There Was No Biden Doctrine. That’s the Point

Five months. That’s really overmuch is clip near successful nan presidency of Joe Biden. After weeks of unit from apical Democratic officials and donors to measurement speech arsenic nan party’s nominee—combined pinch polling showing that he would beryllium incapable to hit his opponent, erstwhile President Donald Trump, successful nan November ballot—Biden announced that he would nary longer beryllium seeking reelection. The overriding interest was that clip had yet caught up pinch Biden. At 81 years of property and aft 50 years of nationalist work arsenic a senator, vice president and now president, it was yet clip for him to walk nan torch.

Almost immediately, nan withering disapproval Biden had endured since his disastrous statement capacity successful June turned to praise. Former President Barack Obama, nether whom Biden served arsenic vice president and who awarded Biden nan Presidential Medal of Freedom, called him “a patriot of nan highest order.” Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer was effusive, saying Biden has “not only been a awesome president and a awesome legislative leader but he is simply a genuinely astonishing quality being.” Even Republicans joined in, pinch Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump supporter, remarking that, “while we person governmental differences, I admit his lifelong work to our nation, which he dearly loves.”

The past president to not activity reelection was Lyndon Johnson successful 1968. But he had already been president for much than a azygous term, having served retired nan last information of John F. Kennedy’s word earlier moving and winning nan 1964 election. Similarly, Harry Truman and Calvin Coolidge opted not to tally again, but aft having besides completed nan position of their predecessors, some of whom died successful office. One needs to go back to Rutherford Hayes successful nan 19th period to find a president who decided not to activity reelection aft having genuinely served conscionable 1 term.