In Defense of Joe Biden

Joseph R. Biden, 46th President of the United States

I think I heard his poll numbers are now on the rebound, so perhaps he doesn't need any defenders right now. For a while, though, Joe Biden faced incoming in the form of low approval numbers from all directions. In any case, it's not popular, but I actually like President Biden. I think he is doing a decent job -- as good of a job as could be expected of anyone right now. Here are a few of my thoughts:

First, Biden is a creature of Washington. People tend to like outsider candidates, but being an insider means Biden knows how the system works. Both how it can work and how it might work again under the circumstances.

Second, he is presently at the peak and conclusion of his career, so he has nothing to lose. He is making decisions and acting with courage based on what he believes is right. The key example of this is the Afghanistan withdrawal. I admire how he handled this decision, while acknowledging it certainly was not a pleasant experience watching the Taliban return to power so swiftly. But Biden has been totally consistent across time, and he took it on the chin - a lot of shit from all across the political spectrum for what happened there as we left Afghanistan. He never wavered.

Finally, I have been impressed by his ability to balance the right priorities. Perhaps juggling is a better metaphor than balance. These are domestic crises (wealth inequality and student loan relief, creeping fascism and Donald Trump, and the lingering coronavirus pandemic); international crises (ending the American war in Afghanistan and responding with strength to Russia’s war against Ukraine); and global crises (climate). Overall and in spite of his age, Joe Biden is holding up and doing well under extremely trying circumstances.