This op-ed is part of a series exploring what a second term would look like for either President Biden or former President Trump.
President Biden assumed office in January 2021 with the promise of unity and a commitment to bridging the deep divides that have plagued the nation for years. He spoke in his Inaugural Address of the rise of political extremism, white supremacy and domestic terrorism: “To overcome these challenges — to restore the soul and to secure the future of America — requires more than words. It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy: Unity. Unity.”
Biden is no stranger to this language of overcoming partisanship, fostering cooperation and seeking common ground in an increasingly divided political landscape. When he first announced his Senate candidacy in 1972, Biden said that “We all know — or at least we are told continually — that we are a divided people. And we know there’s a degree of truth in it. We have too often allowed our differences to prevail among us … But all our differences hardly measure up to the values we all hold in common.” In his 2007 memoir, “Promises to Keep,” Biden wrote that he “believed that in 1972 [and] still believe it today.”
Biden’s memoir references the nation’s founders framing a political system of “uncommon genius,” which subsequent generations have used “to make the country more fair, more just, more welcoming, more committed to individual rights.” This reminded me of Brook Manville and Josiah Ober’s “The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives,” which references America’s “founding bargain” and other historical moments that produced history’s longest surviving democracies. The perseverance of democracies in Athens, Rome, Britain, and the United States is premised on a civic bargain based on conditions like good-faith compromise and civic friendship. The genius of the founders was their willingness to create a foundation for self-governance with the ability to revise and amend for their collective and common good.
While such examples of bipartisanship and compromise seem almost impossible today, I would point to a recent instance of the practicality of civil discourse in politics, which was recognized earlier this year with the Biden School Civility in Public Service Award (sponsored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative, where I am director). Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin were recognized for their leadership around the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified legal protections for same-sex marriage.
At the signing of that legislation on December 13, 2022, Biden acknowledged the bipartisan effort to pass the landmark legislation required courage:
This shouldn’t be about conservative or liberal, red or blue. No, this is about realizing the promise of the Declaration of Independence — a promise rooted in the sacred and secular beliefs; a promise that we’re all created equal, we’re all entitled to what Abraham Lincoln called “an open field and a fair chance.”
This tangible example of bipartisanship points to what’s possible because of Biden’s commitment to and reputation as a unifier and a pragmatist who is willing to work with individuals from across the political spectrum to find common ground and deliver results.
In his inaugural address, Biden emphasized the need for unity, stating that “We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue.” This call set the tone for his administration and sent a clear message that he was committed to bringing the nation together. By framing the problem as an “uncivil war,” he recognized the role that divisive rhetoric and partisan animosity play in perpetuating the problem.
The most important message in a second term would be that the United States must be a fully functioning democracy from the federal government all the way to the local level. The great challenge to the U.S. is the power of the political minority and the potential for our democratic systems to, ironically, be used to dismantle democracy.
Without concern about reelection, President Biden could advocate for policies he believes in, while speaking and acting in ways that feel less like an email from the DNC and more like the executive of this diverse country — people from Delaware and Kansas, for example. Biden has been extremely successful in having legislation passed into law with bipartisan support, but you wouldn’t know that unless you pay attention. Success is under the radar. It might sound silly, but those signs that let people know that the new asphalt that’s improving their morning commute is because of bipartisanship can be a daily reminder of what’s possible.
A second step is the opportunity to meet campaign promises, but with a cabinet that includes greater political diversity that reflects the country. Might GOP former members of Congress Adam Kinzinger or Liz Cheney have roles within the administration, reminding us that partisan affiliation does not trump country?
A third practical step is to increase engagement with Congress. With the election of Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump ally and election denier, Biden has an opportunity to change the optics of the relationship between the White House and the House of Representatives. Sitting together and discussing the budget and other priorities for the country, even if unproductive, will help to diminish the argument that the 2020 election was stolen. Most Americans don’t believe that to be true, but the lie could lose further credibility if a prominent election denier is in regular communication (and photos) with the duly-elected President Biden.
All these suggestions for a second term are rooted in civil discourse — or civility — as a way to approach policy and people. More than just polite conversation, civility is a fundamental aspect of a healthy democracy. There are many reasons President Biden should be loud and clear where he stands — but he can advance many of the issues he believes in by listening as well.
Biden’s conciliatory approach to those who seem to despise him might lead to continued bipartisan legislation being signed into law. Joe Biden is, in many ways, an institutionalist. He’s interested in preserving the tenets and institutions of American democracy. And in this moment, as we look at a possible second Biden term, maintaining our flawed civic bargain is better than losing it altogether.
Timothy J. Shaffer is the director of the SNF Ithaca Initiative and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Chair of Civil Discourse at the Biden School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Delaware.