The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden's White House and the Struggle for America's Future

by Franklin Foer, Sean Patrick Hopkins (Narrator)

Franklin Foer tells the definitive insider story of the first two years of the Biden presidency, with exclusive access to Biden’s longtime team of advisers, and presents a gripping portrait of a president during this momentous time in our nation’s history.

On January 20, 2021, standing where only two weeks earlier police officers had battled with right-wing paramilitaries, Joe Biden took his oath of office. The American people were still sick with COVID-19, his economists were already warning him of an imminent financial crisis, and his party, the Democrats, had the barest of majorities in the Senate. Yet, faced with an unprecedented set of crises, Joe Biden decided he would not play defense. Instead, he set out to transform the nation. He proposed the most ambitious domestic spending bills since the 1960s and vowed to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan, ending the nation’s longest war and reorienting it toward a looming competition with China.

With unparalleled access to the tight inner circle of advisers who have surrounded Biden for decades, Franklin Foer dramatizes in forensic detail the first two years of the Biden presidency, concluding with the historic midterm elections. The result is a gripping and high-definition portrait of a major president at a time when democracy itself seems imperiled. With his back to the wall, Biden resorted to old-fashioned deal-making and compromise. It was a gamble that seemed at first disastrously anachronistic, as he struggled to rally even the support of his own party. Yet, as the midterms drew near, via a series of bills with banal names, Biden somehow found a way to invest trillions of dollars in clean energy, the domestic semiconductor industry, and new infrastructure. Had he done the impossible―breaking decisively with the old Washington consensus to achieve progressive goals?

The Last Politician is a landmark work of political reporting—which includes thrilling, blow-by-blow insider reports of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan and the White House’s swift response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine—that is destined to shape history’s view of a president in the eye of the storm.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Presidents, Audiobook, American History

12 pages, Audiobook

First published September 5, 2023

About the author

Franklin Foer was the editor of The New Republic (2006-10, 2012-14)and has written for Slate , New York magazine., and The Atlantic.
He has published several nonfitction books dealing with sports, technology, and globalism. Foer, who lives in Washington, D.C., is older brother of novelist Jonathan Safran Foer and freelance journalist Joshua Foer.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Politician? More like The First Politician...am I right?

Joe Biden is old. I think he may have been at the signing of The Declaration of Independence. I wish all of America's politicians weren't 200 years old. I mean the Senator who represents me has been glitching out lately ( McConnell). I voted for Biden and I'm gonna have to vote for his old ass again....but after reading this book I feel less pessimistic about my vote.

The author Franklin Foer obviously likes Biden and wants his presidency to be successful. That might bother some of you but I prefer to know the authors pov so I can know how much weight to give everything said. It's obvious that Foer was given access to Biden's staff...especially his chief of staff Ron Klain. Ron Klain is the actual star of this book( btw if you took a drink everytime Kamala Harris is mentioned...you still be safe to drive) if you've never read a book written during a Presidents term this may seem weird but it's quite normal for a particular staffer to be the star the book. Ron Klain and his people were probably the authors way in to the administration.

So overall what were my thoughts?

1. God I fucking HATE Joe Manchin with all of my heart and soul. I hope everything bad in the world happens to him.

2. Despite how awful pulling out of Afghanistan was executed, it was the right thing to do. If you can't win a war in 20 years...you were never gonna win it.

3. It's possible to support the war in Ukraine and still think Zelensky is kinda of mid.

4. I hate Joe Manchin

5. God imagine how much better life would be if Joe Manchin didn't exist.

6. Why are all of our politicians so old?

This book wasn't as entertaining as a Trump book but Biden isn't as entertaining as Trump....that's one of the reasons why people voted for him. I've read other reviews of this book and people said that we don't learn anything in this book that you didn't already know but for me it was more of a reminder of things. Two years in this world is actually a 100 years.

If you voted for Biden but were having some doubts about him, reading this book might help remind you of the good things he's accomplished.

I don't know what my next Presidential book will be but in the world of politics my next read will probably be...Elon Musk...pray for me.

[Aidan T-R · Rating 4 out of 5]

With compelling narrative, high-level sources, and vigorous prose, Franklin Foel's The Last Politician is a difficult book to put down. The book's experience of being in the room where it happened was delightful. Throughout the book, Foel describes President Biden's nostalgic, empathetic, and detailed mind and how his past life experiences influence his current course of action.

