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As President Joe Biden prepares to deliver his final Oval Office address, he concludes a political career spanning five decades, with a legacy that stands in the shadow of Democrats’ inability to prevent Donald Trump’s return to power.

Initially positioning himself as a transitional leader in 2020, Biden made the unprecedented decision to seek reelection at age 80, believing he alone could defeat Trump. His campaign came to an abrupt end in July following a disappointing debate performance against Trump, with some Democrats attributing their November defeat to Biden after Vice President Kamala Harris led a swift but unsuccessful campaign.

The Biden administration’s achievements include steering the nation’s COVID recovery, securing infrastructure funding, boosting semiconductor production, and prioritizing climate initiatives while addressing inequality and future investments. His tenure saw strong economic performance and increased business confidence.

However, Biden fell short of his goals to unite the nation and counter global democratic decline. His signature accomplishment – defeating Trump in 2020 – proved temporary, as the incoming Republican president has promised to dismantle many of the Democratic administration’s policies.

In a White House letter released Wednesday, Biden addressed ongoing concerns: “I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake. And, that’s still the case,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining American values of equality and fundamental rights.

“All Joe Biden wanted was to be remembered for the great things he did for this country and, at least in the short run, they’ve been eclipsed by his ill-conceived decision to run,” remarked David Axelrod, former Obama administration adviser.

“He became a historic president when he defeated Trump. So obviously the fact that Trump is resurgent and returning to power, more powerful than he was when he left, is an unhappy coda to the story.”

A White House representative emphasized the long-term nature of presidential legacies, stating: “In historical terms, it has been a millisecond since the election. This president has locked in the most significant legislative record since LBJ, and the irreversible benefits of those laws will grow over decades.”

Senator Chris Coons, a close Biden ally, highlighted the president’s handling of multiple crises – economic, public health, and democratic – following the January 6 Capitol attack. Biden’s administration successfully managed vaccine distribution and achieved unexpected economic growth, despite inflation concerns that dampened public confidence.

Republicans capitalized on voter dissatisfaction, particularly regarding high prices, while criticizing Democratic leadership as out of touch with working-class Americans.

Economic Policy Institute president Heidi Shierholz noted: “You cannot reverse four and a half decades of rising inequality with a few years of absolute good economic outcomes and policy changes. But one of the most fundamental things they did was provide relief recovery at the scale that was needed to generate a strong jobs recovery.”

Biden’s foreign policy record includes coordinating Western support for Ukraine, strengthening international alliances, and withdrawing from Afghanistan. However, the tragic loss of thirteen U.S. service members during the Afghanistan withdrawal permanently affected his popularity.

His unwavering support for Israel amid the conflict with Hamas created divisions within the Democratic party and strained his relationship with progressive supporters.

Vincent Rigby, formerly a senior national security adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, characterized Biden’s presidency as an “interlude” despite his accomplishments in rebuilding international trust post-Trump.

“We’ll see how history treats him five, 10, 15 years from now, but he’ll be seen as the president between the two Trump presidencies. He held the line, but Trump came back.”