I spent 100 days putting together a list of reasons to be excited about Joe Biden — one new reason for every day.
To write this series about Joe, I’ve read a number of biographies about him, countless articles about him, his own speeches, and the writings of those closes to him.
All of this research has greatly increased by enthusiasm about Biden. Putting together these 100 reasons made me realize that Joe Biden has five essential qualities that will make him the exact right president for these times.
First, he is a decent, honorable, and honest man.
Second, he knows how to get things done.
Third, he has a history of fighting for the American people.
Fourth, he has great plans for his presidency.
Fifth, he has qualities that fit the particular demands of this unique moment in American history.
Here is each quality along with some evidence for it (each piece of evidence contains a link if you want more information).
1. Biden is a good, decent, honest, and honorable human being
Biden knows love and commitment Very few people would do what Joe did — spending 4 hours a day in transit so that he could take care of his boys after his wife died (without uprooting their lives). But Biden did. His family, and his commitment to that family, came first.
Biden has felt pain and found empathy Biden lost his wife and daughter and then his son. Those losses shaped him into the man of decency and compassion we see today. The suffering Biden went through led him to grow and develop amazing empathy, kindness, and purpose.
Biden is a man of Character Character is about what you do when no one is watching. Joe Biden does the right thing again and again and again because he genuinely cares for people. He is always the last one to leave an event because he wants to make sure everyone who wants to gets a handshake, a picture, and someone to listen to them.
Biden is patient Joe asked Jill to marry him not because he wanted to marry her (although he really, really wanted to marry her) but because his boys told him to. It took a while for her to say yes, but she eventually did and they have been happy ever since. Joe was willing to wait for Jill because he knows how important love is and is willing to be patient for it
Biden is a mensch Biden went to a memorial service for a woman who gave him just $18 every time he ran. It was in the basement of a low income apartment and barely anyone was there — no press. He just wanted to honor a woman who supported him for years. That’s Biden.
Biden is a person of faith You don’t have to be a person of faith to have a solid moral code that leads you to want to do the right thing. But some people of faith do find that their faith grounds them, gives them strength, and leads them to want to help others. Biden is just such a person.
Biden is a genuinely kind man Like the time Biden was caught helping a homeless man when he thought no one was watching. That is Biden.
Biden is not afraid to take the side of good over evil Joe Biden is not afraid to quickly and decisively take sides when one side is morally bankrupt. What matters to Joe is what is *right* not who supports him. If you are a good person who doesn’t support him, he won’t hold a grudge. If you are an asshole who supports him, he wants no part of you
Biden hates bullies Biden was raised to hate bullies. He was horrified by the slaughter in Bosnia and called it what it was — genocide. He pushed both Bush and Clinton to stand up against tyranny. He told Milosevic. “I think you are a damn war criminal,” Biden can’t stomach people using their power to harm or belittle others.
Biden refuses to define others by their biggest mistakes Biden knows he has made mistakes in his life (as we all have). Biden admits them and works to grow and learn from his mistakes. Importantly, he gives that same grace to other people.
Biden values family When Biden stepped into the Vice President’s office in 2008, he told his staff something they did not expect. "The absolute most important thing is your family” Biden told them. “Make sure that’s all taken care, of. I don’t want to hear that you’re putting off going to a Little League game, or that you’re straining your relationships because you’re not seeing your loved ones.”
Biden has a great sense of humor There is something human, kind, and fun about being the kind of person who likes to laugh with others.
Biden loved the Biden/Obama memes. This shows us more evidence of the person Joe is — someone fun, who can laugh at himself, and who values his friendship with another man enough to want to enjoy reminders of that bond. That is something special
Joe Biden doesn't hold personal grudges. He has the maturity to see that every slight or misstep is not about him and that gives him the ability to focus on what really needs to be done for the good of the country. Biden will worry about what is best for us, not who has wronged him personally.
