Traditionally, America enjoys former presidents who, defying F. Scott Fitzgerald’s axiom that “there are no second acts in American lives,” have second acts. Sure, depending on party affiliation, we mock them when they’re in office, fight with their supporters, and theatrically declare them to be the worst president ever, but political etiquette has dictated that ex-presidents are afforded a begrudging respect once they leave office. (See: Saturday Night Live’s “X-Presidents” series of cartoons, which cheekily portray our former executives as literal superheroes.)
Joe Biden’s life looks to have played out as one long, slow, single act — an arc that led him to the presidency in his late 70s. But he may have lost out on the second act of a post-presidency.
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