President Joe Biden will end his long career in politics with one final speech in the Oval Office on Wednesday. He hopes to leave behind a legacy, though some believe his time in office has been overshadowed by his inability to stop Donald Trump from coming back into power.
Biden ran for president in 2020 because he wanted to be the person who could defeat Trump. At 80, he chose to run for re-election, feeling that no other Democrat could do it. But after a tough debate with Trump, Biden had to end his campaign. Some Democrats even blamed him for the party’s loss in November.
During his time in office, Biden and his team helped America recover from COVID-19, fixed parts of the country’s infrastructure, created new jobs in technology, and worked on tackling climate change. Under his leadership, the economy did well and businesses were hopeful for the future.
However, Biden could not unite the country as he had hoped, and his biggest success—defeating Trump in 2020—seemed temporary. Now, Trump is back, and has promised to undo much of what Biden’s administration accomplished.
In a letter released on Wednesday, Biden reflected on why he ran for president. He said he believed that America’s values, such as equality and freedom, were at risk, and that’s still true. He urged everyone to keep working towards a better future.
David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, said Biden’s legacy would be remembered for his big accomplishments, but some think Biden made a mistake running for re-election, which may have affected his standing in history.
A White House official defended Biden, saying his work had lasting effects that would be seen in the years to come. Despite challenges, Biden helped the country recover from a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and even a political crisis after the January 6 Capitol attack.
Biden was credited with helping the economy recover, despite inflation and high prices. But Republicans took advantage of public frustration with the rising cost of living.
Biden’s foreign policies also left an impact. He led a strong response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, built stronger international alliances, and managed the difficult U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which became controversial.
Some people remember Biden as a president who helped rebuild trust after Trump’s first term. However, others, like Vincent Rigby, think Biden will be seen as the president in between two terms of Trump.
Only time will tell how history will judge Biden’s presidency.