Biden believes in democracy. He has dedicated his life to it. Throughout his 40 years of public service, he has repeatedly shown that he sees elected office as a sacred trust where you work to make people’s lives better. He will fight like hell for that now, after November 3rd, and after his inauguration as our 46th president.
Biden takes the steps to help people Joe Biden is a man that sees others in need and automatically thinks “How can I help this person (or these people)?” That is because Joe combines two amazing qualities: empathy and expertise.
Biden is not an elitist He was raised to believe that no one was better than him and he wasn't better than anyone else. Biden doesn’t value people with money and connections more than people without. That may seem like an obvious statement, but it excludes a lot of politicians.
Biden is a progressive in the true sense of the word. Being a progressive means not just wanting our society to progress to a better place (which he does), but being listen to other people, learn, and change.
Biden hates those who abuse their power. One thread that has gone through Joe Biden's entire life -- both political and personal -- is an abhorrence of those who abuse their power. It was integral in his early championship of civil rights, his long standing dedication to fighting against violence against women, and his relationships with his family, employees, and constituents.
Biden has deep friendships with both men and women. John McCain said there wasn’t a mean bone in Biden’s body. Bernie Sanders said Biden is one of the few people in the Senate to treat him with respect before he became the beloved “Bernie". Obama called him his best friend and a brother. Biden is the kind of decent, empathic, and joyful person who draws others to him.
Biden's battle with stuttering made him a better man. It shaped his life. Not only did it teach him to work hard to improve himself but it gave him empathy for everyone who is struggling. It gave him a lifeline disdain for bullies. It introduced him to the joy of making a difference in people’s lives.
Biden models a healthy masculinity and rejects toxic masculinity at every turn. Toxic masculinity leads to suppressing emotions, devaluing women, and valuing only dominance and never compasion. Biden is strong but also acknowledges pain and emotions in himself and others. He will be a great role model by encouraging all people (male and female) to be both strong and vulnerable
Biden loves dogs 'We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals," said Kant
2. Biden knows how to get things done.
Biden ran the Obama economic recovery Biden oversaw a nearly $800 billion government-spending program involving more than 100,000 projects. He was enthusiastic, focused on details, and highly motivated to minimize waste and fraud. He pushed for pro-worker provisions, green energy projects, and light rail.
Biden has foreign policy swag Biden has an enormous amount of experience in foreign policy and he is damn good at it.
Biden knows when he can work with Republicans Biden has shown that he knows how to get the votes he needs to get good things done. He met with Arlen Specter six times in person and called him an additional eight times to get his ACA vote. We wouldn’t have the ACA without him. He worked for months to get R votes to raise the debt ceiling. It wouldn’t have happened without him.
Biden knows when he can’t work with Republicans Biden was often the voice of reason in the Obama WH pointing out to others that they wouldn’t get R votes for a lot of things when others assumed they would. He isn’t naïve. He is politically astute.
Biden will listen to experts "It's hard to believe this has to be said," Biden said, retweeting Trump's hit on Birx, "but if I'm elected president, I’ll spend my Monday mornings working with our nation’s top experts to control this virus”
Biden is just the right mix of pragmatic and idealistic. In order to get the *right* things done, a politician should have just the right mix of idealism and pragmatism. Idealism points them in the right direction and the pragmaticism gets them there. Joe has the perfect mix of these.
Biden gets back up. Biden’s parents taught him that the mark of a person wasn’t whether they got knocked down, it was whether they got back up. Biden gets back up. He did it when his wife and daughter died, he did it when his son died, he did it when failed professionally. Joe Biden gets back up and he will lead America as we get back up as well
Biden is creating labor liberalism for the 21st century Biden is creating a coalition that could change American politics for the better — one in which appeals to the labor branch of the party are firmly entwined with appeals to racial justice and environmental responsibility. Dionne calls this labor liberalism for the 21st century and argues that it could revolutionize American politics. I argue that it can bring people together and get things done
3. Biden has a history of fighting for the American people and winning
Biden ran his very first campaign in 1972 on the issues that are still central to us today -- voting rights, civil rights, crime, clean water and air, pension protection, and health care.
