On a warm August evening in 1974, President Richard M. Nixon said from the Oval Office that he was resigning, becoming the first president to do so. He confessed that he no longer had "a strong enough political base in the Congress" to finish his term.
Sen. Barry Goldwater, Ariz., the 1964 GOP presidential nominee, was a respected conservative leader in a Senate whose Republican ranks were less conservative than now. In a May 1973 interview with Time magazine, Goldwater had given an early warning, "If it can be proved that he (Nixon) lied, resignation would have to be considered. It would be quick. Everything would be over and ended. It wouldn't drag out like impeachment."
At a regular Senate Republican Conference lunch on August 6 of 1974, Goldwater had fumed: "There are only so many lies you can take, and now there has been one too many. Nixon should get his ass out of the White House -- today!" When he saw President Nixon, Goldwater said, "There's not more than 15 senators for you." After that showdown, the curtain on President Nixon's presidency came down three days later.
In this challenging time in our history when President Biden's competency is under serious question, will Democrat leaders have the courage to do the same? With this report, more Democrats and Independents will be less inclined to vote for Biden. That may very well impact the future of many Democrat politicians whose own election could be impacted if their voting base stays home. After his Wednesday night address, the evidence that Biden is in trouble is plainly obvious.
President Biden's poll numbers are now at an all-time low. The shocking Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Hur report suggests that Biden should not be indicted because Biden is "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" that a jury would be unlikely to convict. The Special Counsel also noted that Biden "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen;" he noted that such actions "present serious risks to national security." It is clearly a risk for Biden to remain in office.
When President Biden addressed the country after the report was disclosed, he asserted that his memory was fine, and the report confirmed that he was not indicted and did nothing wrong. His comments to the press questions were combative and defensive. He took no personal responsibility, blaming his staff for the faulty storage of classified documents. His message was strident and clear-Trump is guilty, and I did nothing wrong.
If he is not competent to stand trial for his actions, how can he be confident enough to remain president? It's time for a private confrontation by Democrat leadership. If Biden does not listen, it is time to exercise the 25th Amendment option to remove him from office.
It is not easy to use that 25th Amendment option. It is even more difficult with only nine months before a critical national election. Waiting until the Democrat Convention in August leaves little time to right the ship and promote a replacement candidate.
Democrats, do your job to clean out your own house. President Biden is not competent to meet the challenges of our time. Do it now or pay the price in November. As Republicans, we hope you let Biden remain your candidate, but that is selfish. President Biden is our current leader, and his decisions impact all of us and a world in turmoil. This isn't about politics. We can't afford even eleven more months of a mentally incompetent President.
Terry Paulson is a Ph.D. psychologist, author, and professional speaker on Earned Optimism, Making Change Work, Claiming Your American Dream, and Becoming a Conservative Values Voter.
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