Staff Reports
President Biden recently took to the Oval Office, attempting to shine a flattering light on his tumultuous time in Washington. With just days remaining in his presidency, he laid out a series of claims about having improved the country during his tenure, though one must wonder just how far removed from reality he has become after five decades of living in the D.C. bubble.
His somber address drew headlines as he painted himself as a transformative leader who is handing a ‘well-functioning’ America off to the citizens. Biden waxed poetic about American principles, urging the public to step up and protect institutions such as Congress, the presidency, and, believe it or not, the free press. This was rich coming from a president who has spent time in office fending off accusations of being out of touch with the average American, perhaps making one question if he was addressing the nation or delivering a eulogy for his own administration.
President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation Wednesday to warn of an “oligarchy” of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and of a “tech-industrial complex” that is infringing on Americans’ rights and the future of democracy. pic.twitter.com/O1UfbOKaQB
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 16, 2025
Even more eyebrow-raising was Biden’s lamentation about extreme wealth threatening democracy, a clear jab at Trump and his millionaire cohort. In a twist of irony, he claimed that an oligarchic shift is on the horizon for the United States, all while he himself was, if anything, a champion for government expansion and fiscal irresponsibility. Biden’s depiction of America as on the brink of total downfall should raise concerns among Americans about the real danger at play: a government that spends more than it earns and runs on the fumes of taxpayer dollars.
Throughout the address, Biden touted a laundry list of accomplishments ranging from “historic job growth” to “lower prescription drug costs,” which seemed to ignore the reality that many Americans have been battered by inflation and rising costs. While he celebrated what he termed a “new era of American possibilities,” voters are likely to feel that the only real era birthed during his administration has been one of confusion and crisis—hardly the transformative legacy he yearns for.
With an unfortunate public sentiment hanging over his head—47% of Americans labeling him as a “poor” or “terrible” president—Biden’s attempts to polish his record are unlikely to change much. The contrast is stark when public opinion saw more favorable ratings for predecessors Obama and Trump upon leaving office, showing that perhaps the “historic accomplishments” he spoke of are mostly echoes lost in the hallways of disappointment.
As he flails to preserve his legacy against incoming waves of opposition, it seems increasingly clear that Biden’s exit speech might have been less about celebrating achievements and more about spinning a narrative that the American people just aren’t buying. With Donald Trump gearing up to dismantle much of what Biden represents, the doubt surrounding his administration raises pressing questions about what comes next for the nation—hopefully something more grounded in reality.
