Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was born around 519 BCE. The legend of Cincinnatus goes that during an external threat and crisis to the Republic of Rome, he left his private life and farm and led the Roman legions to victory over their impending invaders. He was appointed “dictator” during the crisis, giving him dictatorial power, a lawful function of the Roman constitutional order. Cincinnatus maintained his authority for only the time it took to bring Rome through the emergency.
Once the crisis had been averted, in a display of powerful human agency, Cincinnatus chose to step down from his position as dictator and return to his simple life on the farm. This was an unprecedented rejection of political/military power.
Cincinnatus could have chosen to embrace the power laid at his feet. The empire was grateful, and he had the allegiance of thousands of adoring legionnaires. The opportunity to obtain near-total power was within his grasp.
But he willingly gave it up.
![undefined undefined](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcc9ef09a-38d2-43f6-bda0-57e2c6eeb950_800x852.png)
Cincinnatus was a Roman statesman who gained fame for his selfless devotion to the republic in a time of crisis and, perhaps more importantly, for giving up the reins of power when the crisis was over. He has since been held up as the exemplar of true leadership and selflessness.
The lure of power is a strong pull on anyone, which is why you see so many cults of personality and abuses accompanying unchecked power in religious and political circles. It is why you saw Donald Trump reach and grasp at any possibility of retaining his power in January 2021, even resorting to unleashing a violent riot on the Capitol.
What we have witnessed Joe Biden do this week is something so rare and so selfless that it should go down in the annals of American history as the Second Cincinnatus moment.
Why the second?
George Washington may be the only other American political leader willing to surrender the power granted to him. After serving two terms as President and with a looming political fight on the horizon, which would have justified him seeking a third term, Washington imposed his personal term limit of 8 years. Anything beyond that, he considered a dynasty and near tyranny. The young nation had recently fought a war to end such practices.
Washington refused the aphrodisiac potency of power, and so has Joe Biden. In an act of selfless courage, Biden laid aside his desire to be a two-term president. Granted, it probably took some potent persuasion from friends and colleagues to help him understand that he had become a liability to the Democrat’s chances of hanging on to the White House, re-taking the House of Representatives, and keeping a slim majority in the Senate.
But if there is one thing you can say about the aging President, it is that he has the courage to put the country (and party) ahead of his personal ambition. For that, Biden will be remembered and applauded as an elder statesman and someone who the people will thank for his selfless service.
No one will remember Donald Trump in such terms.
I am not trying to lionize or deify a man like Joe Biden. Over the course of his 50-year political career, Joe has had his share of gaffs, mistakes, missteps, and wrong decisions. This is not about turning a blind eye to Joe’s shortcomings and limitations.
But it is about recognizing a person when they do the honorable and respectable thing, stepping down and refusing the attraction of power. That is a superpower that most people find outside of their personal sphere of ability.
Here is the essential question: Is Joe Biden's action this week something you would expect to see from Donald Trump?
Yeah…I didn’t think so!
In a high-definition juxtaposition, Biden’s actions this week highlight and amplify Donald Trump's crass lack of personal integrity and honor. Could you ever imagine in this lifetime that Trump would ever voluntarily give up personal power for the good of the country or even his own party?
Nope…I didn’t think so.
I had hoped, personally, that Biden would have made this decision a year ago, before the primary season. I always saw Biden as a one-term, stop-gap Presidency to rectify the excesses of a narcissistic personality like Donald Trump. But in hindsight, there is some wisdom in having Biden wait until this moment.
Consider: if Biden had announced a year ago that he would not seek re-election, the Democratic stampede to become his successor would have been self-defeating. There are so many good Democratic batters on deck that they would have eaten each other in internecine warfare for the nomination. The battle would have weakened the party, creating division and bad blood between potential successors.
Everyone knows, accepts, and understands that the only way forward is to rally behind Kamala Harris, the vice presidential candidate. It is too late for internecine warfare. Biden’s timing may not be perfect, but it is in rhythm with the moment. The fact that the party has coalesced around Harris within 48 hours of Biden’s announcement is evidence of the wisdom of the hesitation. Good for Joe.
Let’s talk candidly now. Aging is not an easy subject to address. A person at 81 is clearly and intuitively not the same person they were at 41, 51, or 61. I know this from personal experience, and let’s just say I’m still a few years younger than Uncle Joe. Coming to terms with this reality is a hit to your ego and self-image, so I appreciate the feelings that Biden must be processing.
Stumbling over a few words, trying to remember specific events, and wondering where I left my car keys are routine daily rituals. My wife and I laugh at each other because we both fall into the same trap. It seems harmless but is nevertheless inevitable. The fact that Joe Biden seemed to have frozen at the last debate with Donald Trump is not in any way diminutive of Biden’s accomplishments of his presidency…and that is the key.
Biden was an extremely successful President…let’s not forget the reality.
Just today, the economic news is good. The economy grew nearly 3% in the second quarter of this year.
Unemployment remains at all-time lows.
Inflation is hovering around 3%, down from historic highs in the aftermath of the COVID crisis.
Wages are keeping pace with and surpassing the inflation rate.
Everyone knows the Biden administration's legislative accomplishments. The infrastructure bill will be one of the greatest accomplishments that historians will point to in evaluating Biden’s presidency.
Let’s not forget our situation during the 2020/21 COVID crisis. Hundreds of thousands died from that pandemic, and with the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Administration helped bring the nation through the crisis.
Americans can examine Biden’s record and find much to praise.
It is a little early for historians to give a deep or reflective assessment of Biden’s presidency, but I will point out the criteria they use for such evaluations. You can determine your assessment based on these qualities (from C-SPAN website):
Given the benefit of time and historical context, historians will rate Biden as a great president. He was the right person in 2020 to lead the country out of the morass and mess created by four years of inept and corrupt governance by his predecessor.
I had hoped he would have run for President in 2016. I remember the day when he announced that he wouldn’t run. His son’s death was still so recent, and the pain so fresh that he didn’t believe he could commit to a long, grueling campaign. His decision was understandable, though disappointing.
After the Charlottesville rally in 2017, where white supremacists tried to protect a statue of Robert E. Lee and a peaceful protester was run down by a car intentionally, Biden made his decision to enter the 2020 race. Trump’s tepid non-answer about who was to blame was just too much.
Biden gave the American people four years of stability, recovery, and hope for a future where everyone gets a fair chance, women’s rights are protected, and democracy is kept safe…at least for the time being.
The next step is up to us. I believe the choice is clear… Kamala Harris will make a fine, if not great, President.
Outstanding essay. Thanks to the moving process I'm way behind on catching up with my reading, but I'll be chipping away at it by and by. But you were definitely spot-on in this one!
Well stated Dan, his accomplishments will continue to positively effect many areas of national and personal concern into the future. Now we just have to elect Kamila and a good VP to assist her. Personally I like Mark Kelly; border, immigration, military, and with Gabby beside him some type of gun control.