Foel is at his strongest when describing the White House's actions in the lead-up to and during the withdrawal of Afganistan and the Invasion of Ukraine. He details the people behind the scenes, fairly judging the successes and failures that encompassed the historical moment. I also enjoyed how Foel reveals and exposes the slight favors politicians make, such as how after a congressional leader consented to Biden's request that her caucus vote for the infrastructure bill, she joked that he should call her mother halfway across the world; minutes later, he did. The book's in-depth coverage of the nine-month negotiations with Joe Manchin over the eventual Inflation Reduction Act was also robust and engaging. Foel's ability to create a compelling yet detailed narrative truly shines at these moments.

However, it was evident throughout the book how the 300+ on-record anonymous sources would sometimes prop up their perspectives and interests when explaining a decision, something I wish Foel would push back or investigate more. At times, the narrative felt overly dictated from the viewpoint of those in the White House and upper democratic leadership. It would have been valuable to more incorporate the perspectives of prominent Republicans like Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, and even Mitch McConnell, who had a significant role in negotiating and endorsing significant legislation such as the CHIPS Act and Infrastructure Bill. President Biden's inaugural speech was about a 'unity' and successfully got Republican support on major bills, yet the book fails to delve significantly into this aspect.

Overall, I would recommend this engrossing book that will transport you into the mind of President Biden, his administration, and the challenges over two years that they have faced.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Joe Biden's inauguration was an image in his mind. It took hold there decades earlier, and it looked something like a brisk winter's day, when the nation's establishment huddled around him, wrapping its arms around the kid from Scranton. It was a triumphant scene, but also a revenge fantasy, since Washington's liberal elite had long rolled its eyes at him--for his blaring insecurities--and he knew it.

The consistent underestimation of Joe Biden was his diesel. It propelled him to keep chasing the image, over the course of three presidential runs. He pursued it into his late seventies, even though diminishingly few of his peers considered it plausible--and even though his inability to surrender his ambitions occasionally verged on the undignified."

And so begins the Prologue by author Franklin Foer in his book of the first two years of the Biden administration, The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden's White House and the Struggle for America's Future. This book was jarring in seeing the dire straits that America was in as the Trump run in the White House had finally come to a close. On January 20, 2021, as Joseph R. Biden took his oath of office where only two weeks earlier, this was the site of an insurrection fueled by Donald Trump where police officers battled with right-wing paramilitaries as they stormed the Capitol leaving havoc in their wake. When Biden assumed office the American people were still ill and dying from COVID-19. Economists were warning Biden of an imminent financial crisis and the Democratic party had the slimmest of majorities in the Senate.

Yet faced with an unprecedented set of crises, President Joseph Biden set out to transform the nation. And as the book jacket suggests, President Biden proposed the most ambitious domestic spending bills since the 1960s and vowed to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan, ending the nation's longest war. Franklin Foer had unparalleled access to a tight inner circle of advisers who had surrounded Biden for decades. It is noted that Foer, a staff writer at The Atlantic, the first two years of the Biden presidency, concluding with the historic mid-term elections. The result is a gripping portrait of a major presidency when democracy itself seemed imperiled.

The author highlights the friendship between Jon Meacham and the President and his agreement with the author's most recent book, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels. Joe Biden was among the truest believers in the power of better angels. And we are quickly approaching another national presidential election. It's looking like it may be Donald Trump running against President Biden. And make no mistake, the soul of our country is at stake and the preservation of our fragile democracy has never been more imperiled.

[Ken Oder · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Biden administration apparently granted the author unprecedented access to the inner workings of the White House. He interviewed over 300 people. Unfortunately, that didn't produce anything of value. I learned almost everything included in the book as it was reported in the mainstream media at the time it occurred. There is no special insight. The author offers such golden nuggets of inside information as the facts that Jake Sullivan is a great guy who lost a lot of sleep worrying about the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden and Zelensky didn't hit it off at first, but now they do, and one of Biden's greatest strengths is his empathy. In other words, this book is a waste of time.

