Editorial note: Opinions expressed here are solely those of the blogger
This morning I feel like I did back in elementary school on the first day. New backpack, notebook, and pens and pencils. A fresh start. This sense that things are definitely going to be different. But possessing the excitement mixed with uncertainty because I’m not quite sure of how.
I’m referring of course to the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in a few hours from the time I’m writing this post. For the past four years many of us have believed we’re better than this. Not we get to see what “this” looks like.
Forgive the overused analogy but I truly believe that Joe Biden is the man – more appropriately the person, for this particular moment in time. Biden’s history of loss and redemption – personal and political, is well-documented. I’ve heard someone close to Biden describe him as both the luckiest and the unluckiest person he’d ever met.
Of course, throughout the Obama administration, we became familiar with another Joe Biden. The toothy, megawatt grin. The seemingly never-ending gaffes. The what-were-you-thinking? massages. But somehow, throughout it all, I believe we collectively sensed a realness to Joe Biden and were willing to give him a pass in a way we might not for other politicians.
I recall having dinner several years ago with a professional associate. We were talking politics, not from an ideological standpoint, mind you, but focusing on its gamesmanship. My dinner companion made a somewhat jaded, but insightful point. He referred to politicians, regardless of party, as freaks. Sensing my surprised reaction, he made his case: Here you had a group of largely shallow, insecure and self-centered people who are willing to go out and publicly humiliate themselves and their families, repeatedly, all because of some twisted desire to be liked. If you follow current events, and I know many of you do, I don’t believe that assessment is too far off the mark. But I don’t believe it accurately describes Joe Biden.
Unlike other politicians of varied political stripes who appear pre-packaged, Joe Biden is definitely a warts-and-all kind of guy. While Biden will occasionally trip over his own tongue, he doesn’t use it to lash out at others. Rather, he owns up to his mistakes and moves forward. And while, as I noted, tragedy is certainly part of his biographical narrative, I don’t believe Biden ever needlessly exploits it. Rather, his background fuels his empathy, which right now is greatly needed but has been in severely short supply during the past four years.
I want Joe Biden to succeed. And I obviously want all of us to collectively succeed. Fortunately I believe we elected a person who finally recognizes those two goals are one and the same.
shishkabobgirldad 