Joe Biden, with his self-proclaimed assurance of ‘America is winning’, sought to shape his narrative legacy on Monday night. Delivering an impassioned monologue to the Democratic National Convention, Biden ventured to display his environmental, economic and democratic vigils. Visualizing this speech would be his reelection campaign launch, the consequent realities of the day enjoyed a less sweet taste. Supported by accolades from his spouse and progeny, Biden’s address carried on until early morning, underlying the cumbersome task at hand.
Vice President Kamala Harris, graced the convention with tributes that went on for what seemed like an eternity. In an attempt to glorify Biden’s unremarkable single term that bumped Donald Trump from White House occupancy, the focus was to prop up Biden’s shadow for yet another practice round against former President Trump. All this occurred as sleep lulled the majority of American civilians, underlining the difficulty of the moment.
Biden’s elongated speech felt like the closing finale of a middling career spanning a half-century, as he fought back visible emotion. The president wrangled in a Norah Jones lyric to illustrate his state of mind, signaling a painful end rather than a triumphant conclusion. ‘Let me know in my heart, when my days are through, America, America, I gave my best to you,’ quoted Biden.
Biden fancied himself forward-looking as he elaborated on his choice of Harris as his running mate four years ago. He hailed this as the climax of his political endeavors, pressing that her electoral victory this November is pivotal to prop up his waning legacy. ‘She’ll be a president our children could look up to. She’ll be a president respected by world leaders because she already is. She’ll be a president we can all be proud of, and she will be a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future,’ claimed an overly optimistic Biden.
Many of the evening’s speeches turned the spotlight towards narrating Harris’ historical run and their personal associations with her. The vice president, through a surprise appearance, however, directed the attention back to Biden’s ill-defined legacy. Rather than highlighting her own journey, Harris spent her time on stage showering Biden with praise, a gesture that seemed more about obligation than genuine respect.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave voice to the arc of women’s political prowess – recognizing the achievement of women procuring voting rights after Clinton’s mother was born, the groundbreaking presidential campaigns of Shirley Chisholm in 1972 and Geraldine Ferraro in 1984, and her ostensible groundbreaking run in 2016. Clinton, speaking to the crowd, purportedly urged delegates to make an effort in the campaign’s concluding months, hinting at an inevitable breakthrough featuring Kamala Harris on the other side.
Several speakers on Monday tried to rally the masses with a strong populist undertone. Sean Fain, a top figure of the United Auto Workers, led the crowd into a chant decrying Trump, while casting Biden and Harris as champions of the workers. These narratives attempted to portray Trump as a self-serving elitist, with interests aligning with Wall Street.
The heavyweight issue of the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the subsequent limitation on abortion access were broached by two speakers who shared personal experiences of distress due to unviable pregnancies. Another speaker narrated her brutal circumstance of becoming pregnant at the age of 12 after sexual assault by her stepfather, underscoring how politics often intersects with personal lives.
Joe Biden’s speech marked the end to one of the most peculiar months in modern American political history, as a seemingly vigorous Biden was gently nudged aside by his own party due to fears of his inadequacy to defeat former President Trump. This move, while initially causing ripples of shock, has subsequently infused a surprising wave of enthusiasm into what seemed to be a sinking ship just a few weeks ago.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, an instrumental figure in persuading Biden to step aside, lauded him as one of the most impactful presidents in American history during a media briefing at the California delegation breakfast. However, the tension in their relationship was noticeable, following Pelosi’s key role in Biden’s decision to step aside.
Plans are afoot to honor Biden as a hero at his own party’s convention. Yet, this act contrasts starkly with the general sentiment of his popularity across the country. According to Fivethirtyeight.com, Biden currently holds approval from a mere 38% of voters, compared to a disconcerting 56% who disapprove of him, revealing the uphill struggle both to reshape his legacy and to tilt public opinion.
Despite these odds, Biden seems to hold out hope that these ratings will improve over time, as sometimes happens with past presidents when they fade from daily news cycle. Since his announcement to withdraw from the presidential race, Biden has strived to support Harris and emphasize legacy projects that encompass massive expenditures on infrastructure, social safety nets, and environmental initiatives.
Ironically, these so-called legacy projects seem to be nothing more than a strategic ploy for Biden to distract from his shortcomings and to fix his image post his withdrawal from the presidential race. It remains unclear whether this strategy will yield the desired effect and whether Biden’s legacy will ultimately be preserved or faced with even more criticism.
Biden’s desperate attempts to redefine his legacy and his insistence on portraying Harris as the best choice for the presidency highlight the party’s internal struggles and contradictions. It seems that the Democratic National Convention served more as an arena to patch over the fractures within the party than to truly celebrate any significant accomplishments.
As the party prepares to move forward without Biden at its helm, the question of whether his strategy will prove successful remains. Will these legacy projects truly secure Harris’s path to the presidency or will they only amplify the narrative that Biden’s departure was more of a necessity than a choice?
All these unfolding events point towards a Democratic Party fighting internal battles while trying to project unity on a public stage. Time will tell whether its strategy will prove to be a winning one or an instance of political miscalculation.
Joe Biden’s Sad Display at Democratic Convention Highlights Waning Legacy appeared first on Real News Now.
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