During the 2020 campaign, when I hosted a pastors' breakfast in South Carolina, I remember Congressman Jim Clyburn leaning over to me and saying he endorsed Joe Biden. Even then, many people were looking down on Biden, saying he was too old, couldn't compete, couldn't win the election, etc. He beat every other Democratic presidential candidate and defeated then-President Donald Trump. They've said so many times that Biden isn't up to the task, but he's been up to the task every time.
In the coming days and weeks, there will be extensive analysis of Biden and Trump's first debate for the 2024 presidential election and its impact on each candidate and the election itself. Already, much of the coverage has focused on Biden's disappointing performance and whether he should withdraw from the race. It is not only premature but also highly insulting to dismiss the president's entire track record and policies so far because of one bad debate with months to go until November. Everyone is already on board and calling for Biden to step down, but I would argue that only the president himself can entertain this thought. The real question is, hasn't Biden earned the right to make this decision for himself?
As I watched Thursday night's debate, I was reminded of something I said at the Democratic National Convention 20 years ago: “Our vote is stained with the blood of martyrs. It cannot be given away or traded. Our vote is earned by those who earn it.”
It was Biden’s leadership that saved us from the disastrous Trump presidency and helped get the country moving in the right direction. In the midst of a historic global pandemic (which, by the way, Trump downplayed and completely mishandled), Biden stepped in and helped us recover. His policies have led to job growth, creating nearly 11 million jobs and more people working than at any point in American history. Under President Biden, a recession has been halted and more people have health insurance than ever before. The President has delivered historic student loan debt relief, signed an executive order protecting reproductive rights, signed the Respect Marriage Act to protect marriage for LGBTQ+ and interracial couples, enacted the most aggressive climate and environmental justice agenda, nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, passed the Inflation Control Act, and many other accomplishments.
Can anyone who looks honestly at Biden’s record and record as president demand that he withdraw because of a poor performance in just one debate? What about Trump’s lies last night? In the space of about 90 minutes, he lied about the January 6th riots, immigration, the COVID response, the economy, abortion, and the list goes on. Are we really saying that showmanship is more important than substance? There is too much at stake for people to make such rash decisions. Whether it’s voting rights, criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, representation in general, protection from hate crimes, or democracy itself, the question is not what will happen to Biden, but rather what will happen to us.
With the convention fast approaching and campaigning in full swing, the president can and should remind the American people what he represents and what his opponent does not. He must speak to the needs of the people of this country and what is best for America's future: moving forward or returning to an era of division, injustice and inequality.
Have we forgotten the deadly pandemic that President Trump mishandled leaving over a million dead, the Charlottesville protests that took place during his presidency, the Supreme Court nominees that have reversed many of our gains, the demonization of marginalized communities, and the climate of hatred that permeates this country?
Biden has stayed true to his vision and has delivered on many of his campaign promises. He is the only man who can say he has been instrumental in two great recoveries, first as Vice President under Obama and then in 2020. He helped us recover from the recession and disastrous policies (both at home and abroad) of the Bush Administration, and then from the trauma of the Trump Administration and the dire situation we found ourselves in. He has fully earned the right to decide his own path forward, and we should give him more than 24 hours to make such a crucial decision.
Twenty years ago, I ran for president myself. I was still recovering from the nation's worst terrorist attack and still reeling from the George W. Bush administration's failure to handle the crisis and leading us into a needless war. I lost the Democratic nomination in 2004, but I continued to run for the Democratic candidate because I understood what was at stake and the importance of that election.
In 2004, I reminded everyone that we didn't get here through political gamesmanship. Today, I say we can't continue to move forward by engaging in political theatrics. Would President Biden have appeared in a debate like he did in 2024 for the State of the Union? No. But as I've said many times before, he is the ultimate comeback kid. I'm not ready to write him off just yet, but no one who cares about this country can afford to.
