President Joe Biden will deliver his farewell address tonight, just days before President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office. We can expect that Biden will use these last fleeting moments behind the Oval Office's Resolute Desk to tout what he deems to be his biggest successes. But I’m more interested to see which Joe Biden actually shows up.
I personally believe politicians, and yes, even presidents, allow their farewell tours to stretch way too long.
Will America watch the gracious man who rightly invited the new president-elect to the White House, a tradition that Trump broke when he lost to Biden in 2020? Or, will we see a man still trying, clumsily and unhelpfully, to defend himself, as Biden did in his exit interview with Susan Page of USA Today? Biden told the newspaper that he believed he would have beaten Trump in November, “based on polling.” Ill-advised doesn’t begin to cover it.To be clear, there is no question that Biden is a patriot. No one should ever question his love for the nation or his drive to further its best interests. But Biden has also historically refused to acknowledge his own limitations. And his decision to pardon Hunter Biden in his final months in office did in fact put the interests of his son above the country — even if he was faced with what must have felt like an impossible choice.
I personally believe politicians, and yes, even presidents, allow their farewell tours to stretch way too long. But I will nonetheless watch Biden tonight, with a few key things in mind.
On the topic of his successes, Biden is likely to discuss how the economy is rebounding (which, in fact, is) and the successes of the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. Yet, one of the most important acts of his presidency was pushing NATO to protect Ukraine. Without Biden’s foreign policy chops, Russia may have been able to take over some or all of its smaller neighbors. Biden probably also gets some credit — although it's still unclear how much — for the long-delayed Gaza ceasefire.It's time for Biden to rise above his own personal frustrations and resist the urge to go on the defensive. Biden has long wanted more credit for the economy and less blame for problems along the southern border. At the same time, he still refuses to recognize that due to his age, he should never have even considered running for a second term. Biden must not use this address to relitigate the past. Now is not the time to fight over his legacy or to air old grievances. He should know better.
Biden should instead lean into what makes him a great politician. Insights are welcome, as long as they aren’t self-serving. I would much rather hear a classic Biden yarn than a political diatribe, especially right now. We tend to remember the worst of times, but Biden should instead remind America of what it has accomplished — and what it can be proud of.
I would much rather hear a classic Biden yarn then a political diatribe, especially right now.
Along these lines, it could also be a good time to highlight some of the work that still needs to be done. Back in 2022, Biden called for a new “national purpose,” with the goal to end cancer “as we know it.” Why not renew his commitment to that goal?Biden’s recent flashes of prickliness aside, this is a man who deploys optimism often and well. And that is probably because, at the end of the day, he truly believes in the promise of America. There are better days ahead, even if there might be a few bumps (or Trumps) along the way. Let’s see some of that happy warrior that former President Barack Obama spoke about years ago.
I’ve criticized Biden robustly over his career. He’s neither perfect nor blameless. He leaves office with a complicated legacy and a mixed record — just like all politicians. But I hope most Americans will be able to pause their analysis for 15 minutes and remember that ultimately, this is a man who has served our country well for over 50 years. We owe it to him, and ourselves, to find time to say thank you.