Why Biden gives Trump some space
Since the U.S. election on Nov. 3, presidential scholars and former administration officials have warned that President Donald Trump is harming American democracy by refusing to accept that he lost his bid for a second term. Meanwhile,聽President-elect Joe Biden has聽mainly focused on preparing to govern. He has criticized Mr. Trump鈥檚 stonewalling as embarrassing and called him one of the 鈥渕ost irresponsible presidents in American history."聽Yet whether deliberately or not, his reluctance to speak out both frequently and forcefully聽reflects the wisdom in the proverb that 鈥渁 soft answer turneth away wrath.鈥澛燚irect engagement with Trump or his spokespeople might evoke even stronger anger.聽
And they have made room for deeper qualities 鈥� patience, integrity, truth 鈥� to prevail as more people realize the election was fair, honest, and proven.聽鈥淭he challenge is to give people space to step back from the binary, tribal thinking in which you are either a friend or an enemy,鈥� writes Robert Kuttner, co-editor of The American Prospect and a professor at Brandeis University.
In such tense situations,聽the wise appeal to conscience. During one of Mr. Trump鈥檚 legal challenges to election procedures, a judge in Pennsylvania posed聽the聽question to Mr. Trump鈥檚 counsel: 鈥淚 ask you as a member of this court whether there were Republican observers in the vote counting room?鈥� The president鈥檚 lawyers quietly backed down. When Michigan鈥檚 top two state Republican legislators met with Mr. Trump last week, they said afterward that the 鈥渟imple truths鈥� of a 鈥渄eliberate process free from threats and intimidation鈥� would restore confidence in the election process.
As more states certify the results of their counts and recounts, officials on the front line cite what motivates their work.聽
鈥淲orking as an engineer throughout my life, I live by the motto that numbers don鈥檛 lie,鈥� said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican. In Arizona, Clint Hickman, a Republican on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, said, 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to violate the law or deviate from my own moral compass as some have pushed me to do.鈥�
Statements like that from the heart, especially from Republican leaders, are necessary to bring around the majority of GOP voters who聽still believe the false assertions of conspiracy and illegality.聽When those working on these elections model integrity and grace, their actions speak with a compelling moral authority.
Nine presidents have faced defeat for a second term. Only one has refused to accept the voters鈥� verdict. The transition of power on Jan. 20 is inevitable but will benefit聽from a gentle, wise, and conciliatory聽approach. Mr. Biden sets an example by insisting Americans stop treating opponents as an enemy. 鈥淭he Bible tells us that to everything there is a season 鈥� a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal,鈥� he said after the election. 鈥淭his is the time to heal in America.鈥� Leaders in both parties are starting to show how.
