Joe Biden is without a doubt a political stalwart, a revered senator with a career stemming from the 70s. Joe has had a storied career marked by significant milestones, accomplishments, and personal tragedy.
His tenure as Vice President from 2008 to 2016 under Barack Obama was a testament to his competence and mental sharpness, even if not as sharp as in his earlier years. Despite his long-standing contributions, his journey to the presidency was fraught with challenges, having unsuccessfully ran several times before being handpicked as Obama’s running mate.
As Vice President, Biden exhibited enough cognitive acumen to excel in his role in my (not so professional) judgment. However, since 2016, there has been a noticeable cognitive decline. While I am no health professional, this observation stems from a layman’s perspective, noting a marked difference in his mental sharpness over the years.
I was not surprised when then-Vice President Biden decided not to run for office in 2016. One could tell that he was far from that fiery, energetic, and forceful junior senator from Delaware. His health had caught up with him. Until he decided to run in 2020. I could not believe my eyes.
Biden’s decision to run for president in 2020 was heavily influenced by a promise he made to his dying son, Beau Biden. Therefore, his run in 2020 was less about the American people and more about fulfilling a personal commitment to his child. Needless to say, he won in a controversial election.
Fast forward to his bid for a second term, it became evident that Biden was not cognitively fit for the job. Despite this, the Democratic Party chose to avoid a primary to prevent internal division. Instead, they used Biden to run unopposed, only to orchestrate a transfer of power to Kamala Harris at the end. This manoeuvre, though politically strategic, undermines the very democratic principles the party claims to uphold.
Biden was democratically elected through a primary vote. It is fundamentally undemocratic to remove him now and install someone who has not won a single primary. The Democratic Party should have opened up the process from the beginning, allowing Biden to earn his second term through a transparent and fair primary process. This would have upheld the integrity of the democratic process, even within the party.
Interestingly, the Republican primary process appeared more democratic than that of the Democrats, despite the common narrative that Republicans are the ones who undermine democracy. The irony here is palpable and troubling.
While it is good that Biden is retiring, having perhaps overstayed his welcome in the political arena, the manner in which this transition is happening raises serious concerns about the state of democracy within the Democratic Party. The American people deserve better. They deserve a transparent, fair, and democratic process that respects their voice and their vote.
The Democratic Party needs to open up the process and let others who want to contest the position do so. Otherwise, this was a soft coup. They did it in 2016 when they sabotaged Bernie Sanders, and they did it again in 2020 when candidates dropped out at the same time to endorse Biden and sabotage Bernie again.
Yes, they have very little history of allowing the democratic process to flow. They even tried it in 2008 to coronate Hillary Clinton. Obama was leading, and they tried to get him out of the race to endorse Hillary. I mean, can you believe these people? And it’s the same people that sabotaged Bernie twice and have now led a coup against their own presumptive nominee.
Joe Biden’s decision to step down was inevitable, given his cognitive decline. However, the manner in which the Democratic Party has handled this transition is deeply concerning. They have failed to uphold the democratic principles they claim to defend. To restore faith in the political process, the Democratic Party must commit to transparency and fairness, allowing a genuine contest for leadership. Only then can they claim to be true defenders of democracy.
