Summary
President Joe Biden leaves office with a legacy of leading the U.S. out of the COVID-19 pandemic, advancing infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy, and rallying global support for Ukraine.
However, since live television’s rise more than half a century ago, the skills needed to run for president have diverged from those required to govern.
This led many voters to doubt his capability despite his achievements, forcing him to withdraw from the 2024 race.
Meanwhile, voters have been less critical of Donald Trump’s age, overlooking unpopular policies like tariffs that hurt farmers and manufacturing.
Many Republicans and independent voters accepted Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election being stolen and justified the January 6 Capitol attack, enabling his return to office.
This has been all too true and a big reason candidates seem to keep getting worse, but it’s been dialed up a notch by streaming media. I’d go further: since streaming’s rise a decade or so ago, the skills needed to run for president have diverged from any ethical humanity