[Owen Brigner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Franklin Foer’s account of the first two years of the Biden presidency was mainly confirmation of my already held views of the president. As Foer points out, Biden doesn’t do a good job at hiding his inner monologue, which makes it hard to write a book about him because so much of where he stands and who he is has already been revealed. As a reader, I was often left selfishly wanting more because of that fact. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much Biden’s experience allows him to comfortably make riskier strategic decisions than a lesser experienced pol might have made (Obama for instance). You can’t help but appreciate the 46th president’s wisdom, patience, acumen, and restraint. The final sentence of the book drives this point home, “He was a man for his age.”

Overall, it’s an enjoyable read. It was clear that Foer’s sources were selective in what they shared and it felt like the author took them at face value with little pushback or deeper investigation. Unlike his predecessor, the best telling of the Biden White House will come long after the president leaves office. Foer’s book is not in the same category of McCullough, Meacham, Kearns Goodwin, Beschloss or other famed presidential historians.

[J.L. Askew · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sympathetic but slanted version of Biden’s first two years in office. The book examines the inner workings of the White House, but in a gloss meant to enhance Biden’s image, either for the upcoming 2024 presidential campaign or maybe as a summation of the octogenarian’s legacy. It is hard to imagine a more lustrous rendering of Biden’s first two years as president.
The book describes how the new administration handled the troubling issues of Covid, Afghanistan, the immerging Ukraine-Russia war and especially how Biden, through “deal-making and compromise”, ushered through major legislation, costing “trillions of dollars,” a progressive dream come true.
The book is flawed by repeated asides to criticize Donald Trump, distracting from the book’s main theme. For example, Biden’s predecessor fired the White House usher on inauguration day, forcing Joe and Jill Biden to stand at the front door, “waiting for access to their new home.” Due to their differing views on masking, “Trump and his administration had infested the West Wing with disease” and Biden instructed his team to implement procedures “to responsibly manage a workplace.” Throughout the book, Foer cavils about Trump behavior that doesn’t meet his approval while giving Biden a pass for similar transgressions. For example, to speed up delivery of Covid vaccines, Biden’s team “suspended rules that would have required allocating time for drivers to sleep,” a violation Trump would have been severely castigated for.
Sometimes it looks like Foer is going to say something positive. Regarding the meeting of Chinese and American diplomats in Anchorage, the author grudgingly concedes Trump had been right about the Chinese “eating our lunch” , but still gets in a dig, “despite his xenophobia and hateful rhetoric.” The author pulls a similar sleight of hand (but in the opposite way) concerning Biden on the Afghanistan withdrawal. “It was a terrible failure of planning that necessitated a mad scramble - [here turning criticism into praise] a mad scramble that was an impressive display of creative determination.”
Foer describes Biden’s handling of the Ukraine war as “a bravura display of statesmanship”, but true statesmen are a rare breed and the performance of “The Last Politician” doesn’t meet that high bar.
Foer occasionally shows the president’s imperfections as when Biden’s “desire to prove his eloquence” got him in trouble in 1987 when he “inadvertently plagiarized” British politician Neil Kinnock. Eloquence is something the author means to show in his book, employing a host of abstruse words, for example in a glaring criticism of Trump for “the most shambolic transition of power in American history.” Besides “shambolic” (repeated several times), words like “quotidian, liminal, mandarins, agita, and picayune” are a small part of the vocabulary Foer displays in excess, creating yet another distraction.
The author repeats a bit of Biden lore, the president’s alleged gift of empathy. When working with his generals to find a way out of Afghanistan, Biden was sympathetic to their attachment to that country. “Biden’s great strength is his empathy – his ability to understand the baggage of the person sitting across from him.” But Biden’s empathy deserted him at the Dover Delaware air base when he met the families of the thirteen dead marines who died in the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. Some of the family members reacted caustically with the commander-in-chief and rather than listening respectfully, at the critical moment Biden became defensive. But Foer softens the telling of the episode by redirecting sympathy toward Biden who had self-doubts. “ ‘Maybe I should have handled that differently’. It was a thought that he repeated through the day.” Of course, Biden’s gaffe of repeatedly looking at his watch during the solemn ceremony is not mentioned.
Foer is at his best describing the human drama of the Afghanistan withdrawal and the turmoil of the Ukrainian war, but the book fails on several points, especially not holding Biden to account for two glaring issues: inflation and immigration. The first is blamed on the Russian invasion of Ukraine when the obvious cause is Biden’s war on fossil fuels. But arguably Biden’s worst policy failure is his unleashing of hordes of undocumented aliens into this country, a topic Foer omits from his book other than an oblique reference to Kamala Harris’s efforts to stem “root causes”.
The book is an unbalanced and partisan rendering of Biden’s first two years as president flawed by an overbearing hatred for the previous president.

