Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Joe Biden may ultimately be remembered as the most successful one-term president in American history. His presidency, though polarizing, has been marked by substantial legislative achievements and a steady recovery from a global pandemic. Biden signed into law landmark bills, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act—major investments in infrastructure, climate action, and domestic manufacturing not seen in decades. Under his leadership, unemployment hit historic lows, the economy rebounded more swiftly than many predicted, and NATO was reinvigorated amid the war in Ukraine.

Yet, despite these accomplishments, Biden has been relentlessly targeted by the GOP. Their attacks are not just political—they’re deeply personal and often unfounded. Republican leaders have pursued investigations and floated impeachment talk not rooted in substantive evidence, but seemingly designed to distract from the legal and ethical quagmire surrounding Donald Trump. As Trump faces multiple criminal indictments and civil judgments, conservative media and politicians have worked to manufacture scandal around Biden, often focusing on his son Hunter’s business dealings rather than the president’s own record.

Biden’s resilience in the face of such hostility is emblematic of his life. He has endured profound personal tragedies: the death of his first wife and daughter in a car accident, and later the heartbreaking loss of his son Beau to cancer. These experiences have shaped his political identity, endearing him to many as a figure of empathy and perseverance.

Yet, this humanity is often ignored by a GOP more focused on political expediency than truth. Their attacks on Biden, driven by a desire to shield Trump and obscure his failings, may define this political era—but they will not erase the president’s substantial legacy of service and achievement.