In Joe Biden’s acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination, he said “Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot,” adding “the choice could not be more clear.”
While that could have come off as a political cliché, in 2020 it’s true. In fact, one could argue that the biggest issue in the election isn’t the pandemic, economy, or racial justice, but that Americans want a leader with character.
They want someone who has compassion for those who are hurting right now and they aren’t getting it from the current president.
Nothing better exemplifies Trump’s callousness towards the COVID-19 pandemic than when a reporter pressed him on the fact that 1,000 Americans are dying every day from the disease he replied, “It is what it is.”
Earlier this month, a poll by Newsweek found Biden was rated much higher for compassion than his opponent, 67% to Trump’s 34%. He is also seen as a better role model, 54% to 28%.
Throughout the campaign, people have touted Biden’s compassion for others as his greatest selling point. During the Democratic National Convention, there were countless stories of how Biden gives his phone number out to everyday Americans.
It’s often said that his natural empathy stems from the tragic loss of his wife and daughter when he was 29 and his son at 72.
One person who knows Biden’s character more than just about anyone is president Barack Obama who worked with Biden for over eight years in the White House and on the campaign trail.
Obama shared his thoughts on Biden’s natural empathy on the Pod Save America podcast released on October 14. He later shared a clip of his appearance on Instagram.
“I take my time in rope lines,” Obama said, referring to campaign meet and greets. “And if [Biden] and I were campaigning, you know, I would have been really giving everybody a lot of attention and I’d be at the end of the rope.”
“I look back, he was a third of the way through when he was still, you know, telling a story or listening to somebody. And that heart is who he is,” he added.
“A lot of times when you’re thinking about the presidency, it’s great to look at policy, Obama said, “but a lot of it is what’s their basic character?
“Are they people who instinctively care about the underdog? Are they people who are able to see the world through somebody else’s eyes and stand in their shoes? Are they are they people who are instinctively generous in spirit?” Obama continued. “Right. And that is who Joe is.”
The day after Obama’s appearance on Pod Save America, Biden provided a perfect example of his character. After a live presidential town hall even on ABC, Biden stuck around and answered all the questions from audience members he couldn’t get to long after the cameras were off.
