The Ultimate Stand
The core values of this nation, our standing in the world, our very democracy, everything that has made America, America, is at stake. That’s why today I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. Joe Biden, 4/25/19
Joe Biden entered the Democratic Presidential primaries on Thursday. He did so with a stark statement, that the current President was a direct threat to our system, and to the core values of our nation. He simply said:
“…if we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation — who we are — and I cannot stand by and watch that happen.”
Biden, Vice President for eight years and a US Senator for thirty-six, is seventy-six years old. He speaks of entering this race almost as a duty, a Cincinnatus, called back by circumstance to stand at the gate once more. There has been media criticism of Biden’s statement and his candidacy, but he presents Democrats a stark, bottom line choice: America cannot afford four more years of Donald Trump, and I’m the one candidate who can defeat him.
This week, a nineteen year old went into a synagogue in Southern California with an assault rifle, killing one and injuring more. He posted a manifesto admiring the Pittsburgh and New Zealand killers. From current information, a jammed weapon and advancing parishioners chased him away before he could wreak more havoc. Also this week, a man in Northern California drove his car into a crowd of Muslims, praising Jesus as he did so. Eight people were injured. Three weeks ago a white man was captured in Louisiana after burning three black churches.
According to the FBI, the rate of hate crimes in the United States has increased by seventeen percent since 2016, equaling the increased divisiveness in our political rhetoric.
Don’t give Donald Trump too much credit. His success as a politician is more of a result of the growing divide in our nation, rather than the cause. He is “riding the wave;” a wave he didn’t create. But he is certainly augmenting that wave, further fueling the divisiveness and hate among us. We know: he found “fine people on both sides” at the white nationalist riots in Charlottesville. He has chosen some of those “fine people” as his advisors, and constantly threatens Americans with an onslaught of “brown people” from the South.
The Presidency has many powers, but perhaps its greatest is access to the “bully pulpit.” Trump has shown himself to be a master of communicating from the White House, using his “old fashioned” rallies and “new fashioned” social media to speak to America. He continually reaches and energizes his base, and frustrates and infuriates his opponents.
The new phraseology for Democratic candidates for the nomination describes them as finding “lanes.” Like highways with multiple lanes, each one is trying to find the open road that will allow them to advance their candidacy. There are twenty declared candidates and a comprehensive list would be too long, but examples are: Jay Inslee emphasizes the environment, Bernie Sanders reshaping the American economy, and Eric Swalwell gun control.
Biden has been criticized for not talking about the core Democratic issues: healthcare, jobs, education, and the environment. He will ultimately address all of those issues; and will probably be criticized for taking moderate stands that are out of step with the more Progressive majorities in the Party. His opponents need to attack him on those stands, because Biden is the only candidate who has an open lane when it comes to speaking to all of us.
Other than President Obama, Joe Biden is the Democrat most qualified to speak for America. When Biden spoke at John McCain’s funeral, or Congressman John Dingell’s funeral, or his own son’s funeral; he told us about what America means. His opening sentence from John McCain’s eulogy said it all: “My name is Joe Biden. I’m a Democrat. And I loved John McCain.”
He constantly speaks of an America where we can cross party lines and where those with differences can still be loved. That’s Joe Biden’s message. I don’t know whether he’s the 2020 Democratic candidate, but his “lane” addresses the essential problem of our time: he’s going to be hard to beat.
