Biden’s farewell speech was all about America choosing between democracy – and a dictator

For all its historical significance, President Joe Biden’s address to the nation last night regarding his decision not to stand in this year’s presidential election held no real surprises – but that’s no bad thing. His official “farewell” has been a long time coming and was much needed – for Biden himself, as well as the US.

Sitting behind the desk of the Oval Office, the president placed himself squarely in that historical context by quoting other great Americans. He reminded us that “George Washington showed us that presidents are not kings” – a none-too-subtle jab at Trump, who has previously said that he plans to be a dictator on “day one” of his next term in office.

In fact, the entire address was one long, fairly obvious jab at Biden’s boisterous, tangerine forebear/potential successor: “America is at an inflection point”, he said, and must choose whether it is to “move forwards or backwards”.

The whole speech was really about the impossibility of moving forwards with somebody so backwards in charge – not just a reference to the 78-year-old Trump, for whom “backwards” is one of the milder descriptors that could be used to describe his politics, but for the 81-year-old Biden too, who after weeks of speculation about hit fitness for office is finally ready to admit the need for “new voices, fresh voices – yes, younger voices”, and to “pass the torch to a new generation”.

It can’t come soon enough. Up until recently it seemed that American politics was in serious danger of becoming a real gerontocracy – some would argue that it may have reached that point already. But the appointment of Kamala Harris to Democratic candidate at least presents the chance that the next administration will be headed by somebody who doesn’t still refer to films as “talkies”.

Biden stumbled quite a few times during his speech, but unlike previous gaffes these ones didn’t inspire quite the level of hand-on-the-mouth dread they once did. It’s a lot easier to put up with a few glaring mistakes when you know the guy’s on his way out, rather than when he’s asking you for a job.

He also rallied at certain points, giving a glimpse of the fire that made him such an effective vice-president and presidential candidate the first time around. It was in those moments that the tragedy of the whole affair became apparent – in a perfect world, age wouldn’t be an issue, and Biden vs Trump would be a no-brainer just like it was in 2020.

But we don’t live in a perfect world, and it’s only right that the president lives out the rest of his days like any other retired statesman who’s put a shift in: by occasionally popping up in the news to tell us how he’d do things better than the new guy. Maybe him and Tony Blair can start a club.

Biden called Kamala Harris “experienced, tough, capable” and “an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country”. Time will tell if that’s really the case, though Harris is off to a great start already.

The kids seem to love her – making TikTok tributes to her set to Charlie XCX songs, for reasons that even I’m too old to understand – and more importantly, Republicans seem to be struggling to find ways to come after her. Most attack lines so far have either been explicitly racist, explicitly sexist, or some cringeworthy combination of the two – unlike Hillary Clinton, there’s no “but her emails” for her detractors to latch on to yet.

Even Trump, normally the master of the catty nickname, seems to be struggling. At a recent rally, he called her “Laughing Kamala”. Really, Donald? That’ll never catch on. Remember “Crooked Hillary” and “Sleepy Joe”? Those were nicknames you could really hang your hat on.

Biden’s two great acts of service to the US during the course of his presidency came at its very beginning, and last night, towards its end. Both involved beating Donald Trump – by defeating him at the ballot box in the 2020 election, and by stepping aside so that he might be beaten again in November. Both took a degree of patriotism and bravery that few possess, and for all his flaws Biden took last night to remind us that he is one of those few.

It’s a tall order for Kamala Harris to live up to. Let’s hope she does – America needs her to.