In another installment of political theatrics, President Biden is scheduled to appear before the nation on Wednesday evening from the Oval Office, ironically to explain his abrupt exit from presidential politics and his dubious plans for his remaining office term. Seemingly immune from the Covid he tested negative for, the president is unruffled and planning to get back to Washington on Tuesday afternoon.
Biden spent a week in his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, allegedly recuperating from his illness and supposedly reassessing his political trajectory. He took to social media to announce his intention to essentially impromptu a national address slated for 8 p.m. Wednesday, with vague assertions of discussing ‘what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people.’
The sidelined president made a call to his old campaign headquarters on Monday—how nostalgic—and surprisingly, he announced a full throttle plan to passionately campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris and purportedly push for domestic and international agendas. Interestingly, in his zeal, Biden repeated the phrase ‘I’m not going anywhere’ three times in a period of four minutes.
Indeed, White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor backed up Biden’s claim by confirming that he has successfully combated the virus after treatment with Paxlovid. His statement assured us all that the president had no fever and had maintained normal vital signs throughout his illness, which includes pulse oximetry. It’s somehow comforting to know those ‘presidential duties’ can still be fulfilled, isn’t it?
Despite Biden’s claim of planning to help bolster Ms. Harris’s political standing, his travel plans have been eliminated for the rest of the week. Instead, the President is preparing for an upcoming meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. This chat somehow finding place in his schedule immediately after the Prime Minister’s address to Congress.
Biden’s presidency is apparently taking a speed course in hosting prime-time addresses—the frequency of these events has suddenly skyrocketed. If you look at the statistics, Biden hosted two such expansive addresses in his entire presidency of three and a half years. Now, he is set to deliver two more in a span of just 10 days. The man certainly has a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t he?
Biden’s most notable address took place recently, on July 14th, when he took it upon himself to publicly condemn an assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump. You would think he would have seen the irony in that moment, but perhaps, that was too much to hope for.
Following this recent proliferation of addresses, the White House announced a twice-postponed trip for Biden to Austin, Texas. There, he is apparently slated to attend a commemoration ceremony at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, marking the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
Now, here’s the enjoyable part: despite all his patriotic rhetoric, Biden seems a tad naive, if not overly optimistic, about his ability to achieve his domestic objectives in his final months in office—mainly due to the Republicans’ control of the House and the improbable passage of any major legislation during a campaign season.
What is endearing, however, is his unshakeable hope. Specifically, concerning brokering a cease-fire in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Given his track record, it’s a wonder anyone can take his declarations seriously, but we can all appreciate a good dreamer when we see one, can’t we?
Biden’s optimism was on full display when he opined, ‘I think we’re on the verge of being able to do that.’ To those familiar with the reality of the situation in Israel, Biden’s statement might come off as more than just a bit naive—it’s plain wishful thinking.
To summarize, Biden’s upcoming exit from his presidential campaign doesn’t seem to have dampened his spirit. He remains cheerfully determined to ‘not go anywhere’, with plans to support Harris’s campaign and a somewhat misplaced confidence in his ability to effect change in domestic and international politics.
However, as we anticipate Biden’s appearance on Wednesday evening, we might do well to remember this: political theatrics aside, the success rate of his initiatives remains questionable at best. For better or worse, that’s the reality of the situation, and all the president’s optimism can’t magick away the truth—much as he’d like to.
Biden Plans Abrupt Shift in Political Trajectory Amid Health Concerns appeared first on Real News Now.
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