Joe Biden’s Legacy Now Depends on Kamala Harris

In what resembled a farewell speech, Joe Biden explained for the first time why he would not be running for a second term. How history remembers him is out of his hands.

It sounded like an attempt to secure a place in the history books as a selfless servant of the nation: “I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” President Joe Biden, 81, said, evoking the famous words of John F. Kennedy’s during a prime-time television broadcast: “It’s the best way to unite our nation.” As we know, Biden found the decision not to seek reelection difficult. But he made it in the end.

This historic step ultimately highlights a significant difference between him and his Republican rival, Donald Trump. Biden voluntarily gave up his claim to one of the most powerful jobs in the world, which he always viewed as a temporary role. His predecessor, a narcissistic dealmaker, did not do this even after he lost the election and was convicted of crime.

Biden’s Late Sacrifice

Biden now has the opportunity to further shape his historical legacy up until he transfers power next January. Whether he ultimately succeeds will depend in part whether he can finish ongoing projects as a lame duck in the middle of an election campaign. But above all, it depends on his party and Kamala Harris. If Harris and her team win the election in a campaign without blunders or nasty October surprises Biden’s sacrifice will have paid off.

If, on the other hand, Trump secures a second term as U.S. president, Biden’s place in history will look different. Then the man who entered politics as one of the youngest senators in U.S. history will go down in history as the president who passed the “torch to a new generation” far too late and when he was far too old.