Biden is responsible for the Violence Against Women Act Biden recognized that violence against women, including domestic violence, was a real problem well before many of his peers. This may seem obvious now, but Joe was ahead of his time in taking women’s lives seriously and wrote landmark legislation that protected women from violence for the first time.
Biden was an early supporter of gay marriage Biden was an early leader on gay marriage. He came out for it before Obama and forced Obama to embrace it before he would have otherwise. Leaders at the time thought his public support helped sway voters in Maryland and other states to vote in gay marriage laws.
Biden introduced the first climate bill ever In 1986, Biden introduced the Global Climate Protection Act, the first climate change bill in the Senate.
Biden has taken a stand against gun violence many times Biden has taken on the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the national stage and won – twice. In 1993, he shepherded through Congress the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act,. In 1994, Biden – along with Senator Dianne Feinstein – secured the passage of 10-year bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Biden was for civil rights before civil rights were cool Throughout his career, Biden supported black judges, rejected judges who were not progressive enough, and defended civil rights legislation.
Biden protected us from a SC justice Bork Biden used the confirmation hearings to conduct a meticulous dissection of the nominee’s record as a scholar and judge. The hearings mobilized popular opinion against Bork, and the Judiciary Committee voted against him by nine to five, and the Senate rejected him, fifty-eight to forty-two.
Biden has always supported the women and men who protect our country. Biden said “we have many obligations as a government. We only have one truly sacred obligation. Equipped and support those who we send into harm’s way, care for their families while they’re gone, and care for them when they are home. That’s the only truly sacred obligation the government has. Duty, honor, country. These are values that drive our service members.” He has always lived by those words
Biden worked for campaign finance reform for his whole career. Biden put a great deal of time and energy during his 36 years in the Senate pushing various forms of campaign finance reform. He has always hated money in politics. Biden said in 2016 , "If you want to change overnight, instantaneously, the electoral process in America and the way we handle issues, have public financing. I guarantee you it would change overnight."
Biden is responsible for funding to provide the MRAP vehicles that saved many lives. In 2007, the Senator Joe Biden was responsible for getting Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for our troops in Iraq. This was essential because road-side bombs were responsible for 70% of the casualties in Iraq and MRAPS were needed to protect the troops. Biden spent six months arguing about this with the Bush administration, writing this amendment, and rustling up support from both sides of the aisle so he could get it passed.
Biden devoted his life to public service Obama surprised Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction just days before they left office. It wasn’t just because Biden was a great Vice President (although he was), it was Biden “devoted his entire professional life to the service of this country.” Biden was the youngest Senator to take office and he will be the oldest President to take office. He has given America his entire professional life.
Biden’s actions around 9/11/01 show us how he will lead in terrible times. Biden’s actions during the 9/11 crisis showed that Biden will be able to lead in a time of crisis. He was able to see that the threat existed before it occurred (he gave a speech just the night before warning about unconventional attacks). He was brave during a moment of crisis — he was one of the few Senators who ran *towards* the Senate that morning and he used his voice to call for calm. And with days, he used that same voice to denounce prejudice.
4. Biden has plans that will make America stronger, kinder, and better
Biden’s Tax Plan Biden’s tax plan would nearly double the tax rate for nonworking millionaires, aid the most vulnerable, and be the most progressive tax code for generations.