[Dachokie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The teased passages leaked prior to this book’s release alluded to it being an honest perspective of the first two years of Biden’s term. This book is not objective at all. It clearly illustrates why so many hate politics and politicians by illustrating that wins for the party in power are all that matters.

Biden is merely presented as the Santa Clause reaping benefits from the work of his team of elves. The author desperately tries to paint Biden as Kennedy-like by replicating what Clinton did in the 90s. But rather than bring in fresh minds, he recycles the old DC power-mongers … Ron Klain represents most of the book’s first half.

Objectivity is not a concern from the author who constantly injects his own feelings to shape events the way he wants them to be interpreted. Apparently Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine stemmed from him reading books in his nightstand about past Russian leaders that make his accomplishments look “paltry”. Then there is the constant droning about the Trump administration being “authoritarian” (Trump may have earned a lot of negative accolades, but an autocrat isn’t one of them). With the author’s personal opinions shaping the book’s narrative, as well as the deliberate omission of the obvious (ie. Hunter Biden’s name appears only ONCE in the 380 pages), you feel the slime of a desperate attempt to make the reader rethink what he/she sees.

Odd that the author stopped covering events following the last “win” (not losing the midterms in a landslide) and then releases the book a year later. There would be so much more to cover (Chinese spy ballon, staggering inflation, Ohio chemical explosion, open border, etc.) that would have been really difficult to present in the same glowing manner.

This book is a vain attempt to paint Biden as a glorious folksy statesman whose personal magnetism and ability to “read a room” overwhelmingly swoons the masses. In reality, it is a clearly pathetic attempt to overstate the “good”, reshape and polish the “bad” and ignore the “ugly” of a rapidly declining Presidency hoping to be re-elected.

[Rita · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only thing I knew about this author was that he was a "journalist" (and I use the term loosely) for the Atlantic. He is more likened to a liberal media spokesperson.

This author lost all credibility on page one, where he stated that Joe Biden was inaugurated on JANUARY 20, 2022!!!!! If a so-called journalist cannot even state the correct date of the inauguration of the man about whom he is writing, he has zero credentials in my opinion.

This book went on to highly praise the current president, "delighting" in the things this president has done in his first 2 years. What he neglected to do, however, was mention how this man seems intent on destroying our fine country with his progressive policies that MANY, MANY Americans do not want!

Total waste of my time, but I did get a VERY CLEAR picture of the media bias toward protecting the left wing democrat narrative that has swept our country under this president.

[Robert D. White · Rating 3 out of 5]

very biased

A very rose tinted book about how great Biden is without the judgement of his disastrous ill planned actions and the resulting consequences whether Afghanistan and subsequent invasion of Ukraine or China preparing to take Taiwan, depleting strategic oil reserves, closing down energy resources, ignoring illegal influx, creating artificial inflation, advancing woke agenda in the military and in schools, etc.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franklin Foer gave an excellent overview of the first two years of the Biden presidency. The book brought back some events that I had forgotten and gave details I did not know. The book was hard to put down as I relived those two years from the perspective of those who were directly involved.

I've long been impressed with Joe Biden's political skills, but apparently he has surpassed my expectations. He brought political experience and foreign policy expertise to the job that could be considered reminiscent of Franklin Roosevelt.

Hopefully the author will follow up with a well researched account of the the second two years of this presidency.

[Maj · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, easy to read overview of Biden admin's first two years.

[John T. Dueker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Biden lover who ignores facts

Obvious apologist who can't admit his mistakes and his near dementia. Lies about Afghan withdrawal decisions and the deaths Biden created.

Sorry I bought this sycophantic nonsense.

