Hate to break the news to President Biden, but this isn’t your father’s Republican Party

by Chauncey Devega, Salon

President Joe Biden is a fundamentally good man. He is also far from perfect and appears comfortable with that fact. He is not a messiah; he is a man who can admit when he is wrong. I admire that trait and take it as a sign of maturity and hard-won character.

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Biden has suffered great tragedy in his life but maintains a positive view of our humanity and capacity for good. He has committed most of his adult life to public service. He is a patient and loving father. He loves his animal family members. Biden stands by his troubled son and is not afraid to show compassion and love for him even as cruel critics mock him for doing so. He is a loving husband. He struggles with severe stuttering and is a role model for children and adults who have that challenge.

Unlike many politicians – especially his immediate predecessor — I have no doubt that Biden possesses a sincere love for the nation. I disagree with Biden about some of his policies and political positions, both past and present. But I do believe that, at his core, he is guided by what he believes is best for the country.

But Biden has a huge blind spot, a willful one at this point, that is very vexing and frustrating for me and likely many of his other supporters. He is possessed by a nostalgia for a Washington D.C. that no longer exists.

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