President Joe Biden’s last hurrah

President Joe Biden issued a heartfelt letter to the nation on Wednesday morning ahead of his farewell address. Not only does Biden offer a serious reflection on his presidency, but he delivers an expansive summary of his administrationโs impressive accomplishments. Although Biden is on his way out after a career that spanned five decades, his message is nevertheless positive and optimistic.
โWe stood in a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities,โ Biden begins, reminding us how far the United States has progressed since his inauguration in January 2021, during โthe worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.โ Despite these challenges, Biden proudly notes that Americans โbraved through itโ and โemerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure,โ while his administration ushered in an era not only of recovery but of newfound opportunity.
Indeed,16.6 million jobs were created, with rising wages and lowering inflation, along with the smallest racial wealth gap in 20 years. As a result of the Biden-Harris administrationโs leadership, the United States is โleading the world again in science and innovation, including the semiconductor industry.โ As his team worked to rebuild and achieve new heights in many areas, Biden signed โthe most significant climate law ever and the first major gun safety law in nearly 30 years,โ and todayโs violent crime rate stands at a 50-year low.
Bidenโs departure marks the end of a presidency defined by competence, fairness, and a deep commitment to unity, in stark contrast to what preceded it and what we expect to follow beginning next week. His letter reminds us what government can achieve when it works hard and keeps its focus on improving lives rather than unleashing chaos. There is no doubt that as Donald Trump returns to the White House, Bidenโs presidency will be remembered as one of hope, decency, and astonishing progress despite the oddsโand it will be sorely missed.
You can read the letter, including the detailed summary of the Biden-Harris administrationโs record, here. No matter how much you have been following politics over the past four years, you are likely to learn something from this letterโand become even more impressed.

Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month