Over the past eight years, many conservative and Christian voters have argued against voting for Donald Trump, emphasizing that character matters. They point to Trump’s questionable sexual ethics, vulgar behavior, and other imperfections as grave moral errors that disqualify him completely. Trump is certainly not a shining example of moral virtue, but what about Joe Biden? Many of the same voices who attack Trump on the character front support Biden.
These critics voted for the lifelong Democrat in 2020 and supported him until he dropped out on Sunday. But why not apply the same scrutiny to Biden? If they had, they would know Joe Biden is objectively no better of a man. The Federalist’s Jonathan S. Tobin made this case earlier this month by simply laying out Biden’s record. Throughout his political career, Biden has lied and slandered others.
Vindictive Personal Attacks
Biden lied about the tragic traffic accident that killed his first wife and daughter in 1972, claiming for years that the other driver, Curtis Dunn, was drunk. In reality, authorities determined Biden’s then-wife, Neila Biden, was at fault. For years, Biden attacked Dunn’s character and called him a murderer despite knowing the truth. It wasn’t until 2008 that Biden apologized—privately. Such an act of indecency could perhaps be forgiven if it were a one-off incident, considering Biden was coping with a terrible loss. But it wasn’t. It was just one in a long line of vindictive personal attacks.
When Biden’s brother, Frank Biden, was responsible for another traffic death, Biden refused to help the victim’s family. “When Albano’s family begged Joe Biden for help in 2008, all they got was a letter of refusal from the then-senator’s chief of staff. The president has become a wealthy man while spending his entire adult life in public service receiving relatively modest salaries but never lifted a finger to aid a poor family that was harmed by his brother. Is that the behavior of a ‘nice’ man?” Tobin wrote.
Plagiarism and Lying
Biden has lied throughout his career. When he felt his own life story wasn’t compelling enough to win over voters, he stole that of a British politician. Once this lie was exposed, he was so humiliated that he was forced to exit the 1988 presidential race. The president also lied about being at the top of his class in law school. He dishonestly labeled Ronald Reagan’s Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork a misogynist and racist, then did much the same to Clarence Thomas during his Supreme Court nomination process.
Even in recent years, Biden’s lies have continued. After the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal killed 13 U.S. soldiers, Biden met with their families. Family members later reported being deeply upset by the meeting, as Biden made much of the discussion about himself and his son, Beau Biden, whom he told them he had lost in the war. But Beau Biden died of cancer in 2015. “My heart started beating faster, and I started shaking, knowing that their son died from cancer and they were able to be by his side,” one parent said.
During his first presidential debate with Donald Trump—the beginning of the end of Biden’s 2024 campaign—Biden claimed that no troops had died on his watch, as reported by Fox News.
Biden’s Character
While Trump is not a model of good character, he has undoubtedly done good things in his life. As Tobin noted, “among those who know him, there are many who can cite many good deeds.” Trump does not pretend to be a saint, but Biden does—despite his long history of lies and slander. Moreover, Trump has not argued for race-based policies, the transgendering of children, or fascistic government control of American businesses. Biden has.
If you want to judge Trump’s character, go ahead. Just make sure you give Biden the same treatment. If you do, it’s unlikely you’ll come away thinking Trump is the worse man.
