My most frequently read newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, published another of the typical end-of-the-year articles, this headlined “16 opinions that caught your attention in 2024: Looking back on our most-read opinions of the year” I loved this one in particular:
To serve his country, Donald Trump should leave the race | Editorial
Biden had a horrible night Thursday. But the debate about the debate is misplaced. The only person who should withdraw from the race is Trump.
by The Editorial Board | Saturday, June 29, 2024 | 4:30 PM EDT
President Joe Biden’s debate performance was a disaster. His disjointed responses and dazed look sparked calls for him to drop out of the presidential race.
But lost in the hand wringing was Donald Trump’s usual bombastic litany of lies, hyperbole, bigotry, ignorance, and fear mongering. His performance demonstrated once again that he is a danger to democracy and unfit for office.
In fact, the debate about the debate is misplaced. The only person who should withdraw from the race is Trump.
The Editorial Board not only did not get their wish that Mr Trump withdraw from the race, but they really didn’t get their wish when he won.
Their headline was a riff from the one The New York Times used the previous day, “To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race, which had said:
President Biden has repeatedly and rightfully described the stakes in this November’s presidential election as nothing less than the future of American democracy,
hoping the Democrats would nominate another candidate.
The Washington Post editorialized similarly.
But for all of the angst of the editorialists, former President Trump is now future President Trump as well, scheduled to be inaugurated 23 days from now, because the country was given a democratic choice two months ago. Too bad for the various editorial boards that the voters chose differently from what the pundits and columnists and editorialists told them they should.
On Tuesday, November 7, 2028, the American people will be voting for President again, and President Trump will not be on the ballot; His constitutional limit of two terms will have been reached. The editorial boards will be able to fuss and fume and support the Democrats again in four years. That’s you know, democracy!