Before we get into the next presidential administration, I want to recall the well-deserved praise exhibited at the Democratic National Convention for President Joe Biden. I hope he was able to feel the love and admiration of fellow party members despite the hurt and disappointment he must have felt by being strongly encouraged to give up his bid for a second term.
Despite the fact that Congress blocked his progress by locking the door on many of his initiatives and policies, he kept banging on that door and trying to find another entrance. Besieged and bloodied, he persisted.
He tried to do a course correction to bring the nation in line with its ideals and to take care of the basics that affected not only the nation and what we see as a democracy, but to propose policies that would ensure deserved benefits for those who work for a wage. In his cabinet selections and judicial appointments, he had the courage to address the negative impact of past prejudices and hatred.
Most impressive has been his drive to keep the promises he made. Many of his policies that support his promises regarding infrastructure and job creation will not be realized until well after his administration ends. I hope history will give him the credit he deserves.
I encourage us to take the time to read about the policies that will have the Biden fingerprints on them. President Biden deserves credit for what he accomplished and for what he set in motion that may come to fruition in the future.
I thank President Biden for the sacrifices he made in giving so much of his life to the ideals and promises of this nation and for doing his best in the short time he had to get the job done.
Gwen Dungy 
This is a great article. I hope that it reached others to appreciate a worthy leader. I hope that President Biden knows that he is appreciated for all that he has accomplished. May Hod bless you and keep you.
Thank you, Gwen, for taking time to remind us of all the good that has happened in the last three and a half years because of the leadership of Joe Biden. I had to turn the radio off in my car when I listened two days ago to an ill-informed commentator begin to edit out all the good that Biden’s administration accomplished on behalf of so many Americans. You are always so fair-minded. It is refreshing to read your columns.
Thank you all for adding your Amen to giving President Biden his due. What a life he has had. He gave it all with scant recognition from, perhaps, most of those who will benefit most from his policies.
Nicely done, my friend. Your post was a ray of sunshine in a day dominated by calls, texts, and emails from family and friends across the globe who were shocked, disgusted, angered, and ashamed by the message that Tuesday’s election results sent to the world—and to women, in particular.
I was invited to join friends moving to Barbados, to live in another friend’s garage apartment in Canada for the next four years, or to join family in New England. I was reminded by an army veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan that, in her opinion, the Trump campaign’s treatment of Kamala Harris came straight from the Taliban Playbook. My doctor began my routine checkup by apologizing for the way Trump and his followers were able to leverage hate and fear among this country’s disaffected male population to slither back into the White House. A former colleague and veteran teacher observed that schoolyard bullies and professional liars had taken over the country.
After reading your post, rereading Kamala Harris’ concession speech, and doing some research, I came to three conclusions: Biden did his best to strengthen the guardrails of democracy and pass the torch to Harris; some fights—especially those that matter—really do take longer to win; and the sixty-nine million Americans who voted for Harris need to protect the torch, hold it close to their hearts, and do their best over the next four years to preserve America’s democratic traditions until the torch can be passed to a president who will protect, preserve, and strengthen American Democracy.
Maggie, Thank you for this passionate and powerful message. Securing freedom and the country is what we need, not leaving it.