The Washington Post editorial board endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, joining a number of other newspapers to back him for the upcoming election.

“Fortunately, to oust President Trump in 2020, voters do not have to lower their standards. The Democratic nominee, former vice president Joe Biden, is exceptionally well-qualified, by character and experience, to meet the daunting challenges that the nation will face over the coming four years,” the editorial board wrote in an opinion piece published on Monday.

The piece launched attacks at President Donald Trump’s job in office, as the president’s “negative example has demonstrated how essential in a president are decency, empathy and respect for other human beings”—all characteristics that Biden would “restore.”

Trump has “few accomplishments in his first term and no agenda for his second,” the board wrote. 

The board also said that the challenges at the forefront in the country were “created, exacerbated or neglected by the incumbent,” citing the coronavirus pandemic, racial inequality and climate change.

“Underlying them all is the question of whether U.S. democracy is any longer capable of meeting even one such challenge, let alone a host of them. Here is where Mr. Trump has done the most damage—and where Mr. Biden is almost uniquely positioned for the moment. He would restore decency, honor and competence to America’s government,” the editorial board stated.

The board touted the former vice-president’s ability to reach across the aisle and ensure unity within the Democratic Party, providing a “deep commitment to finding the common ground.”

The piece recalled Biden’s early defeats in Iowa and New Hampshire, with headlines and politicians predicting that his chances to become the party’s presidential nominee were down the drain. But “Biden didn’t believe the pundits,” according to the board, and his campaign persisted, bringing him into the national spotlight after beating Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The editorial board also praised his foreign policy plans, noting, “Mr. Biden offers an enormously positive change from the Trump administration, simply by promising to rebuild long-standing U.S. alliances and the global leadership that Mr. Trump has willfully disrupted.”

Later in the piece, the board also emphasized Biden’s ability to “rise to the occasion” if he wins in November, with a potential second wave of the deadly coronavirus approaching.

“He would rejoin the Paris accord on climate change and seek to revive the nuclear deal with Iran. He would reverse Mr. Trump’s senseless withdrawal from the World Health Organization, and commit the United States to multilateral efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” the board added.

Above all, Biden is “both honorable and successful,” qualities in a president that the country “desperately” needs.

“Democracy is at risk, at home and around the world,” the board wrote. “The nation desperately needs a president who will respect its public servants; stand up for the rule of law; acknowledge Congress’s constitutional role; and work for the public good, not his private benefit.”

“Just as desperately, it needs a president with the know-how and experience to show that values and results can go together. It is fortunate to have, in Joe Biden, a candidate who can lead an administration that is both honorable and successful,” it concluded.

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill.

Image: Reuters