Biden has a great Covid-19 plan Among other things, Biden’s plan would establish a public-private “pandemic testing board” to scale up and allocate testing across the country; create a state and local government emergency fund for medical supplies, and hire more health care workers
Biden’s Housing Plan is revolutionary Biden’s housing plan would cut child poverty by a third, narrow racial opportunity gaps, and drive progress on the broader middle-class affordability crisis in the largest coastal cities as well. It would be life changing for millions of low income and housing insecure households
Biden’s education plan is comprehensive, smart, and well thought out. It includes tuition free public college and debt forgiveness for 80% of American families. It would be easy to write off a policy like this as a pie-in-the-sky idea that would cost taxpayers too much to really implement. But according to an analysis by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, the policy would pay for itself within 10 years.
Biden will protect teacher’s unions In an address to delegates of the nation's largest teachers' union, Biden promised that if he is elected president, teachers will have more say in how education decisions are made. Biden will stand behind teachers, public schools, students, and unions.
Biden has a great economic plan Biden’s economic plan destroys the “rich people first” mentality of trumpism with a plan that benefits the people of the United States. Experts agree that it will grow the economy and provide benefits for the bottom 99%. Experts agree that Biden’s plan is best for economic growth
Biden has a plan to help the American automobile industry that is good for the industry, for workers, and for the planet. Biden plans to use the power of federal procurement to increase demand for American-made, American-sourced clean vehicles; encourage consumers and manufacturers to go clean; make major public investments in automobile infrastructure; and establish ambitious fuel economy standards that save consumers money and cut air pollution
Biden has great plans for greatly increasing jobs in clean energy. His plan for jobs in clean energy will meet the existential threat of climate change, create millions of good union jobs; make economic growth more accessible in every state and across Indian Country, and lead the world in inventing, manufacturing, and exporting clean energy technologies. — good for the planet, good for the workers, good for America.
Biden will yank the Keystone XL Pipeline permit Joe Biden will rescind President Donald Trump’s permit allowing the Keystone XL oil pipeline to cross the border into the U.S., a move that would effectively kill the controversial project
Biden cares about people in the dawn and twilight of life Joe Biden passes the moral test of government. He has a $775 billion plan for universal preschool, child care and elder care
Biden has plans to help Americans with disabilities Biden actually has released two plans — one detailing his proposals for ensuring full equality for the disability community, and another focusing on supporting disabled Americans during the coronavirus pandemic
Biden Has Plans to fight climate change The plan marks a clear shift by Biden toward progressives' goals of urgently reducing fossil fuel consumption to combat climate change.
Biden will protect at risk communities from climate change Biden realizes that at risk communities are the ones that are already suffering from the changing climate so he has specific plans to help those communities.
Biden has a great healthcare plan Biden’s plans feature a Medicare-administered public option. This is all a formally race-neutral agenda, but given the realities of American economic life, it amounts to not just a game changer for low-income households but a significant blow to the systemic economic gaps between Black and white Americans
Biden will work to increase the minimum wage to $15 Biden will also include workers who aren’t currently earning the minimum, like farmworkers and those who care for the sick and those with disabilities.
Biden will protect, empower, and expand unions Biden has plans to Make it easier for workers who choose to unionize to do so, extend the right to organize and bargain collectively to independent contractors, and Create a cabinet-level working group that will solely focus on promoting union organizing and collective bargaining in the public and private sectors
Biden will protect and expand social security Americans depend on social security and Joe Biden not only protect it, he will expand it for those in need.
Biden has an expansive plan to empower Latinos His plan will invest in economic mobility, close wage gaps, and address discrimination and harassments
Biden will address income inequality in his economic agenda Biden understands that financial opportunity will not end racial discrimination in the United States. But he also understands that without financial opportunities, we have no hope of making real change.
Biden has great pro-worker plans for his presidency: Biden plans to Invest in communities by widely applying and strictly enforcing prevailing wages, Stop employers from denying workers overtime pay they’ve earned, and Ensure workers in the “gig economy” and beyond receive the legal benefits and protections they deserve.
Biden has a childcare plan to help parents and children: Biden’s plan includes free preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds in the country. The proposal would also boost worker pay to the level of elementary school teachers, as well as provide workers with health insurance, paid sick leave, and affordable care for their own children.
