Jay Cost writes for the Washington Examiner about the links between Joe Biden and the last one-term Democratic president.
The Biden administration is less than two months from its end, which cannot come soon enough. As a final insult to his staunchest defenders, those who long insisted he was a paragon of decency, President Joe Biden pardoned his convicted felon and all-around wastrel son Hunter. A more appropriate final chapter to his tenure, one cannot imagine. The “official” rankings of professional historians will likely be kinder to Biden than he deserves. But that merely reflects the prejudices of the academic guild — it is partial to presidents who expand executive authority and grow the federal government, both of which Biden did. …
… If Biden compares to any modern president, it is most likely Jimmy Carter. Indeed, the similarities are striking. On a surface level, inflation helped sink the Carter presidency, just as it did Biden. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a foreign policy problem for Carter, as the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan damaged Biden.
But the two men share a deeper trait that, while present-day historians will overlook, future generations might notice: Both were deeply, profoundly out of their depth. The job of the modern presidency is the most taxing in the world. The president must possess a combination of several skills — decisiveness, intelligence, wisdom, prudence, and virtue. He or she must be able to intuit what the country wants at the moment, reconcile that desire to its true interests, and navigate the byzantine pathways of American politics to deliver for the people. …
… To call Biden and Carter failed presidents is not quite right. What would we say of a runner who tripped at the starting gun, sprained his ankle, and had to be helped off the track? We would not say he lost the race. We would say he could not even run it. That’s Biden and Carter.
