All Politics Is Local: Biden Steps Out – We-Ha

“All Politics is Local” is an op-ed written by West Hartford Democratic City Committee member John Lyons.

By John Lyons

A rare seismic presidential event occurred Sunday, and while special interests, super PACs and others in the political arena will try to convince you that “big” events in politics happen all the time (usually in their quest for donations), truly historic events involving a sitting president almost never happen. For the first time since Lyndon Johnson’s presidency, a sitting U.S. president has announced that he will not seek re-election.

There is a national division within the party, and when the calls from within his party for Biden to withdraw grew exponentially after the Republican Party Convention ended, I think most people following the situation felt that something was going to happen much sooner rather than later.

I don’t know about you, but I feel very sad at this moment in history, and I hope most Americans feel sad too. This is a time to view Biden as the man, not the candidate (or elected official). Argue this point all you want, but objectively speaking, Biden will leave office on January 20th as one of the most impactful and effective one-term presidents in history, and I believe the history books of the future will accurately reflect this. No president since Lyndon Johnson (another one-term or more) has been more successful at passing major legislation. He successfully led the United States out of the COVID era and into an unparalleled era of economic recovery. He will leave office with one of the longest and most successful political resumes in American history.

Biden has always put country first, and to step aside now after taking a hard look in the mirror at his age and health and making what I can only describe as a deeply painful decision to retire is no different. His announcement immediately reminded me of the closing scene of “Six Feet Under,” and as Sia’s “Breathe Me” plays, time marches on. Relentlessly. Effortlessly. Tragically.

Biden has had to confront aging in the most difficult way imaginable, balancing the pressures of the presidency and his concerns about the future of the country—all the while hearing about it nonstop in the media, in phone calls, and in meetings with governors, senators, and congressional leaders. The pressures he’s faced have included things that no one but a handful of people around the world can imagine.

My sadness also comes from watching him grow older and realizing that he had just turned 66 when he became Vice President in 2009. I don’t know about you, but for me that feels like yesterday. Old age comes far too quickly for almost all of us. Almost none of us will ever face a decision of the gravity that President Biden has faced in recent weeks, and I think his legacy, both during his tenure and in retirement, should not be overlooked. His retirement is a reminder of mortality, and we will all have to deal with that at some point. It is also a reminder of the character of the man who is Joe Biden!

I remember a portion of President Ronald Reagan’s last letter to America on November 5, 1994, in which he said: “I now begin the journey that will take me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a brighter dawn.”

Biden, ever the statesman, said in his letter today: “…I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country that I step down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.” And he concluded by saying, “…there is nothing America cannot do – if we do it together.”

Welcome to my newest monthly column for We-Ha.com: “All Politics Is Local.” Each month I will be examining national issues and sharing my thoughts on how West Hartford (and we as residents) are affected. You’ll be surprised at how many seemingly small or inconspicuous issues have a big impact on all of us.

The opinions expressed represent the opinions of John Lyons and are not intended to reflect the views of We-Ha.com or the West Hartford Democratic Town Committee.

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