Time takes everybody out; time is undefeated. — Rocky Balboa
With the presidential election looming, this is where we are: a minute-by-minute dissection on social and mainstream media of whether President Joe Biden is mentally and physically able to secure the confidence of the American voter.
Will he be able to lead the nation, coherently and vigorously? Above all, with poll after poll showing him behind, can he defeat Donald Trump?
What is now known as The Debate was a moment of truth — a moment not of revelation but rather confirmation of what has been apparent for months: the president’s obvious physical decline and increasing difficulty in communicating clearly and cogently. A glance or two at his demeanor and command of language and issues in 2020, set against that of this June’s debate, is heartbreaking for those of us who admire, respect and have deep and abiding affection for President Biden, personally.
He had one task only to accomplish — one mission — reassure his supporters and potential supporters of his competence to lead and his capacity to campaign for a second opportunity to demonstrate those qualities.
Instead, we witnessed and listened to a frail and seemingly muddled President Biden agonizingly take us to the brink of electoral wipeout. Donald Trump’s disjointed verbal ramblings and baseless false hoods were ripe for counter punching with authority and focus. President Biden’s lack of a pointed response let alone taking the initiative to Trump made it appear he was as unfit to campaign as Trump was to govern.
It is apparent to us that the debate was much more than a “bad night.” The debate was not an episodic one-off but rather the result of an ongoing condition — a condition of decline that will not be reversible. It was a graphic demonstration to millions of voters that will leave a lasting impression of disillusionment about both candidates — a situation that is devastating for President Biden with no similar electoral consequence for Trump at all. The debate did not change a single vote for or against Donald Trump. There the outcome was perhaps catastrophic for President Biden as the post-debate atmosphere was and remains rife with the question of whether he can defeat Trump or even physically make it to the end of the campaign.
The three of us are the 4th, 5th and 7th governors of the state of Hawaii. Our respective Native Hawaiian, Filipino and Caucasian ancestries are indicative of the diverse reality of Democratic Party values in electoral action. Our ages range from 78 to 84 to 86. We are linked directly generationally and politically to President Biden. We are well aware that the question of withdrawal before us is not one of age as such but aging and its implications and consequences for the overriding task of defeating Donald Trump.
Simply and directly put, we believe the President needs to withdraw his candidacy and free his 3,896 delegates to the Democratic Party nominating convention. This will demonstrate without equivocation his lifelong devotion and commitment to the core values of freedom and the Constitution. The nation and its survival as our democracy are at stake.
Of President Biden’s fierce will and resolute determination there can be no doubt.
But equally commanding is defeating Donald Trump — our most fundamental electoral objective. We ask President Biden to take the responsible path to achieving that objective. Withdrawing of his candidacy will accomplish that.
