Biden: I Was Right to Seek Reelection
That sentiment runs through his nearly 500-page memoir, as he recounts his four years as president, his decision to run for reelection, and his attempt to stay in the race after the worst presidential-debate performance in American history.
Key points
- I felt I had set the country on the right path.” And he had, in fact, defeated Trump in 2020, winning what he termed a “battle for the soul of this nation,” and the first half of the book is a reminder of some of the sweeping legislation that he shepherded through Congress.
- J oe Biden has a favorite saying that he has attributed to various family members over the years, most often to his mother: Joey, she’d tell him, never bow; never bend; never kneel; never yield.
- It is also a reminder of how stubborn Biden remains, how the man who always felt burned and resentful of Democrats who overlooked him still has some scores to settle.
He believes he was right to run for a second term, wishes he had been given the chance for a second debate with Donald Trump, and still insists he maintained the support of average voters even as party leadership pressed him to get out of the race.
Additional details
- And there is not a single example of me failing to handle my responsibilities.” Biden, as you can tell, is neither reflective nor repentant.
- Evidence to the contrary never intrudes on Biden’s recounting of his last acts in politics after a half-century-long career.
- One of the most revealing passages comes in the last third of the book, after Biden narrates key episodes of his presidency.
- And I felt I was the best person to do it again.” Biden is aware of the second-guessing that arose from that choice.
- Several books have covered this ground—including Jill Biden’s View From the East Wing, which was released in June.
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