career.” Asserting that his VP will be “a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future.” Promising to be the “best volunteer the Harris and Walz camp have ever seen.” Hugging his VP (now on stage) as she said to him, more than once, “I love you.” Exiting the stage, surrounded by his loving family and holding the hand of his four-year-old grandson named Beau.
The speech was fiery, at times angry, and heartfelt. It was the expression of a man who deeply loves his family and deeply loves his country—and is not afraid to say or show it. He used the word “love” 16 times over the course of his speech, including this: “I love the job, but I love my country more.” This was a profoundly accomplished U.S. president sharing with all of us both his fundamental patriotism and his essential humanity.
Long after future generations may struggle to detail his specific achievements, they will know about his character. Consider what it takes for a man to relinquish power from the most powerful position in the world—and then deliver words this tender and elegiac (taken from lyrics to a song called “American Anthem”):
The work and prayers of centuries/Have brought us to this day/What shall be our legacy?/What will our children say?/Let me know in my heart/When my days are through/America, America/I gave my best to you
He followed up this touching recitation with this remarkable self-assessment:
I've made a lot of mistakes in my career. But I gave my best to you. For 50 years, like many of you, I've given my heart and soul to our nation. And I've been blessed a million times in return for the support of the American people. I really have been too young to be in the Senate because I wasn't 30 yet, and now I'm too old to stay as president. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.
Throughout the speech, the teary-eyed crowd hoisted “We love Joe” signs and chanted: “Thank you, Joe.” Indeed, America has been lucky to have a man this good, decent and capable in our White House.
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Steven - thus is more than ticking the 'likes' box - this summary in your words is spectacular. Not a dry eye at our house either. May Joe, his Love & family have many good years ahead AND to K & T - a win too large to question. TY, SB
In Joe Biden, we have a man who rose to meet his destiny. Consider the scale of his accomplishments: he rose to the challenge of defeating a thug who had assumed the presidency through a series of unfortunate circumstances and was poised to do so again; he rescued this nation from the ravages of a pandemic made worse by the willful negligence of his criminal predecessor; he has created the strongest economy in the world by discarding the old, tired Reaganesque norms of trickle-down economics, focusing instead on building up the middle class by creating jobs, supporting unions and bringing back manufacturing to our shores; he has worked tirelessly to contain costs and make health-care more accessible to all; he has rebuilt NATO, is saving Europe from a megalomaniac's evil clutches, and has shored up support for democracy around the world. And all of this while faced with the most intransigent domestic opposition whose only goal is to secure power, and to do so by any means whatsoever, however criminal those might be.
But now, in realizing that elections are won, not so much on the basis of achievement and vision, as on appearance in this age of social media, Biden has decided to step down and pass the torch to the Vice President whom he has nurtured and trained. For he recognizes that we have to win in November, and that we need to do so by overwhelming margins. All we have to do to support him is to vote.
Joe Biden is much more than a politician: he is a statesman. Generations yet to come will owe him their undying gratitude for the breadth of his vision and for the morality of his leadership at a time of great peril.