Biden's Decision Not To Seek Reelection Echoes a Key Moment In My New Book
In POLITICS, PARTNERSHIPS, & POWER, I focus on a woman who urged politicians to leave office "...when they can still walk, when they can still live, still think..."
By announcing he will not seek reelection, President Joe Biden just stepped Democrats back from a looming, political cliff. Thank you, Joe.
I’m the co-author of Politics, Partnerships, & Power, and I can’t help but hear echoes of my book’s main subject, the late U.S. Rep. Marguerite Stitt Church, who announced in 1962, at the age of 68, that she would not run for a 7th term in Congress.
A politician who proudly stepped back
For years, Marguerite Stitt Church supported her husband, U.S. Rep. Ralph E. Church (R-IL), in his political efforts. Then, in 1950, when Ralph died suddenly of a heart attack on Capitol Hill, Marguerite stepped out of the shadows and ran for his vacant seat — and won. She felt an obligation to carry on her husband’s legacy in an era of immense political strife. As one of the first 50 women elected to Congress, Rep. Marguerite Stitt Church went on to reelection 5 more times, breaking several voting records along the way.
Among many other accomplishments during her time as a legislator, Marguerite served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, passed laws that stand to this day, survived gunfire on the House floor, forced open doors for Black citizens, tolerated blatant sexism, championed the passage of The Peace Corps through Congress, and was strongly encouraged to run for the office of Vice President.
Nevertheless, despite her political success and unmatched popularity, Marguerite announced her decision not to seek reelection during her sixth term. At the time of her announcement, she was 68 years old.
When it’s time for a politician to step down
Years later, in her oral history, Marguerite Stitt Church would say, “I think everybody should walk out when they can still walk, when they can still live, still think, and somehow or other make adjustment for themselves — and let the Congress have new leadership.”
As an advocate for mandatory retirement for members of Congress, she quit while she was ahead. She quit while she still had life and energy and optimism. She quit before anyone had to tell her to step aside. She quit with grace and intention. She quit because it was the right thing to do, and because she still had so much left to do away from Capitol Hill.
She trusted that the next generation would take the helm…and that it wasn’t her job to fix everything for everyone. By letting go of the reins and allowing others to step forward, her message was clear: I’ve done what I can, and I have faith in the future.
Stepping down doesn’t have to mean stepping out
While researching Politics, Partnerships, and Power, I found Marguerite Stitt Church’s efforts after retirement both astonishing and admirable.
As just one example of many, in 1971, nearly a decade after her retirement from Congress, she served on the National Planning Board of the White House Council on Aging which considered, among many other issues:
the need for continuous education in the later years as a means to improve the circumstances of older people
long-range goals of educational programs for the elderly
knowledge available on the present status of educational organizations and programs specifically related to the aging
identifiable gaps involved in meeting their educational needs, and
issues relevant to education for older people
Letting go and letting others step in
As a Democrat, I’ve watched President Joe Biden and his administration hold on to their good intentions with such fierce, blind, and unrelenting determination that they haven’t seemed to recognize how they’ve twisted our already deeply concerned party into a guarded, simmering frenzy. Much like a child of divorce who desperately waits and watches and hopes for the adults in the room to get their shit together, the Democratic party has been silencing a collective scream, knowing it won’t help (and will likely make things worse); instead, we’ve been making ourselves small, all the while knowing it’s up to the *grownups* to finally come to their senses.
Reconnecting with hope
While Biden’s announcement today will surely catapult the party into a new set of fireworks, I’m feeling a cautious sense of relief — and even HOPE — that our party now has the chance to stabilize, refocus, and move swiftly and collectively toward preventing a second Trump presidency.
I think back to when our country was in the midst of an economic crisis, naively believing it was the worst of what my kids and their generation might ever experience. At that time, I interviewed President Obama and asked him what he’d say to the children of our country about how bad things had become. During our 2012 interview streamed live on Google Plus, the White House website, and the White House's YouTube channel, President Obama replied to my question by listing prior struggles in American history and offering the kind of hopeful message I wish political leaders would use today:
“We’ve always come out on top as long as we work together to solve some of these problems. I think it’s very important for all of us to remember that whatever the challenges that are out there, we can work through this.”
—Barack Obama
January 30, 2012
These days, I know I’m not alone in needing more inspiring, hopeful messages like Obama’s. The world is more complicated and overwhelming than ever, and I long for a leader who not only hears and validates my concerns but also brings forth energy and action to address the issues in a manner that unites—rather than divides—our nation. I ache for a tonal shift, one that turns away from fearful reactivity and, instead, echoes confidence, healing, and unification.
I’ve seen two political leaders on opposite sides of the aisle accomplish such a task: the honorable Rep. Marguerite Stitt Church and former President Obama. Despite their apparent differences — a white woman and a Black man serving in two different centuries — they shared the same positive, magnetic energy that united, inspired, and encouraged constituents.
Preparing for lame duck drama
Marguerite Stitt Church, upon her retirement, said, “Sometimes one can stay […] too long. It is important to leave while you still have a zest for living, so you can make way for the younger generation.”
I’m grateful that Biden recognizes it’s time to step aside. There’s no doubt that the coming days will be a swirl of “breaking news” headlines and texts, filled with fretting, consternation, and not a little bit of political chaos. None of that drama can erase what Biden and his administration have done to stabilize our country following four tumultuous, stressful, bizarre years under Trump. We survived one term under the orange monster.
We will not go back.
Thank you, President Biden, for your service — and for letting our next generation of leaders step forward.
Christine Wolf is the co-author of Politics, Partnerships, & Power: The Lives of Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church. She’s a memoir-writing coach and founder of Writers’ Haven Evanston, a cooperative writing workspace for women near Chicago. Get in touch at www.christinewolf.com/contact
I wish Michelle Obama would stand. I have always loved her and predicted many years ago that she had the power to outshine her husband