This is an adapted excerpt from the July 25 episode of “Morning Joe.”
“Nowhere else on earth could a kid with a stutter from the modest beginnings of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States. But here I am.”
Those were the words of Joseph R. Biden on Wednesday — the president of the United States.
There was no bitterness, no resentment, no self-pity in his voice, or in his presentation. His family sat to the left of the Resolute Desk, his wife and his children, as he gave that address – as he walked into history.
History these days doesn’t move like a clock, it moves like a stopwatch, it’s so fast. The speed of history is frightening sometimes, and he is now part of history. Always will be.
I would submit that on Wednesday, you saw a portrait of character in the president of the United States.
He spoke with his family right there but part of it seemed to me that he was speaking to the American family, as well. During the speech, he asked the question: “Does character in public life still matter?”
Well, I would submit that it does. And I would submit that on Wednesday, you saw a portrait of character in the president of the United States.
Going forward, I think his place in history is well-sealed by his presidency, by the accomplishments of his presidency, and by his withdrawal from the presidency. You can only imagine how difficult it is for anyone to give up such power. We can’t really imagine it because we’ve never held power in our hands the way the president of the United States does. We’ve seen what happens when a president misuses power. We’ve seen what happens when a sitting president refuses to cede power. And now, America has been given an object lesson in character and history by a man proclaiming: Here I am, Joe Biden, behind the Resolute Desk, ceding power.
Mike Barnicle
Mike Barnicle is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist. He's also a regular contributor for MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. Recommended
