It’s Time for Biden to Step Aside and Give Democrats Their Independence This July 4

Do the historic thing, President Joe Biden. Give the Democratic Party our independence. 

It would be the most executive order the world has ever seen. It is utterly within your power to give America its first woman President. Grant history that gift. Grant your legacy that gift. It would complete a career defining, democracy celebrating suite of sound service.   

You were the first man to follow a Black man into the Oval Office, the first Vice President to serve under a President of color. You were the first President to serve with a Black Vice President, and the first President to serve with a female Vice President. What better way to complete this progressive apotheosis than to hand the reins over to that same, wildly capable, utterly prepared professional partner of yours? Let Kamala Harris become the first female President of the United States. Let it be on your terms, with your blessing. Don’t let this devolve. Seize the magnitude and the potential of this moment. It would be the most noble, transformative gesture many of us could imagine. Open the field back up, like you seemed to indicate you would when you first ran. Let Vice President Harris see us to the convention in August, and then let the delegates look with fresh eyes at the pool, and decide who will see us through to November.  

If you drag us through the next five months, most of us will hang in with you, but we will be weary, disappointed, and chagrined by what can only start to feel like a certain degree of hubris on the part of your campaign. And if the outcome is not what we hope, the good-hearted, value-driven bipartisan spirit of your last 40 years will be reduced to the single truth that you lead us into an uncharted abyss of four more years with a man who is, by all scrupulous accounts, an enemy to the constitution and to democracy itself. 

We trusted you. We are putting our hope in your hands once more. You are already a history maker and a man of loyalty, competence, and fortitude. Surprise us all with one last act of profound service, optimism, and imagination. Do the thing the other side is counting on you not to. See past ego into the world of elemental legacy. What I’m calling for now is a historic act of humility, self-sacrifice, and good faith. Don’t risk going down fighting when there are ready and able standard bearers who are still fresh for the race, and could lead the side to a more decisive victory. At least then, no matter the outcome, we will know you did everything you could, and more importantly, we will know you are still a man able to be moved by the will of your people, and a man good to his first word.