Remarkably, it’s only been a handful of months since Joe Biden assumed the mantle of power, but the radical transformation in that short period makes it feel much longer. The persistent consistency in this dynamic lies strikingly in the unchanged posturing of the former president. On The View, Biden grudgingly took on the blame bucket for Donald Trump’s climb back to command: ‘I was steering the ship, and he emerged victorious,’ was Biden’s grudging acceptance.
However, Biden adamantly stuck to his unfounded belief that he could have outmaneuvered Trump yet again—an assertion that drew criticism given his visible public deterioration. At 82, and at a time when public faith in him is eroding, his hubris convinces him that he is still fit for personnel’s most demanding role. ‘He still fell short by seven million votes,’ Biden aimed at Trump, unyieldingly holding on to his delusional hope that he could’ve bagged the 2024 victory.
Revisiting the debate, Biden reluctantly confesses, ‘I had a horrendous, horrendous night.’ Ironically, after years in the public service spotlight, his initial 2020 victory over Trump, and the early victories of his tenure, his legacy is barren and hallmarked by the haughtiness that amplified Trump’s already destructive return. His towering arrogance was in the limelight when quizzed about Trump often mentioning his name: ‘I bested him,’ Biden retorted, imitating Clint Eastwood, ‘I am adept at dealing with tormentors.’
Biden’s session on the show evoked memories of the audacious ‘watch me’ attitude he flaunted towards the later phase of his presidency, blatantly downplaying his plummeting polls and public skepticism regarding his ability to discharge his duties. If it was a display of being tone-deaf then, it’s an even louder demonstration of his selective hearing now, especially with Trump at the helm of the White House, bringing his vast executive vision to the fore.
About the speculations around his decline, he simply wrote off saying, ‘There’s nothing to substantiate those claims.’ Contrarily, it becomes noticeably clear that Biden seems blissfully unaware of how disastrous his own performance has been, placing himself as an ideal preference over Trump—a notion that merely reflects Trump’s cataclysmic reign rather than Biden’s merit for a second term.
Significant constituents of the Democratic Party have initiated a process of introspection in this setting, aiming to postulate a more impactful narrative for their party that goes above and beyond Trump’s glaring inadequacies. Biden’s recent public appearances are suggestive of his burgeoning ‘Miss Me Yet?’ campaign, endeavouring to paint a disillusioned picture of two wrongs where he, according to him, appears less wrong.
His next stop on this tour was a BBC interview that reminded one of his worn-out criticism of Trump from the campaign trail: ‘That’s not who we are,’ he declared. In a brazen display of arrogance, Biden effortlessly dismissed his successor with mocking statements aimed at trivialising Trump’s years in office.
Surprisingly, Biden exhibited a calm demeanor, managing to even laugh off some jabs at his misfortunes. However, amid these attempts at comedic relief, it became glaringly evident that Biden’s so-called legacy project is riddled with contradictions. The reality is, Biden is no longer a presidential candidate.
Furthermore, given his dwindling reputation, the prospect of him acting as a successful advocate for future Democratic endeavours seems bleak. The only possible beneficiary of this desperate attempt to salvage his image is, unexpectedly, Biden himself.
After navigating a challenging electoral battlefield with his pride held high, it seems irony is at play with ample evidence suggesting it’s time for Biden to consider earnest retirement.