I recently took my family to Westfield Montgomery mall to see the movie Wicked. In both the film and the musical, the main character sings a catchy number about all the virtues of being popular. Of course, the true point of the song is exactly the opposite of what the character intends: popularity is fleeting, but core values are what define you and your legacy.
Joe Biden ended his presidency this week as a deeply unpopular president. Here in Montgomery County and across the nation, I believe history will remember him differently.
Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden lowered costs for Montgomery County residents as well as all Americans, made the tax code fairer for our families, and helped address the climate crisis that is impacting our community. With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, Biden invested more money in the county’s roads and bridges than any administration since President Dwight D. Eisenhower. With the Safer Communities Act, Biden partnered with state legislators like me to crack down on gun violence and pass the strongest firearm safety legislation in three decades. The declining crime in Silver Spring, Wheaton and throughout the state is a direct result.
Biden also preserved the reproductive freedom of county residents, forgave a staggering amount of student loan debt, embraced our LGBTQ+ residents, and joined our county in ending our failed approach to cannabis.
And he did this all while fiercely protecting our democratic allies in Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel. In fact, just last week, Biden negotiated a historic ceasefire that will begin to bring Israeli and American hostages — stolen by Hamas terrorists from Israel more than 430 days ago — home to their families. Some of the hostage families have Montgomery County connections.
Of course, Biden’s tenure will also be defined by his decency. Honesty and empathy live deep within him, a product of a tough childhood and a life defined by tragedy. What would have broken lesser men instead somehow strengthened Biden’s patience, grace, and compassion. That decency was on full display here in Maryland as he comforted the families of the men who died when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore.
Make no mistake, presidents who serve fewer than two full terms are often judged harshly in their own times. John Adams, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter and George Herbert Walker Bush would tell you as much. But history has reevaluated these men and judged them among America’s best. Carter’s touching funeral earlier this month provides evidence of how opinions change dramatically over time.
With this week’s inauguration, Biden will fade from the daily news. In time, he will be remembered as a patriot whose legacy is vast and enduring.
Jeff Waldstreicher is a state senator representing District 18, which includes Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Garrett Park, Silver Spring, Wheaton and Rockville.