This is what patriotism is.
Not parades, arrogance or spectacle, but the selflessness to step aside when you believe it is for a greater good.
When President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the presidential race, he was already on track to be remembered as one of the greatest presidents and public servants in American history. His election in 2020 saved our democracy from further destruction by Donald Trump and his increasingly corrupt and radical MAGA operatives.
That alone, followed by steady management, might have been enough.
But he has done much more: he led the country and the economy out of the COVID-19 crisis;Record unemployment ratecontainsBlack unemployment rate is lowestin history.
He made a historic promiseClean EnergyHe signedBipartisan Infrastructure LegislationInvesting heavily in climate change solutions that benefit local communities;create Hundreds of thousands of new jobsEvery year.
heAppointed over 200 federal judgeswhoHistorically diverseHe was deeply involved in the civil rights movement and could elect more members during the remainder of his term.
He has been an advocate of equal opportunity and civil rights in the country.Democracy Abroad.
He served an extraordinary presidency.Senatorial careerandVice PresidentHis record, at every step of the way, testifies to his underlying belief in the power of government to improve and transform people’s lives.
And now he’s doing perhaps the most patriotic thing he’s ever done, which was undoubtedly a difficult thing for such a proud and accomplished man.
He is passing the baton at a time when the threat of a MAGA takeover of our government is too great to take any risks, and we are deeply grateful for that.
It is difficult to overstate the significance of this historic moment, or its profound contrast with the coronation of Donald Trump that took place just a few days earlier at the Republican National Convention, a surreal celebration of the Trump cult of personality that is today’s Republican Party.
Trump’s grandiose speech on the final night lasted more than 92 minutes and was repetitive, incoherent and mean-spirited.
He saidliemany of them.
He spoke of the shooting that injured his ear (“The ears are the area that receives the most blood.” he continued at length, before mentioning Corey Comperatore, who lost his life that day.
hePraisedViktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, is fearsome in his authoritarian rule.
and,Déjà vuAs the Trump familyOn the final night, a slightly older, slightly older group of members gathered onstage, clearly eager for a much-anticipated comeback.
It was impossible to miss: The Republican MAGA crowd is relentlessly pushing us backwards.
So it is a deeply refreshing feeling to realize that President Biden’s announcement paves the way for a new generation of leadership.
The Democratic Party is fortunate to have talented members. And their ideas areFuture Outlook:We will ensure bodily autonomy, create access to health care, lower the price of medicines and housing, protect the climate, protect voting rights, and fix our desperately needed immigration system.
We have confidence that we can get these things done. President Biden’s courage in leaving office gives us the courage to dream big. It underscores a fundamental truth: this election is a contest between the past and the future, between the past and the future.
And it’s not over yet.
In the coming weeks and months, we will have the exhilarating experience of watching the Democratic Party blossom under new leadership. Biden has given us this gift: a chance to save our democracy from the increasingly authoritarian MAGA movement.
As he said letter “There is nothing America can’t do if we work together. We must never forget that we are the United States of America,” he said as he announced his withdrawal from the election campaign.
This is your chance. Let’s get to work.
Svante Myrick isAmerican Way People.
