Budowsky: Why a Biden comeback may be coming

While Democrats face challenges in the midterm elections, this is the first of two columns breaking ranks with many in the commentariat class by suggesting the real possibility of a President Biden comeback, which is worthy of serious discussion today. 

Readers might do a search for “Joe Biden,” “2020 Iowa caucus” and “2020 New Hampshire primary,” where words such as “humiliating” and “disaster” were widely used — and his candidacy for president was pronounced dead and buried by almost all political analysts. 

Then do a search for “Biden South Carolina primary.” 

You get the idea. 

Today we will emphasize the health care and personal safety issue of COVID-19, where Biden has been an outstanding leader and manager, and the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, where Biden has been a far superior commander in chief than his predecessor, President Trump, and his wartime nemesis, Russian despot and strongman Vladimir Putin. 

When Biden became president in January 2021, America was finishing one of the most horrible months in the history of COVID-19 with more 95,000 Americans dead that month. He assembled a first-rate team of medical experts, heeded their advice, organized and managed the attack against the deadly disease, and passed major economic legislation that avoided a depression and created record-setting numbers of high paying jobs.  

A riveting and powerful television ad should be produced dramatizing these achievements of Biden and Democrats in Congress, AND what they will accomplish next! 

Equally dramatically with democracy under attack around the world, Biden has been a compelling leader of the free world, the exact opposite of Trump, and a far superior commander in chief than Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine has been a disaster for Russia. 

While Trump divided, criticized, and ripped apart the NATO alliance, Biden unified, strengthened and lifted the alliance of democracies historically and profoundly. 

While Putin criminally invaded Ukraine, committed war crimes and genocide and crimes against humanity that were epic and sickening, and thought he could exploit NATO divisions, and Trump at that time praised Putin, Biden brought the alliance together. He organized powerful and effective sanctions against Russia and mobilized an armada of weapons for Ukraine from allied nations that stand rock-solid together for Ukraine and democracy! 

In February, on the eve of the Russian invasion, I wrote a column suggesting that Biden, NATO and Ukraine can defeat Putin. With the powerful management of Biden and NATO leaders, and the courageous and brilliant leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and all Ukranians, that outcome is now very possible, which few suggested when the war began. 

With democracy under attack, the forces of democracy won a huge victory in the French presidential election with the reelection of President Emmanuel Macron, and defeat of Putin ally and Trump admirer Marine Le Pen. 

On COVID-19 and Ukraine Biden has demonstrated sound judgment, strong leadership, good management, and important results for which he deserves great credit. 

In the near future I will write part two of this column involving economic and domestic issues. 

For now, two points. First, Biden and Democrats are competing against Republicans whose Senate and House leaders are among the most unpopular politicians in America, and are spending much time now publicly discussing their stated contempt for Trump. Trump is dodging subpoenas, court orders and investigations while he still, incredibly, seeks to overturn the 2020 presidential election today.

Second, there is a chance that Democrats can gain Senate seats, because of Trump’s interventions and some good Democratic candidates, and could maintain control of the House.   

Democrats will pass some new economic initiatives before the midterms. Biden will execute some important executive orders. Biden and Democrats have a strong case to take to an American people facing economic trouble and seeking economic solutions that Democrats offer and Republicans obstruct. 

The Democratic rally cry is appealing and true. Keep us in control of the House! Give us just one more Democratic senator! And here is how we lift your lives, from California to Florida to Ohio and, you bet, West Virginia! 

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives.