Even a double layer of spray-on tan couldn’t hide Joe Biden’s deterioration. His skin is stretched as far as plastic surgery can manage. His voice was gravely, rough, hushed, exhausted, without his usual angry shouts or bizarre whispers. It was constantly slurred, enunciating consonants now largely beyond his ability. A teleprompter is no longer helpful.

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President Joe Biden’s “why I did it” speech, which took only about 10 minutes, didn’t explain why he did it. Rather than explaining why he withdrew from the presidential race, it was a campaign/state of the union speech with a weak endorsement of Kamala Harris.

I’ll provide some of his comments—a transcript is here—with analysis. 

It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president. But in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title.

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He means “our democracy,” a one-party rule tyranny of the majority. Founders like James Madison warned us about it in The Federalist 51.

I draw strength and I find joy in working for the American people, but this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you, your families, your futures. It’s about we the people, and we can never forget that. And I never have.

Was raking in untold millions from hostile foreign governments all about the American people too Joe? I’m not “the big guy,” but where’s my 10%?

America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division. We have to decide, do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy? In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans. Can we do that? Does character in public life still matter?

Yes it does, which is why, after you unintentionally revealed your dementia during the debate, and Donald Trump soundly trounced you, you’re backing out. We do believe in honest, decency, respect, freedom, justice and our constitutional, representative republic, which is why we need to get rid of you and the rest of the Democrats/socialists/communists of your party. As to moving “forward or backward,” Joe presents Communist progressivism as moving forward, because who can be against “progress?” But that “progress” is really regressing, and abandoning liberty. On the 150^thanniversary of the Declaration of Independence, President Calvin Coolidge, who also sat behind the Resolute Desk, explained:

About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.

Wisdom for the ages.

So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That’s the best way to unite our nation. I know there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life, but there’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices, and that time and place is now.

He'll unite the nation by passing the torch to Kamala Harris, who was rated the most leftist senator, to the left of Bernie Sanders(!), which places her solidly in communist territory?  Coincidentally, the article awarding her that coveted leftist distinction has just been disappeared.  

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Take the link to the transcript to discover that Biden is securing the border, has made the world’s strongest economy, is beating inflation, is rebuilding America and is restoring American manufacturing. That must be why, when I bought a Ford Maverick a few months back, it was made in Mexico.

Biden left us with this: he withdrew to preserve "our democracy," not our constitutional, representative republic. In this, at least, he was finally honest.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.