Biden Battles for Legacy, Believing He Could Have Won

President ends term listing wins-and facing criticism on Trump

- By Erich Schwartzel, Emily Glazer and Annie Linskey

The beginning of the end of Joe Biden's political life was off to a very slow start.

The Monday speeches at the Democratic National Convention in August had run over their allotted time, delaying Biden's swan song address to delegates. Organizers rushed to speed things up. A video highlighting his 50-year career in politics was scrapped.

When the country's oldest president finally took the stage in Chicago at 10:27 p.m., the crowd erupted with chants of "We love Joe!" For 50 minutes, Biden extolled his administration's accomplishments and touted the qualifications of Vice President Kamala Harris, who later that week would accept the nomination that once belonged to Biden.

Toward the end of the speech, Biden quoted a Gene Scheer song, "American Anthem." "The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day," the president recited. "What shall our legacy be?" But Biden tripped over the key word: "legacy." It was a fitting start to Biden's final public chapter, replete with poor timing, awkward execution and an imperfect crafting of his own legacy.

When Biden later jetted off to regroup at the 8,000-acre estate of his friend and donor Joe Kiani outside of Santa Barbara, Calif., he was already grappling with the consequences of the choice he had made to give up on re-election.

"If he ran, he really thought he was going to win," said Kiani, a medical technology entrepreneur. "By not running, he was worried Trump would win. He just didn't want to win at any cost." A look at Biden's final months in office reveals a White House toggling between nostalgia and what-ifs. This report is based on interviews with more than 30 people, including close associates, Democratic allies and those who have spent time with the president in recent weeks.