accordingly...

 

Richard Nixon (President from 1969 to 1974); Lyndon Johnson (President from 1963 to 1969)

I was both surprised and not surprised today, upon reading that President Biden has decided to drop out of the presidential election contest.

        How have we come to such a pass in this country, where literally no one wants the job?

        I have had the concept for a while that in the modern era, post 1994, more bad, self-interested people - evil people - are drawn to politics in America.

        Then just recently another idea occurred to me which adds onto the concept that more terrible people get into politics now, and it is this:  by the same token, good people are driven away from becoming involved in government or the political process.  

The good people are repelled by the types they see participating in the public discourse.

So it's two interlocking phenomena:  bad people in; good people out.

Years ago, around 2009 or 2010 I think, I was in a conversation with a man who is a good, principled person with leadership qualities.  I lightly mentioned that he would be a good candidate, and he actually seemed to get a little bit mad!  (LOL)

        In a split second I went from feeling like I was giving him a nice compliment and sort of anticipating a humble, thankful acknowledgement - to thinking myself fortunate if I could escape without receiving a smack in the head!  (not really, but you know...)

Thinking, "Jize, don't get overwrought, my dude!"

He's 13 years younger than me, so his experience of our public discourse and media's coverage of same, in his formative years, is different from mine.  He sees politics, literally, as something to be actively avoided!

        That was an important, eye-opening moment for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wanted to recommend two videos on You Tube:  one of President Biden making his announcement in an address to the nation, and one of President Lyndon Johnson announcing similar intentions, in 1968.

        However, there is not yet any speech by Biden available on You Tube, that I can find anyway.  Apparently he communicated the decision in a letter, and will speak on it later this week.

Listen here on You Tube, video titled:

Reel America Preview:  LBJ Announces He Won't Run 3/31/1968

uploader / channel - C-SPAN

It's part of a longer speech - this vid is less than two minutes.  It's the "surprise" part of his address.

        "Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president...."

President Johnson had that Southern accent particular to the Texas Hill Country, where he was from.

I realized today that for some reason, I see Lyndon Johnson as kind of a tragic figure.  Richard Nixon, as well.

        Then I thought, 'Maybe every president is a tragic figure, in some way.'  But then, with consideration, I decided, No, not all presidents - I don't see Barack Obama as a tragic figure, or George W. Bush or his dad (1988 - 1992), or Bill Clinton, or Reagan or Gerald Ford. ...

        I don't know....

"Texas Hill Country" - by Patricia Reed

-30-