Biden was humbled. Biden is not a young man committed to micromanaging the government 16 hours a day. Biden, an octogenarian, would be wise to claim he has been the most productive president since Lyndon B. Johnson. His greatest accomplishments have been the recovery from the pandemic, the restoration of prosperity and economic dominance in the world, the revival and expansion of NATO, a historic infrastructure bill, and a brilliant Supreme Court justice (not to mention 200 highly qualified lower court judges) who have led the country to a prosperous and secure future.
In an ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos, Biden made the case that he is the indispensable president for the next four years: “Who can hold NATO together like I can? Who can put the Pacific in a position like I can to at least check China? Who’s going to do that? Who has the leverage?” But he inadvertently pointed out that he’s not the only one who can get these things done.
To be sure, Biden can still demonstrate his ability to oversee allies: He is hosting a NATO summit in Washington this week, a perfect opportunity for him to put his expertise and connections to work. He should show Americans what it takes to lead the free world, but he should also point out that he has done much of the heavy lifting himself. He had the unique experience and credentials to rally and expand the NATO alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Manage It is the job of a competent Secretary of State working under an internationalist, Democratic President to maintain the alliance. Holding NATO together is not a one-man job.
That will be primarily the work of the team Biden has in place dedicated to ensuring U.S. leadership in the world. Do we want Secretary of State Antony Blinken, CIA Director William J. Burns, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan? Will our international relations be guided by a Trump-style assemblage of fanatics and conspiracy theorists — Michael Flynn, Kash Patel, Stephen Miller? The choice is between rational government, government free from corruption, and government free from conspiracy theories and fear-mongering.
Biden would do well to not only emphasize the need to maintain his vision and effective government, but to frame the American election in the same way as France, where the far-right was ignored by the left-leaning New Popular Front and the center-left. A vote for the Democratic candidate, whether Biden or anyone else, would mean not only policy continuity but also a rejection of fascism, violence, lawlessness, forced birth laws, climate change denial, and the rest of the radical Project 2025, the MAGA governing agenda of Trump’s new term. “Vote no on Project 25” may be a bit opaque as a Democratic slogan, but it makes the stakes clear: as in France, vision and ideology (democracy or authoritarianism) are key to America’s future. GovernanceIt’s not about personality, it’s about ability. (Winning an election is a different matter.)
Pushing ahead with Project 2025, a blueprint for replacing government by experts with a government of fanatics and followers, is Biden’s Mission: Felon and former president Donald Trump may be running away from a harmful game plan, but Biden (like the French) can make a point of it. Whatever the leader says, we know what his party stands for.For MAGA Republicans, that means banning abortion and some birth control, blowing up entire government institutions, deploying the military against civilians, and creating a police state with massive investigations to deport millions of people.
Furthermore, the radical Supreme Court majority that Trump created has led to judicial tyranny and administrative lawlessness. Justices appointed by Trump (such as Eileen M. Cannon and Matthew J. Kacsmalik) Determining how many ppm of contaminants are safe (and countless technical issues) should terrify Americans. Moreover, giving Trump astonishing immunity to commit crimes in the name of “official duty” is a license to tyranny. Biden must make this election not just about two candidates, but about restraining a corrupt Supreme Court. A bold plan to checkmate the Supreme Court’s worst decisions – codification. eggA constitutional amendment stating that “the president must obey the law” and serious court reform (e.g. mandatory ethics rules, term limits, expanding the courts) could remind voters that our very democracy is at stake.
Biden has the opportunity to make this not about him and Trump, but about two parties, two ways of governing, and two Americas. Even if things change and Biden is forced to back out, it remains the blueprint for a candidate led by VP Harris. It requires a frank admission that being president is just as important as the team and the direction the president sets. And now the issue is about ensuring a functional government (rather than jumping into the brave new world of Project 2025) and a democracy (not ruled by kings).
In other words, a vote for Biden in November is about leveraging the judgment he has demonstrated and preserving a professional staff whose duty is to country, not the whims of a narcissist.
