‘All Politics is Local’ is an opinion column written by John Lyons, a member of West Hartford’s Democratic Town Committee.

By John Lyons

A rare presidential-level seismic event happened on Sunday, and while special interest groups, super PACs, and others in the political arena will try to convince you that “‘major” events happen in politics all the time (usually in their quest for donations), truly history-making events involving a sitting president almost never happen. For the first time since the Lyndon Johnson presidency, a sitting U.S. president has announced that they will not run for reelection.

There has been a split in the party nationally and when calls from within his party for Biden to drop out went up exponentially the moment the Republican National Convention ended, I think most following the situation felt that something would be coming much sooner rather than later.

I don’t know about you, but I am feeling great sadness at this moment in history and hope most Americans are feeling sadness, too. This is a moment to consider Biden the man and not the candidate (or elected official). Argue this point if you will, but objectively, Biden will leave office this coming January 20th as one of the most impactful and effective one-term presidents in history and I believe history books in the future will accurately reflect this. Not since Lyndon Johnson (another one-plus term president) has a president been so successful in enacting major legislation. He successfully led the U.S.A. out of the COVID era and into an unmatched era of economic recovery  .He will leave office with one of the longest and most successful political resumes in American history.

Biden always puts the country first and by stepping aside now after taking a difficult look in the mirror at his age and health and making what I can only think was a very painful decision to withdraw is no different. His announcement immediately brought to mind the closing scene from the series “Six Feet Under” and as the song “Breathe Me” by Sia plays, time marches on. Relentlessly.  Effortlessly. Tragically.

Biden has had to face aging in the most difficult manner imaginable with the pressure of the presidency and his concern over the future of the country as considerations – all while hearing about it nonstop in the media, and phone calls, and meetings with governors, senators, and Congressional leaders.  The pressure he faced involved things that no one outside of a handful of people globally can even fathom.

My sadness also stems from watching him age and realizing that he had just turned 66 when he became Vice President in 2009. I don’t know about you, but to me, that feels like yesterday.  Old age will come all to quickly for nearly every one of us. Virtually none of us will ever be faced with a decision the gravity of which President Biden has faced over the last few weeks and I think his legacy both in serving and in retirement cannot be overlooked. His retirement is a reminder of mortality and we will all cope with that one day. It is also a reminder of the character of the man Joe Biden is!

I recall a section of President Ronald Reagan’s final letter to America on Nov. 5, 1994, where he said, “I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will be always be a bright dawn ahead.”

Biden, always the statesman, said in his letter today: “… I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” And he signed off by saying “… there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together.”

Welcome to my newest monthly column for We-Ha.com: “All Politics Is Local.” Each month I will examine national issues and offer my thoughts on how West Hartford (and we as residents) are impacted. You’ll be surprised at how much seemingly small or out-of-sight issues have a big impact on all of us.

The views expressed represent the opinion of John Lyons, and are not intended to represent the opinion of We-Ha.com or the West Hartford Democratic Town Committee.

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