The clarity of Joe Biden's legacy-defining choice

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The clarity of Joe Biden's legacy-defining choice
Leadership has gotten harder and harder to recognize

By Chauncey DeVega
Senior Writer
Published July 25, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)


(Salon) President Biden has been under siege since his disastrous performance during his first (and now only) debate with Donald Trump several weeks ago. The news media swiftly piled on the president, appearing to delight in the opportunity to question his health, age, state of mind, and capacity to fulfill his myriad of responsibilities both as leader of the country and as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee after years of quiet speculation. The mainstream American news media, trained by the Republicans and larger right-wing for decades to be Pavlovian dogs, cowed by the fear of being smeared with the accusation of “liberal bias," has so far demonstrated no such enthusiasm for doggedly discussing Donald Trump’s state of mind and behavior.

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As a leader, the decision to “get out of the way” is usually not easy or simple because it involves one’s ego, peace of mind, and internal narrative. In the worst instances, the decision to get out of the way can be a form of narcissistic injury. For Biden, would he write his own narrative, or have it written for him by others? Is he the Comeback Kid from Scranton or something less than? Does one horrible debate performance negate all that he has accomplished as president? What if he is in fact the best chance to defeat Donald Trump and by doing so to save the country’s democracy (at least for another four years)?

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In the end, President Biden decided to be a great leader by making the difficult decision to follow and get out of the way for the good of the Democratic Party, specially, and most importantly for the American people and the future of their democracy. As seen on Jan. 6, Donald Trump and the other MAGA neofascists and other such demagogues and enemies of democracy most certainly would never do such a thing.

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Given his decades of public service, Biden deserved much better than the poor treatment he received from the news media and the Democratic Party’s senior leaders and donor class these last few weeks. But here we are. The president made the choice to withdraw his nomination for what he believes is the good of the country. .............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/07/25/the-clarity-of-joe-bidens-legacy-defining-choice/