Joe Biden’s NZ parallel
Joe Biden has stepped down from seeking re-election for US President. While it may have seemed obvious that he needed to, the important point is that he still needed to. I can’t imagine Trump, or many politicians (Luxon, Seymour, Peters to name three that sprint to mind) making the same play. Narcissists can’t see outside their own self-interest - it’s what makes a narcissist.
What Biden’s selfless action has done is give the Democrats, America and, arguably, the world a chance to escape from 4 more disastrous years of Donald Trump, his ego and acolytes. After his disastrous debate, followed up by introducing President Zelenski as President Putin, the result of a Biden V Trump election would have likely slid to its obvious conclusion.
THe New Zealand parallel?
Andrew Little made exactly the same play, even more humbly in my opinion has he wasn’t making any obvious gaffs, when he stood down as Labour leader making the way for Jacinda Ardern. Again, few politicians would have made that decision. Most cling onto power until their party inserts enough knives in their back to see them bleeding in the gutter. After Little’s move, the trajectory of the election changed and Labour secured enough votes to ultimately secure the government benches.
The widely expected move of Kamala Harris leading the Democrats I hope will have the same effect on the American election. She is, after all, everything that Trump is not and will surely have far greater appeal to young voters, non-white voters, women voters, non-binary voters and … non-redneck voters of any persuasion.
If you want to read more about Andrew Little’s move (and his career) - How one man quitting changed Labour's trajectory
