When he heard George Washington would step down as America’s first president, King George III said: “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.” To be fair, Washington was much younger than Joe Biden today and could have continued for as long as he wanted.

Biden nevertheless has a chance to earn history’s affection and his country’s respect by avoiding what would surely be a painful second term. All political careers end in failure, someone said. The exception would be those that end at a moment of their choosing.

The time for such a self-denying declaration by Biden is so good that it is almost certain not to happen. It is hard to think of a presidential year since the mid-1980s that has gone as well as 2022 has for Biden. He began it on a slow funeral march. Insiders had written off his chances of passing meaningful legislation. His foreign policy was in disarray after the previous summer’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal. And a midterm election wipeout for Democrats was taken as read.