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Condé Nast

Condé Nast

Joe Biden's Farewell Address Felt Like an Elegy for Democracy As We Know It

Condé Nast
Summary
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73% Informative

Biden failed to fully confront “powerful forces” during his own presidency.

His every “we need to” Wednesday rang especially hollow at the dawn of a new administration that has no interest in reforming the conservative Supreme Court .

Biden 's support for Israel ’s bombardment of Gaza betrayed his political identity as the “empathizer-in-chief”.

He invoked the Statue of Liberty —a monument to American ideals whose endurance stands in stark contrast to the ephemeral nature of the presidency—and recounted the story of the man whose job was to climb its “torch and polish the amber pains so rays of light could reach out as far as possible.” Biden hopes his legacy will be that of the “keeper of the flame.” But it casts dim light right now into the coming darkness, as he prepares to turn power back over to Trump ..