Biden’s legacy depends on Kamala Harris

Joe Biden did the honorable thing. It took dire polls and home truths from donors and allies, but the president finally admitted that his political race is over. 

Biden was trailing Donald Trump in the swing states — in some cases with a wide margin — and was showing little sign of being able to close the gap. On course for defeat, Biden made his decision in the interests of his party and country, but also his legacy. 

Biden’s legacy could go one of two ways. Like almost every president, his tenure has included both major successes and significant failures. While some of his major achievements, such as record job growth and regenerating industry, are secure; others, such as landmark climate change legislation and enabling the defense of Ukraine, would be vulnerable in a Trump presidency. Ironically, Biden’s legacy among everyone but his MAGA enemies will be defined by the election from which he has just withdrawn.

Currently, the central pillar of Biden’s reputation is that he led the electorate away from a second Trump term. Although the Trump of 2017 to 2020 now appears a relatively benign figure, his four years included such things as the longest government shutdown in US history, his deadly promotion of misinformation about Covid-19 and the nuclear standoff with North Korea. If Trump were to return to the White House a mere one election later, Biden’s presidency would become little more than a hiatus between the chaos of Trump’s first term and the extremism of his second. 

Given Trump’s consistent unpopularity (he lost the popular vote in both presidential elections, and his party underperformed in the two midterms), a Republican victory in November could be blamed on Biden’s stubborn refusal to accept legitimate concerns about his age and mental fitness earlier in the race. Unless his successor wins the election, Biden will be unable to shake the suggestion that he left too little time for them to campaign.

A Democrat defeat would also highlight the Biden administration’s inability or unwillingness to groom a capable heir. Vice-President Kamala Harris, who Biden quickly endorsed on Sunday, has been repeatedly hindered by him. She was given a near-impossible brief — managing the crisis on the southern border — and only gained stature when the White House needed a woman to make the case against the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion.

The president performed a global service when he beat Trump in 2020. As he belatedly realized, his enduring reputation depends on whether his successor can repeat the trick.

This article was originally published on The Spectator’s UK website.