When Joe Biden begins his farewell speech at the dark desk in the Oval Office, surrounded by family photos and the American flag, you can see how difficult it is for him to find the words. “Over the past four years, our democracy has proven itself. And every day I have kept my promise to be president for all Americans” – this is how he begins his 17-minute monologue in a quiet voice.
This is a man speaking who wanted to be president all his life. The fact that he finally became one wasn’t because the Americans fell in love with him. Their hope was that Biden would lead the country back to normality from the years of chaos under Donald Trump. Biden also hoped to end the Trump chapter once and for all and open a new page in American history. But his own stubbornness and clinging to power paved the way for Trump’s historic comeback. Now Biden is the one squeezed in the history books between two Trump terms in office who must fight not to be forgotten.
This became clear when he announced the good news from the Middle East at the beginning of his speech: the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which had been negotiated for months, was finally dry. Biden’s foreign policy success reveals a tragedy that runs through his entire presidency. Although it was his government that kept the negotiations going for more than 15 months, the world is talking about the “Trump effect” because in the end it increased the pressure even further.
Even in one of his brightest hours, Biden will be overshadowed by the man who will follow in his footsteps.
Joe Biden’s term in office is impressive
The tragedy of Joe Biden is that his term in office can also be interpreted as one of the most successful in recent American history. He led the country out of the worst pandemic in modern history. He not only helped the economy get back on its feet, but also set future-oriented priorities with comprehensive legislative packages; under him, the country invested trillions of dollars in clean energies and high-tech industries. It was Biden who held NATO together in its darkest hour, who strengthened the alliance and managed to defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion without allowing a nuclear war to break out.
Perhaps his greatest achievement in the USA: In a deeply polarized Washington, Biden has proven that cooperation between the parties is still possible. Even as a young Democratic senator in 1972, he made a name for himself as a man of the center who was not afraid to reach out to the Republicans. His diplomatic skills at bringing both sides to the table helped him pass a remarkable range of bipartisan legislation in the White House – from expanding infrastructure to aid for Ukraine, protecting same-sex marriage and strengthening veterans’ rights.
Biden devoted much of his farewell address to this agenda. “Together we have ushered in a new era of American opportunity,” he said, proudly listing achievements “from new roads, bridges and clean water to affordable high-speed internet for every American.”
Sure, Biden downplayed economic developments – the sluggish inflation. He also reacted too late to the refugee crisis on the country’s southern border. His crucial mistake, however, was something else.
The legacy of a broken promise
In the 2020 election campaign, Biden campaigned on the promise of building a “bridge” to the next generation. He presented himself as a transitional president who wanted to restore normality to American politics. But when he was elected, he insisted on being the president himself to lead the country into the future. Instead of using the four years to groom a democratic successor, an 82-year-old man allowed his stubbornness to outweigh reason. Even after his disastrous debate in June, he claimed to be the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump. “I beat him once and I will beat him again,” Biden emphasized even after the party had already turned away from him.
His fatal decision to run again as a presidential candidate and only give way at the very last minute deprived the Democrats of the chance to send the best possible candidate into the race.
This does not make his urgent warning about the emergence of a “threatening oligarchy” any less important. Towards the end of his farewell speech, Biden warned of “the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few extremely rich people” – a clear nod to Musk, Zuckerberg and Co., who are rallying around his successor. But his words carry the bitter aftertaste that he himself hasn’t done enough to prevent this bleak future. And so Trump’s victory will forever bear Biden’s initials.
Joe Biden will not be remembered for the bridges he built. But for the one he didn’t build.