There is something of the Thunderdome about this year’s impending presidential contest. Absent a shocking “actuarial event,” two men will enter Election Day, but just one of them will leave with his historical reputation intact. This time around, the loser will be just that — now, and forevermore.
Our current political era is marked out by an almost monarchical focus on political personalities, and yet I have seen few observers note that, by running once again for office, both Joe Biden and Donald Trump are taking a profound personal risk that could have been avoided by well-timed retirement. Had Biden decided to step aside this year, he would have gone down in the eyes of his allies as the man who stepped out of the shadows to deny Donald Trump a second term, and then spent a whole bunch of money on progressive priorities. Had Donald Trump resolved to play kingmaker after his loss in 2020, he would have been able to declare that he’d done what he had come to do: Beat Hillary Clinton, secure the border, save the Supreme Court, and cut taxes. For at least one man, November’s verdict will permanently foreclose such a legacy.
Comments