Biden’s failure is even more profound: he’s helped Trump come back stronger than ever. After four years in the wilderness, Trump and his allies have had plenty of time to learn from their mistakes. They’ve completed their takeover of the Republican Party, built or absorbed a network of think tanks and political action committees, cowed the last holdouts in Silicon Valley, and wooed Wall Street. America, and the world, would probably have been better off if Trump had just been re‐elected in 2020. As it is, the situation is a bit like taking away a drunk driver’s keys and then handing them back once he’s downed a couple more drinks.
Biden’s defenders will argue that he alone can’t be held responsible for Trump’s victory. They’re right, although not in the way they think. If anything, they’re more culpable than Biden himself.
