To the editor: I know there’s not much of a chance President Biden will read this, but I wanted to get it off my chest and say it directly to him. (“Biden’s address to the nation: ‘I revere this office, but I love my country more,’” July 24)
I’m 76 — not quite your age, but getting there. And I have noticed a decline. Unlike you, I haven’t been politically engaged for 50 years. My political career began on Nov. 9, 2016 — but like you, since then I’ve been doing it 24/7. I’m part of what you’d call the grassroots infrastructure.
To be honest, I didn’t want you to be the candidate in 2020. But I got behind you when you secured the nomination, and you went on to beat then-President Trump. If that was all you ever did, it was enough for me.
But you became the most effective president of my lifetime. You recharged our economy and shored up NATO. You took on climate change and drug companies. And you did everything calmly, even quietly, knowing calm and quiet were what we needed.
You also did the most courageous thing I ever saw a president do: You got us out of a war we had no business being in. Yes, it was messy when we left Afghanistan, but we left because you knew we didn’t belong there.
And now you’ve gone and done another courageous thing: You dropped out. You put country first. What caliber of leader does it take to do that? FDR? Lincoln? Washington? As for the election, don’t worry — we’ve got this.
I’m not alone in thinking these things. Millions do, and we are forever grateful to you for your wisdom, integrity, grit, compassion and political savvy.
So, Mr. President, thanks. You deserve rest.
Wayne Liebman, Los Angeles
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To the editor: When Trump was shot, Biden called him and wished him well.
When Biden stepped down from the campaign, Trump called the president “crooked Joe.”
Biden is always a gentleman. Trump is an uncaring being who thinks only of himself.
Nina Trotta-Sutton, Simi Valley
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To the editor: Columnist LZ Granderson wrote about Biden dropping out, “History will remember this day as one of the most patriotic moments of his career.”
This is typical propaganda from the mainstream media. Biden dropped out of the race because of the public pressure from an increasing number of his fellow Democrats for him to move aside in favor of a stronger candidate.
This is the truth. He was forced out, and it had nothing to do with patriotism — because had he been patriotic, he would have declined to run for reelection a year or two ago.
Giuseppe Mirelli, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Biden should immediately take the next logical step as he demonstrates to the world how to eat an elephant, one bite at a time. By withdrawing from the White House race, Biden took his first bite out of the Republican Party’s presidential hopes, instantly weakening Trump’s campaign.
Biden’s main campaign focus has been to preserve democracy by denying the presidency to Trump. He should immediately take his second bite of the elephant by resigning the presidency. This would make Vice President Kamala Harris the 47th president of the United States.
Such fast action would give newly minted President Harris plenty of time to introduce herself to the voters as the sitting president. And she would be electorally helped by appearing on the ballot as the incumbent.
Biden’s resignation could lead to a blue wave that would significantly contribute — both up- and down-ballot — to his efforts to strengthen democracy. This would be a fitting capstone to Biden’s long career of patriotic service.
Tom Egan, Costa Mesa
