Here in Independence, we see how much Joe Biden reminds us of the great Harry Truman | Opinion
Recently, a friend said she thought Joe Biden was the best president of her adult lifetime. I started to agree — but what about Barack Obama, who was so great? But still, President Biden had to step into an ungodly mess and take a tiger by the tail. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work, doing what needed to be done.
That makes him the best president in my lifetime since Harry S. Truman, who also had to step into his own ungodly mess, with a different tiger to take by the tail. And he also rolled up his sleeves and got to work, doing what had to be done.
When I was a kid growing up in Phoenix, we had Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was an excellent president. He would save us from the war. But then he died and my parents were sure the war was lost. My mother couldn’t stand Truman, and you don’t want to know what she called him. No one was more surprised when he turned out to be extremely competent and smart as a whip. “Well, I guess he’s all right,” she’d say grudgingly. She’d have had a fit if she’d known that one day she’d end up living just down the street from his house.
My husband and I moved to Independence in 1975. I began learning more about Truman, especially once I had a bookshop on the square and began reading all the books about him and listening to the locals. I’m sure I’ve heard more stories about him than his famous biographer David McCullough did. From all accounts, Truman was a truly fine person and much beloved. I think Biden is a truly fine person too, and I understand that people in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, think very highly of him.
There are many similarities in Truman’s and Biden’s outlooks on life: a strong belief in personal integrity, a tremendous work ethic and always doing their best.
And consider this:
They were both vice presidents under very popular presidents, a hard act to follow.
Both served as senators, Biden beginning at age 29, Truman at age 50.
Both faced tragedies earlier in life and somehow managed to cope and get their work done.
Both were faithful husbands with no hint of scandal.
Neither was ever divorced.
Neither was ever sued by a woman claiming sexual misconduct.
Neither was ever charged with a crime.
There is no record of either of them cheating any person, company or city.
When faced with situations of enormous difficulty, they forged ahead and did what they thought was best.
Truman was extremely proud of his wife and relied on her help and advice. Biden is similarly proud of his wife and relies on her support and counsel.
Both faced extreme and sometimes terrible criticism, and carried on in spite of it.
Truman devoted long hours to his job as president, often at personal sacrifice. Biden devotes long hours to his job, leaving him with little time for a personal life.
Both would “call a spade a spade” — Truman a little more colorfully than Biden (but Biden has his moments).
Neither man was young when he became president. Truman turned 61 just weeks after he took office, and in 1945, that was not considered young.
As John Mark Lambertson, former director of the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, put it: “They were both proud to be from small working-class towns, and therefore both championed the hardworking, laboring class.”
Barbara Young is the retired proprietor of The Old Book Shop on the Independence Square.