Biden will reboot our foreign policy First, he would recommit the US to the Paris climate agreement. He will also maintain and bolster America’s system of alliances that form the heart of that order.
Biden has a plan to protect veterans and their families As president, Joe Biden wants to unite the country and restore the VA as the premier agency for ensuring our veterans’ overall well-being
Biden has multiple, doable, smart plans to fix our crumbling infrastructure Biden’s plan will create millions of good, union jobs rebuilding America’s crumbling infrastructure and provide every American city with 100,000 or more residents with high-quality, zero-emissions public transportation options
Biden will keep ALL Americans safe Biden has said “We have to stand against violence, in every form it takes. Violence we've seen again and again and again of unwarranted police shooting, excessive force ….violence of extremists and opportunists, right-wing militias …. the senseless violence of looting and burning.”
Biden has a great plan for dealing with Iran He will make an unshakable commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He will offer Tehran a credible path back to diplomacy. He will continue to push back against Iran's destabilizing activities
Biden has a plan for Puerto Rico Biden has a plan for Puerto Rico that was developed with people *from* Puerto Rico as well as experts from other areas. It is well-thought out, timely, and good for America.
Biden has great plans for sustainable farming that will help farming, farmers, and the environment. Biden will bring back America’s advantage in agriculture, create jobs, and build a bright future for rural communities by investing in the next generation of agriculture and conservation; providing opportunities to new farmers and ranchers, including returning veterans and minorities, to enter the economy; and making it easier to pass farms and ranches onto the next generation
To get us back on track, Biden has plans for an FDR Sized presidency As you can see, Biden has a lot planned. Biden knows that big plans will be necessary to get us back on track and he has smart plans that experts agree will be great for the economy and for the American people.
Biden will nominate great justices Building the judiciary is a sacred trust of government and it is one that Biden will take very seriously. Biden hasn’t released any names, but he has said that he would nominate a Black woman to the supreme court and just like groups on the right did all the work of finding judges for trump, groups on the left are working to have lists of candidates ready for Biden to consider.
Biden supports the rights of transgender people. Joe Biden believed that transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time. He said “The idea that someone can tell you that you can’t be who you are in your heart and soul is just wrong,” and has promised to support legislation securing their basic human rights.
Biden won’t have anyone from the fossil fuel industry (or any lobbyists) on his transition team In an ethics plan released by his campaign, Joe Biden signaled that he won’t allow leaders of fossil fuel companies on his transition team if he wins the general election in November. He also will limit lobbyists from his presidential transition team
5. Biden has qualities that fit the particular demands of this unique moment in American history.
Biden will be a steady hand We may all enjoy the excitement we get from candidates who get us worked up and passionate. But what we need right now isn’t that — we are all plenty worked up. We need a steady hand that knows how to get things done and isn’t showy or flashy or controversial. Biden is just what we need right now.
Biden restored dignity to an elected office before. Biden was disgusted by the unethical power Cheney had accumulated and restored honor to the office of the vice presidency. Biden can do that again.
Biden showed empathy, humility, and wisdom in Kenosha here is no simple and easy solution to the crisis we are facing. But the first step has to involve leadership that really listens and is willing to consider important changes. Biden showed that he will do just that.
Even when you disagree with Biden, you will know that his heart is in the right place. Biden was always amongst the poorest of the people in the Senate. Why? Biden never tried to enrich himself by using his position. What this means is that even when you disagree with Joe on an issue, you can be sure that he is supporting it not because some rich a-holes want him to, or because it will benefit him, or because he doesn’t care about the well-being of all Americans. He is supporting it because he thinks it is the best position for America.
Biden’s age and experience gives him the perspective needed to handle the ups and downs of the White House there is a wisdom that comes from living a long time and Biden has that.
Biden understands America Biden talks about America as combining both the promise of a nation where all people have equal opportunity *and* the reality of a nation where we still struggle for equality.
