Irish Examiner view: It will take time to fully assess Joe Biden’s legacy as US president

Joe Biden's term in office will be bookended by two terms of Donald Trump

An ebullient Joe Biden at the US Conference of Mayors in Washington yesterday, Friday — one of his last public engagements as US president. Picture: Alex Brandon/AP

There will be no shortage of commentary about Donald Trump between now and November 7, 2028 — the next scheduled date for a US presidential election.

But ahead of Monday’s inauguration it is worth reflecting on the legacy of Joe Biden, friend of Ireland, the 46th incumbent, and a leader who may need the mollifying impact of the passage of time to reinvigorate his reputation as a decent man who made the grievous, and complacent, mistake of ignoring his own cognitive decline.