Bill Clinton Compares Joe Biden to George Washington for ‘Giving Up Political Power’

President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton attend an event marking the 30th ann
Official White House/Adam Schultz via Flickr
Olivia Rondeau

Former President Bill Clinton took to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) stage Wednesday night to compare President Joe Biden to George Washington.

Clinton, 78, praised the current president for quitting the 2024 race — and likened it to when the first president set the precedent for leaving office after two terms. 

“He voluntarily gave up political power,” the forty-second president said of Biden to the audience. 

“George Washington knew that, and he did it, and he set the standard for us serving two terms before it was mandatory,” Clinton continued. “It helped his legacy, and it will enhance Joe Biden’s legacy.”

The crowd cheered before he used the moment to snark at Republicans. 

“It’s a stark contrast to what goes on in the other party,” Clinton remarked. “So I want to thank him for his courage, compassion, his class, his service, his sacrifice.”

Unlike Biden, Washington did not quit after running an unsuccessful reelection campaign — he willingly retired after being elected twice. 

“​​Bill Clinton just compared #JoeBiden to George Washington. I didn’t actually know George Washington personally, of course, but Joe Biden is no George Washington,” said stock broker and radio personality Peter Schiff:

Despite the narrative that Biden stepped down of his own free will, several outlets reported that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) pressured the president to withdraw.

One Democrat source with knowledge of the situation told Politico that Biden bowed out just before Pelosi made him do it “the hard way.”

“Nancy made clear that they could do this the easy way or the hard way,” the insider told the outlet. “She gave them three weeks of the easy way. It was about to be the hard way.”

The outlet explained that the “hard way” would include Pelosi taking what had been private efforts she was a part of to get Biden to exit the race into the public discourse.

Clinton also praised Biden for how he handled the coronavirus pandemic, the economic crisis, and the wars in Europe and the Middle East.

“He healed our sick and put the rest of us back to work. He strengthened our alliances for peace and security. Stood up for Ukraine, trying desperately to get a cease fire in the Middle East.”

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