Biden will never lie to us Biden has always shot from the hip and spoken from his heart. Biden got in trouble for talking about the risks of the flu in 2009 because he wouldn’t give Americans different advice than what he would give his own family. Joe Biden will care about our lives as much as he cares about the lives of the people he loves most. He will never lie to us or jeopardize our healthy to keep himself politically safe.
Biden will unite us. In the political speech of his life in Gettysburg, he acknowledged awful injustice and inequality; spoke of a country torn apart; and promised leadership that listens, and cares, and works to bring us together
Healthcare is personal to Biden. He was sworn in as Senator by the hospital beds of his two sons after his wife and daughter died in a car crash. When his son Beau was at the final stages of his battle with cancer, he and Jill considered taking a second mortgage out on his house to help with expenses. Biden fought for the ACA and he will fight like hell to make sure that every American has affordable healthcare.
Biden will get important and popular progressive goals accomplished Biden has the benefit of being seen as a centrist so he can come in with popular progressive ideas and actually get them done.
Biden surrounds himself with a diverse group of advisors and plans to do so in the White House as well. As we build a country back from Trump’s wreckage, we need to have all voices at the table. Representation matters.
Biden’s No Malarkey Attitude will be great for foreign policy Joe Biden has three things that will make him great at foreign policy. First, he has a lot of experience in that area Second, he is great at forming relationships. Third, his no malarkey policy lets him tell it like it is.
Biden is running for president for the right reasons. Biden had planned to retire at 2016 but Trump pulled him back in. Trump’s “very fine people on both sides” response to Charlottesville, motivated him to run. Biden is running for president because he loves our country too much to stand on the sidelines and not do all he can to save it.
Joe Biden loves and respects strong women. Women are making greater and greater strides in public service and a president who welcomes and celebrates that is just what we need in this moment. Joe Biden isn't afraid of strong women -- he loves them. You can see it is his VP pick, his friendship with HRC, his relationship with is amazing wife, and his bond with his kickass sister.
Biden is respected around the world When Biden attended the Munich Security Conference in early 2019 he was urged to run by leaders from all over Europe. Our allies around the world are hungry for a return of a world in which the United States stands with other democracies against the threat of authoritarianism. Leaders know Joe from his years as VP and Chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. They know that he stands by our allies and stands against authoritarianism. They want the US to reclaim its leadership. As president, Joe Biden will be respected (and trusted) by democratic leaders all over the world.
Biden will enter the White House with the knowledge needed to succeed. Transition of power from one White House to the next typically involves the transfer of enormous amounts of information and training. Do you really think that the Trump administration will leave so much as a post-it note for whomever comes in next? Would we want them to? No person knows more than Biden about how to be ready to lead on Day 1 - he was VP for 8 years and a senator for 36 years.
Biden has long been known as an optimist -- someone who has seen first hand the very dark lows that life can bring but still sees the possibility of better times and therefore work towards them. That is exactly the quality we need in a president right now. When Biden says "I've never been more optimistic of the prospects for this country than I am today" I believe him and want to follow him towards that more perfect union. Dark times require someone who is able to find a lighted path.
Biden knows how to provide comfort. We are a nation in need. We need an empathic leader who leans into a hug. We need a leader who offers encouragement. We need a leader who gives love as easily as breathing in. Joe Biden is that leader.
A few other great things about Joe
Biden was endorsed by John Lewis “ go out and vote and help elect a man of conscience, a man who will look out for each and every one of us and help build a society where no one will be left behind because of race color of skin and gender. We need Joe Biden more now than ever before.”
Biden picked Kamala Harris Joe Biden picked a strong, amazing, take-no-prisoners woman of color to be his vice president. And he did it despite being advised to *not* pick Harris.
Biden will bring us first lady Jill Biden: She’s scrappy, independent, and willing to defend the ones she loves
