On January 20, 2025, President Joe Biden’s four-year term will come to a close, marking the end of an era for the Democratic Party. His presidency signifies the twilight of the old guard and ushers in a new phase in American politics. Joe Biden, a centrist with a storied career, restored the dignity and respect stripped from the Oval Office by Trump’s reign. This analysis explores Joe Biden’s image, both before and during his presidency, examining the ways in which his character and winding political journey shaped his leadership. The U.S. closes a very important chapter with the departure of this president, one that will not be seen again until the air of polarisation abates and decency in politics becomes common practice again, something that at this point seems impossible.
Both friends and foes have always underestimated Joe Biden. Proof of this is the very peculiar way he became his party's candidate in the most crowded and diverse primary in history and was subsequently elected president. Several electoral milestones emerged from the 2020 election. Biden became the most voted president in history, the oldest at the time, the fifteenth vice president to win the presidency, the second Catholic, and the first to have a woman as vice president.
Those who attribute his electoral success merely to having been Barack Obama's vice president are entirely mistaken. Much of the character and charisma that defined and helped Biden in his third bid for the presidency was marked by the various tragedies he faced in his life. Such events were the death of his first wife and daughter in 1972, having suffered two aneurysms that almost cost him his life in the late eighties and the death of his son Beau in 2015. Added to this, his conciliatory rhetoric and more than 40 years of experience made him a strong contender for the presidency.
Once elected, Biden faced a once in a century debacle. The pandemic was still raging, the political landscape in Congress was polarised if not ossified, and days before taking office, Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the ratification of the election. Moderation and dialogue had never been so needed in American politics, and Biden tried to champion these causes.
The Biden administration had its fair share of successes, at least on its own terms. Among his achievements, Biden can list: the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus boosting the economy through the pandemic; the reduction of unemployment, reaching historically low levels; the reintegration of the U.S. into the Paris agreement; the strengthening of Medicare and Social Security; and the signing of a law that protects equal marriage at the national level.Â
Despite these defining initiatives, the 46th president also met with myriad shortcomings, some from his own hand. His most notorious failures are the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan; the lack of significant gun reform; the failure to approve comprehensive immigration reform; and the failure to fully approve the "Build Back Better" plan (BBB). Furthermore, Biden become the president with the most deportations carried out; more than 271,000 people over the last year. And the presidential pardon he gave to his son, Hunter, also rankles. Biden, as president, was a rather complex character, notwithstanding the dearth of attention he received.
Indeed, the twilight of Joe Biden's presidency will be marked by the abandonment of the Democratic Party which he had served for more than half a century. Even so, the Democrats have never been so indebted to another president than him. Due to the high polarisation that has re-emerged stronger with Trump's return to the White House, it will be very difficult for any other Democratic candidate in the future to consolidate a coalition as extensive as the one Biden had. By far, Biden was the best option for the US in an attempt to once again give certainty and dignity to the highest office of the nation at a time of division and hatred.
Joe Biden 50+ years in politics have now concluded - having been a Councilman of New Castle County in Delaware for two years (1971-1973), Senator for 36 years (1973-2009), Vice President for 8 years (2009-2017) and President for four years (2021-2025). The generational torch has been passed in the Democratic Party, at last. Without owing anything to anyone, Biden retires from the political stage and consolidates himself as one of the most important references of what it means to be a presidential figure. Hopefully, his image will inspire future leaders.
Image: Flickr/The White House (Adam Schultz)
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