His placeholder premiership was an embarrassment to American liberalism.
In the summer of 2018, my wife and I invited over an old friend and her husband, both of whom had worked in the Obama administration. Biden’s announcement that he was going to run for president in 2020 was still about 10 months away. But it was no secret that he was burning to enter the race, having been pushed aside in 2016 for Hillary Clinton by the Democratic establishment. As we stood in our kitchen talking about who might make a viable Democratic nominee, I brought up Biden. The two of them burst into a chuckle and shook their heads. “Oh Joe,” said my friend pitiably, the way you might react to the mention of an amiable acquaintance whose relentless ambition, combined with their constant setbacks and failures, makes them both endearing and immune to respect.
Biden’s 2020 run seemed to come out of nowhere. The pandemic had exacerbated the political atmosphere, and Biden’s campaign managed to gain momentum primarily because of his affiliation with the Obama administration and the collective yearning for a return to normalcy after the chaos of the Trump era. His win was also heavily influenced by the pivotal South Carolina primary, where James Clyburn’s endorsement solidified Biden’s path to victory.
Yet, Biden’s presidency has been marked by missteps that have left liberals frustrated. His handling of key issues such as healthcare, immigration, and foreign policy has been underwhelming. Biden’s inability to rally his party around ambitious progressive reforms made his presidency seem more like a transitional period than a decisive moment in American history. Instead of pushing for bold change, Biden’s administration focused on maintaining the status quo, which left many Democratic voters disillusioned.
As the months passed, Biden’s leadership faltered. The criticisms from the left grew louder, as Biden struggled to enact the kinds of reforms that had made his campaign appealing in the first place. His presidency became a series of compromises and half-measures that failed to inspire confidence in the country’s future direction. His popularity waned, especially as the economic recovery was slower than expected and the divisions within the country deepened.
Biden’s presidency, as it unfolded, seemed less about moving America forward and more about managing a transition between the chaos of the Trump era and an uncertain future. His policy initiatives lacked the vision and audacity needed to address the nation’s most pressing challenges. Instead of delivering a progressive agenda, Biden was content with incremental changes that didn’t fundamentally alter the political landscape.
His reliance on identity politics as a central part of his campaign, particularly the promise to appoint the first black woman to the Supreme Court, failed to mask the deeper issues within his leadership style. His actions often seemed more like pandering than genuine efforts for reform. In many ways, Biden’s administration was a product of political expediency, driven by the need to secure electoral victory rather than any real desire to challenge the establishment.
In the end, Joe Biden’s presidency has been a reminder that leadership matters less than the institutional forces that put a person in power. His tenure highlighted the limitations of American liberalism and the shortcomings of a political system that prioritizes political calculations over genuine change. His time in office has ultimately been a disappointing chapter in the history of American politics, one that will be remembered not for its boldness, but for its failure to live up to the hopes that propelled him into office.
