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Biden & His Discontents

A hard and honest conversation with presidential historian Douglas Brinkley about the strange end of the Biden era, how his legacy will be measured against his successor’s, and whether history will redeem him.

douglas brinkley
“Biden’s legacy was tied to the election, and it didn’t turn out well,” Douglas Brinkley told Tara. Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Tara Palmeri
January 3, 2025

In Washington, emotions are still raw over outgoing President Joe Biden: Democrats are angry that he opted to run for reelection after implying he’d be a “bridge” president; frustrated he took so long to drop out after the debate; rageful over down-ballot losses they attribute to his ego; and disillusioned by his decision to pardon Hunter after insisting he wouldn’t. This was the guy who promised to defend democracy from Donald Trump, and yet he shares no small part of the blame for Trump’s return to the White House.