Written by Bryce Leiberman,

"I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."

 — President Joseph Biden

A felon and an 81-year-old sitting president walk into a bar.

Early in the afternoon of July 21, President Joseph R. Biden made history, withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race. His withdrawal has drawn comment from all sides of the political spectrum. One week later, the Young Forwardists, too, have thoughts.

After a July debate performance in which Biden performed underwhelmingly, many Democrats voiced their concerns regarding his candidacy. As a result, in recent weeks, calls for Biden to step down have reached a fever pitch in the Democratic Party. These calls were headlined by notable Congressional Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who doubted Biden's electability and called on him to step down, saying, "I come with a heavy heart to think the time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation."

The Young Forwardists, as representatives of that new generation, agree with Sen. Manchin. After Biden officially endorsed 60-year-old Vice President Kamala Harris, the torch has been passed in the Democratic Party. Harris is uniquely positioned to sway the youth vote, with progressive youth groups across America supporting the presumptive Democratic nominee. Speaking with authority on pressing issues like LGBTQ rights and climate change, Kamala Harris' younger, fresher face has given many youth a reason to care about politics. According to John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, says, “People, especially young people, for so long, for so many important reasons have been despondent about politics, despondent about the direction of the country. It’s weighed on them. And then they wake up the next morning, and it seems like everything’s changed.”

One week after Biden’s withdrawal, the Young Forwardists must reevaluate what we find essential in a new generation of leaders. Joe Biden won the youth vote by over 20 points in 2020, but his support disappeared recently, giving Trump a 6-point lead in the Millennial/Generation Z demographic in a May poll. The poll was only a sign of what was to come, with many voters displaying anxiety over Biden’s fitness and his ability to handle issues like the economy and the Israel-Hamas war.

To the Young Forwardists, it’s clear why Biden lost the youth vote. We want a candidate who is fit, articulate, and resonant with our generation. A race between an octogenarian and a 78-year-old convicted felon was anything but.

Despite his relative political high horse, President Biden grew to recognize that America needs an alternative presence. By putting aside his pride, Biden sacrificed his candidacy for the country in a move that he hopes will make Kamala Harris president. With this decision, our political landscape has changed immeasurably in the lead-up to the November election—a positive change in the eyes of the Young Forwardists.

Regardless of the candidate, the Young Forwardists hope that a newer generation of elected officials will inspire the change that we hope to see in American politics. Setting an example for young people regardless of political affiliation creates a future where we all thrive. Until leaders of all ages can readily admit when they are wrong and act with grace and tolerance, we must strive to hold members of both parties accountable and encourage honesty and openness in politics. For now, the Young Forwardists will do only things we can do.

The Young Forwardists hold high standards for elected officials; representing the youth demographic is the most basic of our expectations. When we reflect on the status of this conflicted election, we realize the need for the Young Forwardists more than ever.

We must inspire change ourselves until elected officials act with the empathy and compassion that is desperately needed in American politics. The Young Forwardists seek to become change makers of the new generation; putting aside dysfunctional partisan politics in favor of solutions that help all people. Until our elected leaders can do the same, we are left in a vastly different, yet surprisingly familiar place one week after Joseph Biden's withdrawal.

A felon and the sitting Vice President walk into a bar.

And the leader of the free world walks out.