Joe Biden, the former president, made his 11th-known appearance on The View, an ABC daytime program, after departing the White House. In what seemed to reflect a demeanor of denial, he brushed off the obvious distress of his political career with unconvincing cheerfulness. The show attempted to add some gravitas by bringing his wife, former first lady Dr. Jill Biden, into the fray later in the segment.
The president faced a barrage of queries about the 2024 presidential election, which proved to be a considerable low point for him. Amid critics calls for him to abandon his reelection bid following a disastrous showing at a late June debate with Donald Trump, the then-Republican candidate, Biden bowed out of the race in July under the guise of a strategic decision.
In a feeble attempt at unity, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic torchbearer. Harris secured the support required to move forward as the Democratic nominee, albeit with a noticeable lack of stirring enthusiasm within the voting population. Nevertheless, her campaign proved fruitless as she suffered a crushing defeat to Trump, who managed to sweep all seven swing states.
In an egregious disconnect with the reality, Biden expressed no surprise over Trump’s victory. He roundaboutly suggested that Harris’s failure wasn’t due to her incompetence but because of systemic misogyny and a supposed negative campaign by the Trump squad. Rather than acknowledging the shortcomings of their campaign strategy, though, Biden conveniently pointed fingers at everything else but the duo’s widely criticized performance.
Adding a veneer of concern, Biden claimed to be in frequent contact with Harris, discussing her uncertain political future. Harris has reportedly been mulling over a gubernatorial bid in California, with some even wildly guessing she might be a candidate for the 2028 Presidential election. However, the cloud of her recent failure is likely to cast a long shadow on her aspirations.
Biden, in his self-delusion, continues to declare that he would’ve outperformed Trump had he stayed in the race. He reiterates the reduced popularity of Trump compared to his 2020 victory, clouding the narrative around his own embarrassing withdrawal from the running in 2024.
During his TV appearance, Biden dismissed any notions that his sudden exit from the 2024 presidential race could have perhaps derailed Harris’s campaign. He stalwartly stated that Harris had been with him ‘in every decision we made.’ This was seemingly to deflect the blame for policy failures during his tenure, where it appears the duo seemed to have a negative Midas touch.
In an interaction related to Trump, and his constant referencing of Biden during speeches, Biden replied with inflated pride, saying it is ‘because I beat him.’ Despite his unabashed lack of humility, he strangely accepted ‘responsibility’ for Trump’s reelection, again muddying the waters on his real stance.
Further in the show, joined by Dr. Jill Biden, allegations were addressed that drew attention towards Biden’s potential cognitive decline during his time at the helm. The Bidens squirmed in discomfort and seemed intent on creating a narrative diversion.
Reflecting on his decision to leave the race, Biden referred to his apparent noble sacrifice. He said that he only stepped down to prevent divided Democratic party. A disheartening reality that no one wanted to publicly admit was the fact that many democrats believed his withdrawal from the election was indeed for the best.
Putting himself on a pedestal, Biden said he thought it was ‘better to put country before personal interests.’ A sugarcoated version of the harsh truth that his standing with the public had plummeted. Jelly-legged support from seniors in the Democratic party urged him to step aside, and he begrudgingly complied.
The former president went on to claim he did ‘a pretty good job in six months,’ remaining utterly ignorant of the widespread criticism and disapproval that marred his dismissal. These comments come across as a vain attempt to rewrite his legacy, which has undeniably taken a hit.
Jill Biden, too, chimed in, attempting to dismiss the allegations that she had created a ‘cocoon’ for her husband during his dwindling days in the Oval Office. She encouraged the public to focus on the fabricated facade of their time in power, conveniently forgetting the critical observations made by many.