The case for Joe Biden and why he must win - Henry McLeish

Next week Joe Biden is likely to become the 46th President of the United States, at the end of a bitter, ugly, divisive, and frighteningly embarrassing election.

If Joe Biden becomes president, he will inherit a weaker country at home and abroad, says Henry McLeish

The day after the polls close, and if Biden wins, not-withstanding the possibility of some Trump inspired chaos, he will have a unique opportunity to confirm to the world that America is under new management and that there is a new message. America wants to be part of the international order.

Trump had notified the UN that the US would withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Accord on November 4th, 2020. By announcing his intention to reverse this decision, Biden can reassure a fragile planet that America, the world’s second largest polluter, is to, remain a signatory to the Paris Agreement, work to reduce carbon emissions and to reinforce the message that the planet is in peril from global warming.

Voting for anyone, but Trump, to remove the worst president of modern times has become the battle cry of an exhausted America. The decision by the Republican Party, to fight this election with no policy platform was remarkable. A narrowly focussed policy free campaign has guaranteed an election dominated by personal and poisonous exchanges, largely fuelled by the President.

But there is more to Biden’s candidacy. Joe Biden is exceptionally well- qualified by character, experience, temperament, and background to be President.

Unlike Trump, whose life has been defined by privilege, Joe Biden’s life has been different. Born in the blue- collar city of Scranton Pennsylvania in 1942 he was the oldest of four children. His childhood was influenced by a stutter, which he worked hard to overcome, and his ambition to become a politician was realised when he became the fifth youngest US Senator in 1972. A few weeks later his wife and one -year old daughter were killed in a car crash and his sons, Beau and Hunter were seriously injured, but survived. Tragedy would strike again, when Beau Biden was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 and died in 2015.

Deeply religious, his catholic faith has eased him through shattering family tragedies, but also brought him into conflict with his party over abortion.

Biden the person, has all the qualities Trump lacks, especially empathy, a broader humanity, and his ability, over 36 years as the Senator from Delaware, to reach over the aisle and build consensus and respect. His friendship with the late Senator John McCain was a tribute and powerful reminder of what decency looks like, in contrast to the partisan hatred that characterises US politics today.

Receiving the “Liberty Medal” from Joe Biden in the National Constitution Centre, Philadelphia in 2017, John McCain, said of Biden,

“We didn’t always agree on the issues. But we believed in each other’s patriotism and the sincerity of each other’s convictions. We believed in the institutions we were privileged to serve. We believed in our mutual responsibility to help make the place work and to cooperate in finding solutions to our country’s problems. We believed in our country and our country’s indispensability to international peace and stability, and to the progress of humanity”.

These inspiring words are a reminder of what politics could be.

There has been a tendency to overlook the extensive experience Biden gained in his eight years in the White House, as Vice-President in the Obama years and as an “insider” in the Washington political morass. Always in the shadow of the President, and carrying out characteristically low- level duties, there has never been any doubt about Biden’s loyalty, work ethic, commitment to democratic progressive ideals and humanitarian beliefs. Biden believes politics should be about, “old fashioned public service”, an ideal of another world, but more relevant today than it has ever been!

The “Washington Post” Board endorsing Joe Biden’s bid for the Presidency said, in terms of “decency, empathy and respect for human beings, Biden brings deep reservoirs of each”.

Americans hope that Joe Biden will bring leadership to the coronavirus pandemic, which is scarring America and has claimed more lives than anywhere else in the world.

Other priorities will be rising inequality and racial disparities. The new President will have to deal with a “democracy in retreat” at home and abroad a planet in peril, literally burning up.

The Affordable Care Act-Obama Care- is under threat, relationships with China are in turmoil, rolling back much of Trump’s tax cuts for the rich, building multi culturalism and addressing the immigration crisis are burning issues. But it is dealing with the, intolerant, racial and divisive mood of America that will be the real challenge. Healing is hard, and there will be few easy hits for Biden in what is likely to be a long way back to a sense of national sanity and stability, if that is even possible.

Foreign policy will be no less problematic, after four failed years of Trump. A combination of nationalism, authoritarianism, populism and racism, with a good measure of stupidity left, a United Nations Assembly in New York laughing at the President of the United States, the reputation and global leadership of the US in tatters and a great deal of disruption to multilateralism and its institutions

Joe Biden will have to fight economic nationalism and authoritarianism, be an advocate for human rights, distancing America from the abuses and excesses of countries like North Korea and Saudi Arabia. Less ambivalence towards President Vladimir Putin and other autocratic leaders, will make a difference.

Rebuilding trust with NATO, the UN, the EU, the World Trade Organisation, the World Health Organisation, and countries like Germany will be vital.

There is no easy way forward for America. Biden will inherit a weaker country at home and abroad. An immediate declaration of America’s desire to remain in the Paris Accord, will however be a hugely symbolic declaration of a different America.