It had the feeling of a fond farewell. There wasn’t a heavy dose of bitterness, and there was more than a hint of pride.
But the man who has probably given more eulogies than any other U.S. politician had a significant amount of wistfulness tucked inside his Oval Office address. A bit like he is starting to reconcile with the idea that he is soon exiting political life, something that has guided him for more than five decades. The man who entered political life as one of the youngest U.S. senators in history is coming to terms with leaving as the nation’s oldest president in history.
“Nowhere else on earth could a kid with a stutter, from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States,” Biden said. “But here I am.”
But he’s here for only a little bit longer.
The whole point of the address was to explain to the nation his decision Sunday to abandon his run for reelection and endorse Vice President Harris as his successor. In a way, he didn’t really accomplish that. There wasn’t a heavy dose of introspection in the speech, with emotions no doubt still raw over leaving a race that in his core he still felt he may have been able to win. He didn’t acknowledge the bitterness felt over those he considered friends stating publicly that it was time for him to go.
Instead it was the first of what will be many farewells — and also the first attempt to claim credit for what he hopes will cement his legacy. He has long been frustrated by what he sees as the lack of credit he has received for his accomplishments, feeling that voters should have given him higher marks for steering the country through the pandemic, an economic fallout and entrenched political divisions.
“I’ve come so far since my inauguration,” he said.
During his remarks, he listed his accomplishments and laid out some of his priorities for the final months he has left. He pointed mostly to foreign-policy efforts, including strengthening NATO to fight Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, trying to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages and bringing home Americans who have been detained abroad.
He mentioned a series of domestic accomplishments, including a stronger economy, broader manufacturing base and a burst of computer chips manufacturing and science innovation.
“We finally beat Big Pharma,” Biden said at one point. That was the bungled line he had during a June 27 debate with former president Donald Trump, when he instead confusingly said, “We finally beat Medicare!”
It wasn’t the only problem in his confused, rambling performance during the debate, but it was that line more than any other that led party leaders to raise significant questions about the 81-year-old president, call on him to drop out and cause him to give the Wednesday night address. One reason that the decision was so hard for Biden was that he has genuinely felt that he has had a historically successful presidency, and he didn’t feel like he had completed the tasks he set out to do.
He also hinted in the remarks that he himself felt he deserved a second term but acknowledged that the doubt about him within his party was growing too all-consuming for him to overcome.
“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future — all merited a second term,” he said. “But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”
“So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” he added.
He spoke from the Oval Office, a place that he called a “sacred space.” He referred to the portraits around him, of Thomas Jefferson (“wrote the immortal words that guide this nation”) of George Washington (“showed us presidents are not kings”) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (“inspired us to reject fear.”)
“I revere this office,” he said. “I love my country more. It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president.”
There was no hint of second-guessing the decision he announced just three days earlier, and he has fully backed Harris.
“I’d like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris,” Biden said. “She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. And now the choice is up to you, the American people.”
First lady Jill Biden sent out a handwritten note just after the remarks. She made clear that she was also backing Harris. But as a fierce defender of her husband, she also made clear that she was most appreciative of those who had avoided second-guessing a loyal party stalwart who thought he could still run.
“To those who never wavered, to those who refused to doubt, to those who always believed, my heart is full of gratitude,” she wrote. “Thank you for the trust you put in Joe — now it’s time to put that trust in Kamala. Love, Jill.”
Four years ago, Biden had said that he viewed himself “as a bridge, not as anything else.” He pointed to a new generation of leaders that were the future of the country. For most of his time in office, though, he viewed that bridge as an eight-year one. He saw no need to step aside.
His remarks on Wednesday night illustrated in the starkest of ways that the end of his bridge is in sight, and a new era has arrived.
“There is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life,” Biden said. “There’s also a time and a place for new voices. Fresh voices. Yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now.”
He tapped on the Resolute Desk for emphasis.
Toward the end of his remarks, he seemed to take the tone of a man who had finished a race, of a college graduate reviewing an academic career, or of a worker getting ready to leave their station for the final time before retirement.
“I gave my heart and my soul to our nation, like so many others,” he said. “I’ve been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people. I hope you have some idea how grateful I am to all of you.”
It’s still not goodbye exactly. He vowed to stay active for another six months, in what will be one of the longest lame-duck periods in recent memory.
As he spoke, in a portrait just behind him, was a photo of his late son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015. It was Beau who urged his father to stay active in public life. It was Beau who was very much the inspiration to run for office. And it was Beau who still brings a tear to his eyes when he speaks about him. Biden never mentioned him, but his presence was clearly felt as he seemed to feel like he made good on the pledge to his son to remain active.
He was, as he always has been, surrounded by family.
Sitting nearby was his wife and some of his grandchildren. His son Hunter was along the curved oval wall, along with his daughter Ashley and granddaughter Finnegan.
Toward the end of the remarks, Ashley reached for the hand of her mother, Jill Biden.
When his remarks concluded, the family and staff in the room burst into applause.
“This has been the honor of a lifetime,” Biden told the room.
Yasmeen Abutaleb contributed to this report.