Biden's Upbringing and Family Legacy Shape His Political Career

President Joe Biden often refers to his upbringing as "the sc***** kid from Scranton," Pennsylvania. Joe Biden Sr. lost his job after World War II, struggled with alcohol, and eventually found middle-class work selling cars near Wilmington, Delaware. Biden's relationship with his father contrasts with many recent presidents who had absent, distant, abusive, or alcoholic fathers or stepfathers. Joe Biden Sr. told his son, "The measure of a man is not how often he is knocked down, but how quickly he gets up." This support was crucial during Biden's political career and after the tragic car crash that killed his wife and daughter.

On the 2020 campaign trail, Biden cited his father's belief that the highest calling for a person is to be a good parent. This belief influenced Biden's own parenting style and political rhetoric. Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump all had complex relationships with their fathers, shaping their presidencies in different ways.

Biden's final campaign is defined more by his opponent, Donald Trump, than by his own record. His legacy could be seen as either saving democracy twice or as a brief interruption in the rise of Trumpism. The Guardian observed Biden on the campaign trail in swing states, noting his struggle to inspire a second-term vision. Biden is less popular than other members of his party, trailing Trump by six points in a swing-state poll.

During a campaign stop at Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Atlanta, Biden received moderate applause and spoke without notes for five minutes. Biden warned that Trump and his supporters want to undo the progress made during his presidency, emphasizing the threat to democracy. At a wealthier event at the Arthur M. Blank Family office, Biden listed his accomplishments and promised to restore the constitutional right to abortion if Democrats control Congress.

Biden's weakness may be due to a lack of enthusiasm among African American voters, with his support among Black voters dropping compared to 2020. At a speech at the NAACP dinner in Detroit, Biden claimed to have reduced Black child poverty, reconnected Black neighborhoods, and invested $16 billion in historically Black colleges and universities. However, some of his claims, such as the racial wealth gap being at its lowest level in 20 years, are disputed by Federal Reserve data.

Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, described Biden as lacking magnetism and being charisma-challenged, which affects his ability to energize and mobilize voters. Despite these challenges, Biden's political career has been marked by personal tragedies, including the death of his first wife and daughter in a car crash and his son Beau's death from cancer, events that have shaped his resilience and commitment to public service.

Conservative Bias:

Oh, here we go again with the liberal media trying to paint Joe Biden as some kind of sc***** hero from Scranton. Let's cut through the nonsense: Biden's upbringing is nothing more than a convenient sob story to distract from his disastrous presidency. They want you to believe he's "saving democracy" when in reality, he's dragging this country down with his socialist policies. His so-called accomplishments are a joke—he's promising to restore abortion rights while ignoring the real issues like inflation, crime, and our crumbling borders. And let's not even get started on his pathetic attempts to pander to African American voters with dubious claims about reducing Black child poverty and investing in Black colleges. The truth is, Biden is a charisma-challenged, out-of-touch politician who can't even inspire his own party, let alone the nation. His campaign is a desperate attempt to cling to power, and it's time we see through the charade.

Liberal Bias:

Joe Biden's journey from Scranton to the White House is a testament to his resilience and commitment to public service, despite the relentless attacks from the right. The conservative media would have you believe that Biden is some kind of ineffectual leader, but they conveniently ignore his significant achievements like reducing Black child poverty and investing billions in historically Black colleges and universities. The real threat to democracy is Donald Trump and his cronies, who are hell-bent on undoing the progress we've made. Biden's struggle to inspire isn't a reflection of his abilities, but rather a symptom of the toxic political environment created by Republicans. They thrive on division and fear, undermining any effort to bring this country together. Biden's personal tragedies have only strengthened his resolve to serve the American people, and it's high time we recognize the stark contrast between his genuine empathy and the callousness of his predecessor.