The famous journalist Thomas Friedman said that he cried after watching the presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and called on the current US president to “preserve his dignity” and leave the political stage after the end of his current term.

Friedman added in his article in the New York Times that he does not remember a sadder moment in US presidential campaign politics than that debate, highlighting that Biden is a good man and president, but he does not have the right to run for president again.

On the other hand, Friedman described Trump as “a malicious man and a petty president who has learned nothing and forgotten nothing,” and said that he is a “lying machine,” obsessed with his grievances, and has nothing to do with what the United States needs in the 21st century.

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He continued that Biden's team must meet quickly to hold the most difficult talks with the president and search for conditions that give the country an opportunity to deter the threat of Trump's return next November, explaining that Biden himself must announce that he will not run for a second term.

Friedman stated that if the leaders of the Republican Party had an ounce of integrity, they would have done the same thing with Trump, but they will not.

He added that Democrats must put the interests of the United States first, and announce the opening of the door to new Democratic candidates, explaining that this process may be chaotic, but the threat of Trump's return is serious enough to confirm its importance.

Friedman said that Kamala Harris - Biden's deputy - may want to run, and that is her right, but American voters deserve more options in search of a Democratic presidential candidate capable of uniting the party and the country.

The American writer stressed that Biden's retreat from running for the presidency due to his age, and limiting himself to his first term, will make us remember his term "as one of the best presidential terms in our history," and it is enough that it "saved us from a second term for Trump."

He stressed that Biden and his team remained holed up at the Camp David resort in preparation for yesterday's debate, and if what happened was the best performance they asked of him, then surely Biden must preserve his dignity and withdraw from the presidential race, for the country's benefit first and foremost.

But if he insists on running and loses to Trump - Friedman continues - Biden, his family, and the team and members of his party who enabled him will not be able to; From showing their faces.

Source: New York Times+ Aljazeera