Joe Biden has stood the test of time. He should be the next president: Tom Vilsack A former Iowa governor says Joe Biden can help heal our nation and return a sense of normalcy and decency to the White House.

Tom Vilsack | Opinion contributor

In one of the early episodes of "Wolf Hall," a PBS Masterpiece Theatre presentation, one of the characters laments that England in 1531 is in “disorder." That comment struck home for me as I began to make a decision about whom I would support in the Iowa caucus. The choice was for me — and I suspect for others — a difficult one, made so by the number and quality of candidates from which to choose.

My wife Christie and I made the decision that we would try initially to help anyone who asked. As a result, we traveled to events for individual candidates, invited them to our home and provided policy advice on a variety of rural centric topics. I am particularly proud of all the candidates who put out extensive, comprehensive and thoughtful plans to improve life and economic opportunity in rural places. Their efforts will ensure that our nominee will have much to say during the general election about a rebuilt rural economy.

I share the concern deeply held by many Americans of all political persuasions that our country is in a state of “disorder." President Trump and his administration continually abuse power, disrupt key foreign alliances and undermine democratic norms. The stakes for the nation in the upcoming election have not been this high in my lifetime. This places a serious responsibility on all of us who will participate in the caucus and who will vote in the general election.

Experience to bring us together

My experiences as a governor and cabinet secretary shaped my decision process. At this point in time, I think the next president must have the unique combination of the experience and the personal relationships with leaders of both parties to begin the hard work of bringing us together again as one nation. The candidate I support must have a progressive vision for the country that builds upon past policy successes while addressing in a real and practical way our major domestic challenges: millions of Americans without access to affordable healthcare, a shrinking middle class, our broken immigration system and an unfair justice system.

Our next president will also be confronted with a world in need of American involvement and leadership to secure our country and others against the threats posed by terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, pandemics, cyber attacks and climate change. I believe my party’s nominee should have the necessary foreign policy experience and personal relationships with global leaders to start from day one of the new administration repairing the significant damage done to America’s global standing by the current administration.

The most obvious point to make in selecting a nominee is electability. No leader can change the direction of a country or improve people’s lives if he or she can’t win the election. Given the highest possible stakes in this election, electability has an enhanced role in deciding who the nominee should be.

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As I thought about the candidate who has the ability to bring us together as one nation, the progressive but practical vision for progress at home, the experience and personal relationships to repair America’s image abroad, and the best chance at winning the states we have to win to govern, I concluded that Joe Biden is the person for the job.

Joe Biden can build on Democratic successes

I have known Joe Biden for over 30 years. I ran my first race for mayor, because Joe reminded me that the penalty for not getting involved is that people less qualified than you get elected. I learned from him how to work with others across the aisle as a state senator and governor. I remain privileged and honored to have worked with him for 8 years during the Obama administration.

As a result of those experiences I am confident he can help heal our nation and return a sense of normalcy and decency to the White House. I know he can build on the success of the Affordable Care Act to again expand affordable health care coverage to the more than a million Americans who have lost coverage during the current administration. He remains committed to rebuilding the middle class in all parts of our country including rural, small town America. He understands the complex and often dangerous world we live in and no candidate in the race has the experience and the relationships to keep us as safe and secure as Joe Biden.

While some may argue that Joe Biden’s lifetime of public service is a draw-back, I see it as a strength. I see a well-defined candidate, who has withstood the test of time. I see a candidate who will best stand up to the character assassination attempts that we know are coming. I know Joe Biden to be a good and decent man. I believe a majority of Americans will find that Joe Biden is the person best prepared and best positioned to heal the divisions within our country and to end the “disorder” of the last 3 years.

For all of these reasons I will proudly caucus on February 3, 2020 for Joe Biden.

Tom Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, was the secretary of Agriculture under Barack Obama.