President Joe Biden poses for his official portrait Wednesday, March 3, 2021, in the Library of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)
A sincere thank you for your service to America. Since 1973, you have served for six terms as a United States Senator, the 47th Vice President of the United States and the 46th President. Your career has been dedicated to public service and making life better for all Americans. You are now halfway through your 1st term and are approaching a decision as to whether you should run for a second term.
As a life-long Democrat, I do not think you should run for re-election. You should not run again for many reasons. None of these reasons are predicated on the quality of the job you have done. In fact, your leadership and the legislative accomplishments of your first two years have been outstanding, your State of the Union address was spot on and your trip to Kyiv was heroic and historic. However, I believe your re-election campaign has the potential to negatively affect the country and your historic legacy of service.
First, your age must be taken into account. You will be 81 years old during the next campaign and if you win, 86 when you leave office. This is a fine age for living a great active life, but not the prime years for serving as the President and the leader of the free world. You are in great health, but the aging process is inevitable; you can’t outrun father time.
Second, the next two years are going to be grueling on you both politically and practically. The years 2023 and 2024 will be marked by abusive investigation after investigation, of you, your family and the Administration, by the ultra-extreme and destructive Republican led House. No matter how de minimis, ridiculous, hypocritical or irrelevant the issue, you and your family will be front and center every single day, every news cycle. The toll of this political nonsense will be immeasurable. Why subject yourself and your loved ones to this politically driven sideshow. Call an end-around, don’t run for re-election, govern and lead during the most crucial time for the preservation of our democracy. Your focus should be on the needs of the American people and the challenges that face the free world, not fabricated straw dog issues. A leader who does not have the constraints of a re-election campaign can face real issues in a forthright manner, no vacillations. All your decisions and policy positions can be made for the good of all Americans. You need to lead a thoughtful, civil discussion on where our country is today, and where it is headed tomorrow. Our country needs such an approach by our President at this time. We need a President who is not wed to the next poll, political consultant or election.
Third, the American people are ready and are, in fact, demanding a new generation of leaders. Your being on the ballot may not be regarded as a positive and could negatively affect Democratic Party candidates in races around the country. The last thing you would want to see would be an election defeat for Democrats at the Federal, State and local levels. You have the ability to invigorate the Democratic Party, by recruiting our best leaders, including some of our 2022 distinguished, but defeated House, Senate and Gubernatorial candidates, to serve in your Administration. This strengthens your team and provides a new generation of talented leaders with important new opportunities and responsibilities to serve the American people. As a President who is unrestrained by a re-election, you can campaign on your Administration’s accomplishments, you will be regarded as a true Statesman, acting in the best interest of the future of America. Once you announce your intentions, you will be free to drive the debate on every important issue that faces our country.
In closing, don’t run for re-election, do something much more important; lead the country into a new era of leaders who value public service and who will place the needs of the people above self-interests. Declare you won’t seek or accept your Party’s nomination for President. Instruct the Democratic National Committee to administer a fair and open nominating process to select the Democratic Party’s nominees for the 2024 Presidential election. The highly qualified men and women who will run for President will excite and capture the attention and imagination of all Americans. The energy of all Democrats in an open Presidential race will strengthen our democracy. Set a selfless example for future leaders, be the President who presents the 21st Century leaders to the America of the 21st Century.
Your admirer and supporter, wishing you only the best,
Scott W. Lang