Voices: If Biden had dropped out sooner, it could have all worked out — for him and for us

It could’ve all been so different.

Joe Biden has announced that he is dropping out of the race , limping to the finish line after weeks of speculation. Everyone saw the concerning debate performance. They saw the interviews that were supposed to reassure us all , and were not reassured.

Democrats who’d worked with the president for decades began making noises about the need for him to stand aside. Nancy Pelosi is said to have privately told Biden there was no way he could win, after publicly equivocating about whether he should stay. Even Obama was reported to have been working behind the scenes to convince his old friend Joe to leave 2024 to someone else.

It’s a sad end to a long career of public service. Many will have seen the famous photograph of Biden first being sworn into the Senate in 1972, taking the oath by the hospital bedside of his young sons. Days earlier, Hunter and Beau had been seriously injured in a devastating car crash that took the lives of their infant sister, Naomi, and their mother, Neilia, while they were on their way to pick up a Christmas tree. The story couldn’t have been more tragic.

As a single father, Biden commuted to Washington DC from his home in Delaware on the train, earning himself the nickname “Amtrak Joe”. Years later, as Obama’s running mate and vice president, the two were the subjects of multiple “BROTUS” memes. Even when the right started calling him Brandon (of “ Let’s go, Brandon ,” an infamous mishearing of the phrase “F*** Joe Biden”) during his presidency, the left managed to seize the narrative with another new nickname: Dark Brandon , Biden’s supposed hard-ass alter ego.

Dark Brandon’s next incarnation could have been American Hero Joe. Back in 2019, the 77-year-old Biden was repeatedly asked whether he would commit to serving only one term. Some sources said he was considering it – but then the right seized on the opportunity, claiming that Biden was only running in order to usher in the supposedly socialist dictatorship of Kamala Harris (Harris’s credentials as a socialist are sorely lacking, as anyone with a passing knowledge of her career knows, but that’s by the by).

To bypass those criticisms, it seemed, the president refused to rule out another term. It was a big, fat kick of the can down the road: Democrats knew an 81-year-old probably wouldn’t be a great look in 2024, but they knuckled down and focused on beating Trump. Next time, they reasoned, the strategy will change, and the Democratic field will have narrowed to another clear choice for nominee.

Of course, none of that happened. Trump decided he hadn’t tired of Washington. Harris failed to win over the American people. No other Democratic superstars captured the hearts and minds of the nation. And it’s pretty evident that Biden wasn’t working in the background to make that happen, either.

Four years ago, the public service-minded Biden should have had a shortlist in mind. Had he worked to mentor a number of up-and-coming Democrats, then perhaps we wouldn’t be in the position we are today. Trump just picked a millennial mini-me in JD Vance — where’s the Biden 2.0?

Wes Moore, Gavin Newsom or Pete Buttigieg could’ve been groomed for the job. Gretchen Whitmer and Amy Klobuchar had already proven themselves pretty popular with even centrist members of the public. And above all, Kamala Harris could’ve been given more opportunities to connect with people. Heck, they could’ve got a PR team going on creating some nice Kamala memes (beyond the coconut tree .) No doubt they will know that Biden has officially endorsed Harris, but the fact that she was left out of the picture so often over the past few years is going to make Democrats’ lives so much harder now as they coalesce around her.

The past six months could’ve looked very different. Rather than yelling at House Democrats in leaked phone calls and stumbling over his words in public, Biden could’ve worked on a strategy for passing the torch. He could’ve made a couple of grand speeches during early rallies that solidified his legacy, then talked about the need to move on.

In an election where young voter turnout is crucial — especially considering recent polls show his support plummeting among the younger contingent — he could’ve specifically talked about being the party of generational opportunities. As an old white man who made conscious inroads with women and voters of color, he could have said that the next president should look more like America.

Press releases could’ve been written. Headlines could’ve run about the magnanimous Joe Biden, a leader to the end. Some would’ve lamented him dropping out; many would’ve expressed how energetic he seemed for a man of 81. A heartfelt keynote address would be made at the Democratic National Convention in August during which he reminded viewers of his many policy achievements. He would not have been left to insist upon them during awkward TV interviews with skeptical anchors. Instead, Obama would introduce him onto the stage; his parting words in Chicago would trigger a standing ovation from everyone from Joe Manchin to AOC, as a final sign of how he had so successfully unified a rankled party. That one will probably still happen, at least in some form — but it’ll have an undeniable undertone of bad feeling, considering everything that came before it.

There’s so much more that could’ve happened if the president hadn’t spent these weeks allowing that bad feeling to build. Imagining the happier timeline is easy: the University of Delaware, Biden’s alma mater, would announce the establishment of the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Library. The state-of-the-art facility would house the president’s papers and memorabilia, and feature interactive exhibits highlighting his career and impact on American politics. It would also serve as a center for research and civic engagement, inspiring future generations of leaders. Outside, a statue of Joe in his signature aviators, one hand on the shoulder of his late son, Beau, would glimmer in the sunlight.

To honor Biden’s commitment to global diplomacy and domestic unity, the Biden Peace and Unity Awards could’ve been created, recognizing individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to fostering peace and unity through selfless actions, both in the United States and around the world.

Elsewhere, the Biden Lecture Series, partnering with major universities, would feature prominent scholars, activists, and public figures discussing topics that were central to Biden’s presidency, such as healthcare, climate change, and social justice. These lectures, open to the public and streamed online, would aim to continue the dialogue even if the election didn’t go Democrats’ way. They’d provide a nice little platform for the inevitable next memoir, too. Instead of calling for him to step aside, George Clooney might play him (okay, with some assistance from the hair and make-up department) in the movie.

Hell, Delaware might even name a Biden Day of Service, during which the community came together to provide acts of empathy and selflessness. And you know at least one Amtrak train would start doing the Delaware-DC route with Biden’s name on its side.

All the while, Biden himself could’ve kept insisting that the focus should be on the new candidate. Again, he’ll do that now. But it’s going to feel like too little, too late — especially with the Republican reaction being as scorching as it is. (”Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve - And never was!” was Trump’s immediate reaction on Truth Social, as one example.)

During all of this alternative history, the message the party united behind would’ve been the same: We just have to do this in order to beat Donald Trump. Let’s put the country first.

But this time around, they would’ve looked like they actually meant it.