As the sun sets on his presidency, Joe Biden finds himself reflecting on the pivotal choice that shaped the final chapter of his White House tenure—his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. According to insider accounts, the 46th president now harbors regrets over his re-election abdication, believing he missed an opportunity to secure a second term by defeating his perennial rival, Donald Trump.
A Campaign Cut Short
President Biden’s path to a single term was cemented in July, when he stunned the nation by announcing his withdrawal from the Democratic primary race. The move followed a lackluster debate performance against Trump the previous month, which fueled doubts among party leaders about Biden’s electoral viability.
Faced with mounting pressure and discouraging poll numbers, Biden reluctantly ceded the nomination to his vice president, Kamala Harris. While Harris’s ascension initially energized the Democratic base, her campaign ultimately fell short, delivering a decisive victory to Trump in both the electoral college and popular vote.
Lingering Doubts and Second Thoughts
Now, as the final weeks of his presidency slip away, Biden is reportedly grappling with the consequences of his withdrawal. White House sources confide that the president believes he erred in stepping aside, convinced that he could have prevailed against Trump despite the daunting political headwinds.
“The president has privately expressed regret over his decision to end his re-election campaign. He feels he had a real shot at beating Trump and securing a second term.”
– White House Insider
While careful not to publicly criticize Harris, Biden and his inner circle apparently believe the election outcome would have differed had he remained in the race. It’s a perspective that has sparked debate among political observers, with many Harris supporters arguing that Biden’s belated withdrawal left the vice president with insufficient time to mount an effective campaign.
A Promise Unfulfilled
Critics also point to Biden’s 2020 campaign pledge to serve as a “transitional” president, a vow that his pursuit of a second term appeared to contradict. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) encapsulated this sentiment, telling the Washington Post:
“Biden ran on the promise that he was going to be a transitional president… his running again broke that concept—the conceptual underpinning of the theory that he would end the Trump appeal, he would defeat Trumpism and enable a new era.”
– Senator Richard Blumenthal
An Attorney General Miscalculation?
Compounding Biden’s second-guessing is his apparent regret over his choice of attorney general. Sources indicate the president now believes he should have heeded political allies who advocated for Doug Jones, the former Democratic senator from Alabama, over Merrick Garland.
Biden’s frustration reportedly stems from Garland’s deliberate pace in investigating and prosecuting Trump for his role in the January 6th Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The Justice Department’s cautious approach allowed Trump to avoid a potentially damaging pre-election trial, a development that some Democrats believe bolstered his successful comeback bid.
A Legacy in the Balance
As the Biden era draws to a close, the president’s ruminations serve as a poignant reminder of the weighty decisions that define a leader’s legacy. While history will render its ultimate judgment, Biden’s final days in office are colored by the gnawing sense of a path not taken—and the tantalizing possibility of a second chance denied.
In the end, the 46th president’s tenure will be remembered as much for what might have been as for what was, a single term shaped by the shadow of the road less traveled. As Biden prepares to pass the torch, he does so with the bittersweet knowledge that his most consequential choice may have been the one he came to regret—a decision that altered the course of his presidency, and perhaps, the nation itself.
