The Patriot Post® · The Real Joe Biden

Those of us who grew up in the ‘50s watching live television (on the handful of channels then available) will surely remember “To Tell the Truth.” Each week, a panel of four celebrities would interrogate three contestants, all three of whom claimed to be the person who had accomplished some particularly noteworthy achievement.

The contestants would try to win a few dollars by fooling the panelists; they in turn would observe the contestants’ behavior, sift through their answers, and identify the truth-teller. At the end of each round, the panelists would each vote, and the host, Bud Collyer, would then ask his signature question: “Would the real _____ please stand up?”

That was simple-minded entertainment in a much simpler time, with no iPhones to provide immediate answers. But even in this age of high-tech telecommunications, we form judgments about our political leaders, including candidates whom we either reject or elect, based entirely on the well-polished public image that they and their media supporters construct.

Actually, we don’t know them at all. Absent any firsthand insights, our best recourse in trying to differentiate truth tellers from imposters is to ignore the popular assumptions and the political spin and rely instead only on their actions. We examine what they do, not what they say.

And with that in mind, will the real Joe Biden please stand up?

The recent uproar about classified documents found to be in Biden’s possession is very instructive. Confronted with weeks of progressively damning revelations, Biden’s public response has been to (1) express great surprise, (2) affirm that he takes very seriously his responsibility to properly care for classified materials, and (3) pledge full cooperation with the DOJ investigation and now special counsel.

The cooperation pledge is a step in the right direction (and a good tip for anyone caught red-handed). But surprise? Serious care in protecting the documents in his possession?

So far, classified documents have been found in multiple geographic locations, and they include materials dating back to Biden’s years as vice president and some even to his Senate years. He may have been surprised that his improper possession of them became public knowledge, and he may have been astonished at the criticism leveled even by members of his own party — but he surely knew that he had them, and clearly he’d not given serious attention to their care.

These glaring incongruities between Biden’s actions and his carefully cultivated image have been on display for all to see for a very long time.

This is supposedly Scranton Joe, straight shooter, the guy who likes ice cream cones and beer — a man with middle-class values and middle-of-the-road political views. He was the 2020 presidential candidate who would bring back civility and stability.

But Biden’s actions as president say otherwise. For two years, he’s marched to the drum of his party’s hard-left fringe, embracing its woke social dreams, unsustainable spending, wide open border, and high consequence/low payback green energy fantasies.

Biden is 80 years old, just halfway through a very rocky presidential term and with some very rough waters ahead. His troubles with classified documents are real, but they are hardly our country’s most severe threat right now (and I hope Republicans don’t pretend that it is).

Joe Biden’s legacy will not be his second term — it will be what he is able to do to turn around his present term. He should terminate his reelection quest right now and commit his remaining days in office to becoming the president America needs, not the one his left-wing handlers demand.

He could begin with a complete reversal of our head-in-the-sand border policy and sharply reduce the inflow of illegal immigrants, drugs, and dangerous actors. He could get real on economic issues. He could rekindle America’s energy independence. All just for starters.

Bill Clinton famously made an abrupt pivot to the center following a politically disastrous midterm election. He began working with House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and together they delivered on the sensible Contract with America. He left office as a respected, popular president, sex scandal notwithstanding. A decade earlier, Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O'Neil had also found ways to collaborate effectively, to the nation’s benefit.

Evidently, Biden has felt no inclination to follow suit. Perhaps his present troubles will serve as a wake-up call. The choice is his.

There are those who argue that there is a real Joe Biden, a competent and unifying leader, lurking somewhere behind the curtain. We haven’t seen that one — but if so, America needs for that real Joe Biden to please stand up.