BIDEN WILL FOCUS ON RESTORING AMERICA’S CREDIBILITY: BIOGRAPHER

The Sunday Guardian spoke to journalist Evan Osnos, who has written US President Joe Biden’s biography, Joe Biden: American Dreamer, which was published by Bloomsbury recently. In his book, which is based on his hours of interaction with Biden, the US President’s close friends and family members, including former President Barack Obama, Osnos has tried to bring out the different, less known insights into Biden as a human being and the setbacks that he suffered and the way he always overcame them.

The book carries anecdotes about Biden that Osnos himself witnessed, anecdotes that have not been reported before, giving a glimpse into what world leaders, including the Indian political leadership, should expect from Biden in the coming four years.

It brings out the string of personal tragedies that Biden has gone through, including the untimely death of his wife, daughter and son, which perhaps explains his deep sense of empathy which is visible from his stand on issues, domestically and globally.

Unlike his predecessor, Biden faced many hardships, Osnos tells us. Biden faced public mockery until his teenage years because of his stuttering. He emerged as a below average student during his law graduation. He was politically sidelined when the Democratic Party asked him to sit out in favour of Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The book is a must read for individuals and organisations, including diplomats and political entities, especially who will be dealing with the Biden administration, for it tells us what Biden went through, what he faced and how he faced them before becoming the “most powerful man” of the world.