President Joe Biden
Joe Biden's lone goal heading into Thursday's debate was to start solving a problem. Instead, he made it much worse—and created a brand new one.
Trailing in many polls, Biden's task was to reach out to and win over Americans who currently say they don't support him but might, whether that's undecided voters, independents, and "double haters," or folks who voted for him four years ago but are now wavering.
Biden's dismaying performance did not bring those voters any closer but instead pushed them further away. And that's not all it did. Biden also shook the faith of his most committed loyalists, the people who form his vanguard and are critical to any hope Democrats have of retaining the White House.
It's not enough to say that the Democratic faithful will still vote for Biden. That alone cannot win a national election. Every winning presidential candidate must have enthusiastic supporters who will donate to them, volunteer for them, convince their friends to vote for them, patiently explain to their family members why that latest Facebook meme is actually nonsense.
In short, you need an army. And right now, Biden's army is dejected, deeply dejected. Some are ready to desert camp, or are at least thinking about it. The rest are listless, and many are filled with dread.
At moments like these, a leader must step up, accept responsibility, and figure out a way to rally their troops. And it's not on the rank-and-file to explain to Biden and his aides how to fix this awful mess. That's Biden's duty.
We can, however, say what Biden absolutely must not do. He cannot ignore this problem. He cannot pretend that it does not exist. He cannot wish it away, or hope that it will resolve itself on its own. It will not.
It may be that drastic measures are necessary—measures that Biden would rather not contemplate. But a true leader does not shy away from the hardest of tasks.
Reinvigorating his battalions is not enough. Even if he can somehow do so, Biden must then still persuade hesitant voters to cast their ballots for him. But he cannot succeed in that if he cannot first win back the hearts of his troops.
In so many respects, Joe Biden has been an excellent president. But time is short. Biden has been tested politically throughout his life. This may be—likely is—his greatest test. He must now rise to the occasion. His army is waiting.
Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.
