Biden Out

Joe Biden has dropped out–apparently. As of this writing he hasn’t addressed the nation and no official pronouncement has confirmed the tweet (a photo of a letter) that remains the sole indication of this historic event. Already theories suggest a “turned” staffer with access to the account posted the tweet as a fait accompli the betrayed president could not or would not undo.

At the very least it appears Biden remains defiant after his hand was forced, only later, in a separate tweet, posting his endorsement of Kamala Harris for president. One can sense the sulking in the silence now.

The statement declares Biden’s intention to remain in office for the remainder of his term, so as to “focus” his diminishing “energies” on running the country, confirming the charge hanging over those erstwhile supporters who’ve been pushing him out since the debate debacle: if he’s unfit for the campaign, how is he fit for the presidency? Biden’s capitulation makes undeniable what was already clear: for the powerful his fitness for office was not a concern, but his viability as a candidate was. There is no pretense of objectivity in the media, so the feigned surprise of Team Intervention is taken at face value outside of Fox News and social media, but the implication is clear: to those funding and running the Democratic Party Biden’s—or anyone’s—fitness for office is either immaterial or, more likely, a bug, not a feature.

In the eyes of the powerful now the less fit for service a president is the more appealing he is; independence is the worst of character flaws. Joe Biden’s decrepitude was only a problem in that it couldn’t be hidden—beyond that it was most welcome. Joe Biden, company man for whatever political convention ruled the day, never seemed to have an original thought cross his mind long before he lost the ability to have a coherent thought. That’s why he was chosen.

And since he and his party concede he’s not up to campaigning—not even, apparently, repeating the “basement” strategy of the last election—how do they justify his remaining to serve out his term? If he’s not up to campaigning because of what was revealed by the debate, a severely diminished mental capacity, isn’t the only ethical and constitutional action for him to step down now? Not only has his presidency been revealed as a hoax, those who’ve perpetuated it are declaring it shall continue.

What possible effectiveness can this man have in office now, humiliated and revealed? He retains the power, with none of the legitimacy. What will this look like?

For four years of Trump we had a Deep State, media and corporate class all conspiring in opposition to a duly elected president. They did this because he had the audacity to be—somewhat—independent. That opposition culminated in the suspect election of Biden, who was picked precisely for his lack of any independence.

If the powerful get their way, Biden will only be the first president obviously incapable of thinking for himself, and Donald Trump, such as he is, will be the last one who isn’t.