Heath HaussamenThis column also appeared in The Santa Fe New Mexican.
COMMENTARY • Donald Trump is far worse than unfit to be president: A second Trump term represents the greatest internal threat to our democracy since the Civil War.
That’s why it’s so important that the Democratic Party brings its best to this year’s presidential race. This isn’t a normal contest between two qualified candidates who believe deeply in democracy. A Trump victory will likely end our nation as we know it.
President Joe Biden is not up for this task. I write this with sadness, but also resolve. In spite of reported efforts by staffers to hide his decline, it’s now clear to the entire world.
Why is Biden pushing ahead? He said during last week’s news conference that he changed his mind about handing the party off to a younger generation this year because “we have never been here before.”
“I have to finish this job because there’s so much at stake,” Biden said.
His hubris is dangerous. There are a number of Democrats who could replace him on the ballot and do the job well.
Without hesitation, I’ll vote for Biden if he’s the nominee. Supporting the Democrat who appears on the ballot is the only choice to defend democracy.
I don’t care about Biden’s age. Trump is almost as old as Biden, often rambles, and is usually lying. For me, it’s about Biden’s demonstrated mental and physical decline. I don’t know if that’s caused by age or some undiagnosed or undisclosed health condition.
Regardless, I can relate to Biden’s need for naps and an early bedtime because I am suffering from long covid. I lose my thoughts mid-sentence and trail off at times. I sometimes can’t find the word I’m looking for. I often have a scratchy, hoarse throat.
But I’m not asking to lead the most powerful nation on the planet. U.S. presidents have to work long hours. They have to wake in the middle of the night and be sharp in a crisis.
Trump made the stakes even higher this weekend when he displayed the composure, seconds after being shot in the ear, to shake off the secret service agents trying to rush him off stage, raise his fist, and mouth “fight, fight fight!”
That image is already appearing on t-shirts and will be in our history books. On the point of acuity, the contrast between the two candidates shifted more favorably in the direction of Trump.
Biden, meanwhile, tested positive for covid on Wednesday and is symptomatic, raising further questions about whether his health will bounce back or decline in the coming weeks.
Voters are concerned about Biden’s ability to do the job. His insistence on staying in the race threatens to hand the country to fascists.
I suspect Biden’s decline has impacted policy as well. I’ve been baffled by his steadfast support for Israel through its intentional slaughter of Palestinian civilians.
It would take a really sharp-minded president with the capacity to think deeply, quickly and creatively to break ranks with one of the United States’ closest allies and oppose genocide. I simply don’t think Biden has been up to that task — or will be in the future.
Biden declared in an interview released Monday, while once again proclaiming himself a zionist, that he has done “more for the Palestinian community than anybody.” That’s outrageous and nonsensical. What he has done is supply the weapons used to erase multiple generations of families and clear land for Israelis to settle. Israel has lost the support of many of its allies because of this slaughter — but not Biden.
Many of us grew up learning about the Holocaust and being taught to always oppose genocide. That we’re now expected to vote for a candidate who has enabled genocide because his opponent is worse is, frankly, an intolerable position. It lost Biden support in the primary and will in the general election as well.
There are many Democrats qualified for the job who could replace Biden on the ticket. There are younger people ready to lead in this critical moment. Biden’s ego appears to be the only reason one of them isn’t the presumptive nominee.
Every day Biden stays in the race increases the likelihood that American democracy will fall. It’s time that he hands the nomination to someone else.
Photo cutline: President Joe Biden addresses the nation after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Sunday. (Adam Schultz/The White House)