Irish Examiner view: You’re doing  great, Mr Biden

While much of Joe Biden’s visit will focus on the Good Friday Agreement anniversary, we should also pause to celebrate him for starting to undo the damage done by his predecessor

US president Joe Biden is on his way to Ireland. As well as his steadfast support of the Good Friday Agreement, he should he celebrated for his work at home in the US too. Picture: Patrick Semansky/AP

The visit next week by American president Joe Biden to this country will rightly focus on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

While that is all right and good, and is an event which should be properly celebrated, perhaps we should pause for a moment to mark the achievements of Biden himself in just over two years in office.

Since his accession to possibly the most powerful job on the planet, Biden has been playing a blinder.

Having taken over a country wrought by racism, controversy, violence, economic uncertainty, and deep social divisions, Biden has worked to mend fences, stabilise the US economy, rebuild infrastructure, dampen extremist rhetoric, re-establish America as a credible superpower, and also stood up firmly against the aggressive Russian regime.

In short, Biden has undone most of the damage to American credibility perpetrated by his predecessor. 

Given the mess he was left to clean up, his has been a remarkable period in office. And, despite all the troubles he has been dealing with at home, Biden has been conscious of everything going on here in Ireland which, we know, is really close to his heart.

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When he arrives here next week then, let us not just celebrate the fact he is among us. Let us celebrate just what a damn fine job he is doing.