It starts here...
As most of you know, my primary writing home is Daily Kos where I have been a contributor for almost ten years. This was my immediate response after learning that Joe Biden has decided to leave the race today. The site has been a virtual war zone since the debate over whether Biden should stay or leave the race. Those of you who so generously read my blather might enjoy the give and take that goes on there. In the spirit of the events today, I thought I would share with you what I have written there.
Now that the drama is over, the real work begins— and it starts here... on this site. The back and forth before Biden stepped down was spirited and, at times, antagonistic. I sure took my lumps and the comments here were often unpleasant on both sides. Now, we all have a job to do and that is to unify the base around the Democratic ticket whoever that will end up being. I can see a week or two of debate here on choices— I am glad that Joe Biden was generous to His VP and endorsed her. She is my choice. The second place will be interesting. Pete? Gretchen? Josh? Andy? Someone else? I hope that is our conversation going forward this week. But whoever fills the ticket, we can support him or her.
Whatever our thoughts were before, most here were correct— Joe Biden is a good human being and a great president who could be trusted to do the right thing. We can now add to his resume that he is patriotic and selfless, as patriotic and selfish as his former opponent is selfish and subversive. As illiberal and ungenerous as the GOP ticket is, voters now have a clear choice. Age becomes their problem, along with women’s concerns and the extremism codified in Project 2025. The court cases and 34 convictions are back on the front burner, the courts are back in focus as voters are given a clear vision of what each party represents and what each has in store for our future. Biden ensured that.
As Jon Meachem so eloquently stated today in giving his thoughts on his friend’s decision, nothing that happens to Joe Biden will ever define the worst moment in his life. His personal losses are far greater than any electoral loss or missed opportunity to once again defeat Donald Trump. No politician alive has given more than Biden and his presidential legacy is already burnished by his accomplishments in a single term. I believe, and this may sound irreverent to some, that his record of service to the nation and the level of sacrifice he has endured is only surpassed by our 14th president.
I know that it will happen here organically, but it should be sooner rather than later. We will honor Biden’s decision and unify without lingering doubts— we don’t have that option. There is no joy here for what has just occurred only respect for an honorable man and the greatest president of our generation.
We should all be so magnanimous.