Joe Biden’s exit from office appears strikingly similar to his dramatic entrance: shrouded in a thick fog of self-delusion and a not-so-subtle aroma of falsehoods. After nearly four years of a presidency filled with ups and downs, it seems he’s managed to leave behind not just policies but a robust legacy of distortion and deception. It’s almost as if he’s convinced himself that by simply insisting upon a false narrative, it somehow transforms reality.
The administration has often prided itself on being “transparent,” yet transparency seems to be just another buzzword in the Biden lexicon. Reports and statistics frequently contradicted the rosy proclamations of a thriving economy, illustrating how, under his watch, inflation soared to levels not seen in generations, gas prices climbed like they were in a race, and the job market felt more like a revolving door. Nevertheless, Biden’s team has continued to tout success stories that hardly anybody believes unless they have a vested interest in keeping the illusion alive.
.@MirandaDevine: “Self-deluded Biden is spending his last days as president showcasing all the same lies and cementing his tarnished 'legacy'” https://t.co/Ka1pYBCr09
— Jason Miller (@JasonMiller) January 16, 2025
Foreign policy has followed a similar trajectory. The President has often claimed that he has restored America’s standing in the world, yet the only thing that seems restored is a long line of adversaries sharpening their knives. With countries like China and Russia flexing their muscles at every opportunity, it is evident that American leadership has been traded for passivity. But, one must concede, deluding oneself into thinking everything is fine must aid in easing any existential discomfort.
Biden also made the audacious claim of uniting the nation, a feat that would make even Hercules raise an eyebrow in skepticism. Instead, his term has been marked by division and discord that would make a high school cafeteria fight look like a child’s play. The rift between citizens deepened under his stewardship, with his administration often exacerbating tensions rather than diminishing them. In fact, administration officials seem more interested in scoring political points than building bridges.
As he prepares to vacate the White House, it serves to highlight that Biden’s legacy will likely be remembered not for triumphs, but for the farcical attempts to sell failure as success. His exit manifests as less of a graceful bow out and more of a desperate final act in a tragedy that many hope history might learn from—or at the very least, keep on the bookshelves marked “How Not to Lead.” Future administrations will certainly have their work cut out for them if they hope to salvage the damage done, which can be accurately summed up as a smokescreen of delusion floating away like a balloon finally cut loose.