What Has Happened To Joe Biden? | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation. The author of this post is Donna Martinez.

    While others got angry watching President Biden's vitriolic, over-the-top speech about what he terms 'voting rights,' I felt something much different. My heart nearly broke. My stomach felt queasy. I felt bad for him.

    Yes, I know politics is hardball. But I was left wondering what has happened to Joe Biden. Think about this: He reviewed and approved the words he delivered. Has he really lurched that far to the left in just a few short years? What happened to the man who promised to bring the country together, whether you voted for him or not?

    There was a time when Biden was engaging. He was always rough-and-tumble in style, and you could always expect the scent of hubris. But Sen. Joe Biden and Vice President Joe Biden clearly enjoyed the intellectual debate - always believing, of course, that he had the better answer. It's a cliche, but yes, he was the guy you wanted to share a beer and a laugh with.

    Now he's the guy you want to avoid.

    This week's speech showcased the words and style of a man who's run out of ideas. A man who now relies on hyperbole, insults, and verbal finger-wagging to try and be relevant to the conversation. I wonder what those who found Donald Trump's style so objectional were thinking as our current president went after his congressional colleagues and many of his fellow Americans. It was loud and clumsy, and it made Trump's mean tweets seem bland in comparison.

    No, I'm not angry at President Biden. I'm worried for him, and I'm worried for our country. And I'm not alone. The latest Civitas Poll shows it. Below are the views of likely Republican primary voters in North Carolina. Nine out of 10 say the country is on the wrong track.

    The unanswered question is whether Joe Biden realizes it, too.