The New York Times editorial board endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday, declaring that he is “the leader our nation needs now.”
The newspaper’s editorial board wrote that Biden’s “campaign is rooted in steadiness, experience, compassion and decency.” They suggested that a Biden presidency will return a semblance of normalcy to America.
“A President Biden would embrace the rule of law and restore public confidence in democratic institutions,” according to the board. “He would return a respect for science and expertise to the government. He would stock his administration with competent, qualified, principled individuals. He would stand with America’s allies and against adversaries that seek to undermine our democracy.” (RELATED: NYT Editorial Board Endorses Both Warren And Klobuchar For The 2020 Presidential Election)
“He would work to address systemic injustices,” the editorial board continued. “He would not court foreign autocrats or give comfort to white supremacists. His focus would be on healing divisions and rallying the nation around shared values. He would understand that his first duty, always, is to the American people.”
NYT editorial board endorses Biden: “In the midst of unrelenting chaos, Mr. Biden is offering an anxious, exhausted nation something beyond policy or ideology. His campaign is rooted in steadiness, experience, compassion and decency.” https://t.co/WEbnoeqwuv
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) October 7, 2020
In 2016, the board dismissed Trump and backed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president.
This year, the board praised Biden for having “a long and distinguished record of accomplishment.” The former vice president also “has an unusually rich grasp of and experience in foreign policy,” according to the editorial board.
“Mr. Biden is not an ideological purist or a bomb-thrower,” the NYT wrote. “Some will see this as a shortcoming or hopelessly naïve. Certainly, it’s unlikely that if Republicans retain control of the Senate, their leader, Mitch McConnell, will abandon his policy of fanatical obstructionism of any Democratic president.”
The endorsement also praised Biden’s running mate, Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris, pointing out that a win “would become a number of firsts” for the vice presidential spot. The board called Harris “tough” and “smart” and declared that “she is progressive, but not radical.” The NYT also stated that she is a fresher face than Biden.
“Mr. Biden isn’t a perfect candidate and he wouldn’t be a perfect president,” the editorial board added. “But politics is not about perfection. It is about the art of the possible and about encouraging America to embrace its better angels.”