While some leftists cheered the news that President Trump and first lady Melania Trump had contracted the coronavirus, Joe Biden decided to take a different route — and it’s a good thing he did.
Wishing the Trumps well, Biden released a simple and kind statement, the likes of which have been hard to find.
Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2020
Such cordiality should be the norm in politics, but in recent years, we have learned that it is not. Trump is as much a symptom of this problem as he is a contributor to it. Biden certainly has his moments, too, but this was an important opportunity to lead by example, and he did just that.
Compare Biden’s response to other Democrats’:
“There is a God,” ESPN baseball writer Marly Rivera wrote in a since-deleted tweet shortly after the news broke.
Political activist and Parkland shooting survivor Cameron Kasky shared a video of himself laughing about Trump’s positive test:
My sincere apologies to the president and First Lady.
Wishing them a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/W9VqUGcBtS
— Cam (@cameron_kasky) October 2, 2020
And still more said things like this:
I’m not one to laugh at other people’s suffering, but….
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Burn in hell you mother fucker#COVID19 #TrumpHasCovid #coronavirus #TrumpIsARacist #TrumpLiedPeopleDied #Trump @realDonaldTrump
— Danielle Muscato (@DanielleMuscato) October 2, 2020
And this:
PLS DIE PLS DIE PLS DIE https://t.co/xolkdnZSpX
— nedarb (@NEDARBNAGROM) October 2, 2020
I’d like to believe that the vast majority of people see these reactions and feel sad — sad for the state of our discourse, which has led some to think comments like this are acceptable, and sad for the state of our nation, which is so wrought by polarization that some seem to have forgotten that Trump is a human being too. I can’t speak for Biden, but he seems to understand how discouraged many people feel. At least he says he does. And if that’s the case, he should make it clear that he not only wishes the president well, but condemns any vitriol from the Left that suggests otherwise.
This is an opportunity for Biden to lead his party and prove that he will be better than the radical factions that many fear. He should treat it as such.
