Rich Bernstein: “Who More Than Self, Their Country Loved”

Richard Bernstein is a Charter Member of the Society for the Rule of Law Institute. He is a former partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher and a former partner at Sidley Austin. He clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia from 1987-88 and Judge Amalya Kearse from 1986-87.

Everyone I know — Republican and Democrat — agrees when they hear Ray Charles sing the line in “America The Beautiful” that praises patriots “who more than self, their country loved.” That line reflects our longing for political and legal leaders who sacrifice their most powerful personal ambitions for the country, an idea, or an ideal.

President Joe Biden has now joined that rare list. Even with all his recent troubles, before withdrawing, President Biden had some chance to be reelected. If only because former President Trump often undermines his own prospects, as he did most recently in his rambling convention speech last Thursday. President Biden’s withdrawal thus sacrificed his chance to keep the job he has wanted for at least 36 years.

President Biden’s personal sacrifice, although rare, is not unique even in our self-centered age. Former Vice President Pence sacrificed his political career when he repeatedly said no to former President Trump and refused to overturn Trump’s loss of the 2020 election. So did Sen. Mitt Romney when he voted to convict former President Trump at Trump’s impeachment trials. Rep. Liz Cheney sacrificed her legislative career when she led the Jan. 6 Committee investigation. Justice Stephen Breyer, while still at the top of his game, sacrificed when he retired from the job he loved the most because he thought the country and the Supreme Court would be better off if Joe Biden named his replacement.

Perhaps it is old-fashioned or naive to praise leaders when they make personal sacrifices. But it is such people who got us here. When the signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged “our Lives [and] our Fortunes” to a difficult battle against the world’s most powerful nation and military, there was a significant chance that they’d lose both. And President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address praised the Civil War dead who “gave the last full measure of devotion” to save our nation.

Our country would be better off if our nation’s future leaders emulate President Biden and the others who, since our nation’s founding, have exhibited that they “more than self, their country loved.” Let us hope.