President Biden plans to deliver his first farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, marking a milestone in his fifteen-year political career before he leaves the office he has long held in high esteem and is reluctantly leaving.
The White House did not reveal what Mr. Biden plans to say in his speech, scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern. But in his final months he sought to establish a legacy as a transformative president who stabilized domestic politics while strengthening American leadership abroad, led the nation out of the pandemic, made historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy, and worked to strengthen. democratic institutions in the country and around the world.
In a letter published early Wednesday before his speech, Mr. Biden said the country is “stronger, more prosperous and more secure” than it was four years ago.
“It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for more than 50 years,” wrote Mr. “There is no other place on Earth where a child who stutters from scratch in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, can one day sit behind a Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States. I gave my heart and soul to my nation. And I have been blessed a million times over by the love and support of the American people.”
“History is in your hands,” he added.
Whatever image the president wants to portray on Wednesday evening, we are facing a backdrop where he is leaving a deeply unpopular position and handing the reins to his successor, Donald J. Trump, whom he despises and has repeatedly said is unfit to govern. .
Even the speech space, behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, is a reminder that Mr. Biden is not leaving the way he wanted. His last speech was the 11 minutes he spent in July explaining why he dropped out of the presidential race under pressure from his party as questions arose about his age and whether he was ready to run for another term.
Since Mr. Biden left the race and especially since Mr. Trump won the election in November, the president has struggled to maintain the spotlight.
“Farewell speeches are challenging because they aim to set the stage for a time when most of the country has moved on to the next,” said Robert Schlesinger, author of the book “White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters.”
The farewell address, a tradition that dates back to George Washington, is one of a series of speeches Mr. Biden has given in his final days in office. In turn, he has highlighted his accomplishments at home, such as his “history” of conservation. In his speech that focused on foreign policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, Mr. Biden said he has strengthened America’s place as a world leader and left it in a stronger position with allies and enemies than it was four years ago. He will deliver at least two speeches this week in which he is expected to continue building the case that since he is a one-term president, he is making progress.
And in his latest words last week, he has never opposed the presidential race, saying that he believes that he could have defeated Mr.
“I think I could have beaten Trump, I could have beaten Trump, and I think Kamala could have beaten Trump,” said Mr. Biden, adding: “I thought it was important to bring the party together. Even though I thought I might not win again, I thought it was better to bring the party together.”
Mr. Biden has told donors that he intends to remain involved in the party after he leaves office. Last week, when asked what role he planned to play in the presidency, he replied: “I will no longer be blind or have thoughts.”
Previous presidents have used their farewell speeches to reflect on their records and warn of challenges ahead.
In 2001, President Bill Clinton used his farewell address to warn his successor not to diminish the country’s economic prosperity and global presence. In 2009, President George W. Bush delivered a heartbreaking speech, in which he acknowledged the “problems” during his eight years in office, but said he hoped the American people understood he was doing what he thought was right. Before handing over the reins to Mr. Trump in 2017, President Barack Obama warned that economic inequality, racism and bigotry threaten democracy and unity.
In his farewell speech in 2021, Mr. Trump, who has distanced himself from politics and is facing prosecution after the Capitol attack by a mob of his supporters on January 6, told supporters who had gathered to see him off the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. : “Go well. We love you. We will come back another way.”
Historians said Mr. Biden’s speech could match that of Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose farewell is considered one of the most memorable since George Washington’s, and Mr. Biden, was introduced after half a century of public service.
William Hitchcock, Mr. Eisenhower’s biographer, said he expected Mr. Biden will talk about the dangers of democracy and the “service ethic,” drawing a contrast with Mr. Trump, if not clearly.
“It would make sense for him to say goodbye in person, focusing on a life of community service – he gave his life and the lives of his family members to this country,” said Mr. Hitchcock. “And I think that showing self-sacrifice and service is something that he is free to do. The difference between his followers will be obvious to his audience. That’s not something he should do.”
Both Mr. Biden and Mr. Eisenhower left after his nominees – the vice presidents – lost their election. But Mr. Eisenhower, who was the oldest president at the time, did not openly criticize his younger successor, John F. Kennedy, although he did not think much of him.
But gravity is still to be seen, he said.
“It’s a painful time of transition,” added Mr. Hitchcock, “as it was with Eisenhower.”
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