[Rancher23 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nauseating hard core bias

Unless you absolutely adore Joe Biden and his destruction of our country do not read this big kiss love letter to him. Gag worthy.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent effort that appears is overly sympathetic to uncle Joe to the point of airbrushing out or simply ignoring his many flaws and missteps. This is not to suggest that a reader has to be blindly partisan when it comes to this man or this book. You get enough of that in the mainstream media. Joe’s verbal flubs, pratfalls and embarrassing cringeworthy moments are well documented in videos, tapes and documents. Foer does mention Biden’s earlier plagiarism cases but it fails to provide details on on his extreme embellishments and even outright lies about his education, life and experience. You won’t find much about Hunter Biden here as it tends to dim the halo the author created. Will admit reading this book has provided me with some mildly positive insights into things that Biden did well during his term- Improving the National response to COVID-19, warning Ukraine and President Zelensky about the pending Russian invasion (even though it was ignored) and keeping the inflation reduction act alive while placating Joe Manchin. Foer adeptly lifts the veil on behind behind-the-scenes politics and policy-making. His accounts of The cat calling bust ups between party leaders with outsized egos and ambitions are quite entertaining. But again the author left out a lot of critical details about the last politician. Kamala Harris is barely mentioned ( which arguably keeps the halo in tact). Four stars is a bit generous but I have to admit I had difficulty putting this book down. Even at that it took me four days to read this book. But then like Joe Biden I am a senior citizen who is also slowing down a bit.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was with great trepidation that I ventured into a political read. Foer writes a fascinating deep inside look at the first two years of the Biden Presidency - perfect for a political junky which I am not. I appreciate that he doesn't portrait Biden as anything close to perfection. In Foer's description of the heart wrenching debacle of the withdrawal from Afghanistan I gained an understanding of how desperately painful it was for those inside the U.S. government who had vested so much and had to witness those left behind. The book describes the weight of the presidential office and the political frustrations of those trying to get the right thing done. It leaves me grateful for those who choose to serve. Biden, and many others, are flawed people of good character navigating national and world events. Although difficult to discern, as a voter I hope to help elect those who focus on the greater good rather than self-serving special interests. Now that I have finished this book, I will try to survive the next year of politics in our country by primarily reading other genres.

[WM D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last politician was a very good book. The author told the story of how the Biden administration navigated the world’s problems and how they were able to overcome the obstacles that were in the way and became the foundation of how his administration will be remembered.

[Ethan Hepworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely the case for the Biden presidency. I enjoyed the accounts of the work his top officials and staff were involved in. I always enjoy a good political accounting of the work being done at the top levels of government.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay look at Biden's first years as President. Did allow me an inside view of the manipulations that happen to wrangle votes to pass legislation - like walking a tightrope.

[Sue Merrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the author supposedly interviewed 300 of Biden's staff to write this summary of the president's first two years, he tells the story from the perspective of a fly on the wall describing how all these events and conversations unfolded with very little attribution. He reels out one accomplishment after another from the rollout of the covid vaccines, to pulling Europe together to back Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion, and the passage of lots of legislation: The American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Act, the CHIPS semiconductor bill and the Inflation Reduction Act.

But it's not a puff piece. There are plenty of warts on this self-proclaimed "Gaff Machine" who misspeaks regularly. And the president evidently throws his share of temper tantrums. The author goes into great detail about the botched exit from Afghanistan, neither making apology nor placing blame. Getting legislation passed is messy at best. Foer details the troubled relationship with Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. And he paints Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelensky as rude, arrogant and ungrateful.

And yet all of these problems blend right into Biden's role as a politician, smoothing and pushing, listening and responding. In the end Foer gives Biden's first two years a stamp of approval since Republicans did not get the sweep of Congress often seen in the midterm election. Foer is clear that public anger over the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade probably fueled Democrat success in the midterms more than Biden's performance, and yet that is politics too. And Foer sees Biden as the master of that game.

The question is the title. If Biden is the last politician, what's next? An autocrat or dictator? Can we have democracy without politicians?

[Josh Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice slice of modern political life. Joe Biden is a great president.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm an easy sell on these sort of brief, non-glamorized, but also non-judgmental reviews of recent political history (see all those books on the 2000s Supreme Court I recently devoured). This might be the most recent history I've read about, especially considering Biden's presidency is ongoing. The book naturally produces some knowing sighs when the author mentions that Biden's goal was to stay out of the Middle East during his presidency. Let's see how that worked out...

The Last Politician is fairly fast-paced and offers an enjoyable (though not gossipy) insider's take on the Biden White House. Really, it's best viewed as a recap of the major events of 2020 through 2022 with an emphasis on how the White House dealt with them. It's wild how quickly we forget about things like the vast push to vaccinate everyone and the dramatic pullout from Afghanistan.

There's little in The Last Politician that will convince Republicans that Biden is a fine president. There's also little that will convince Democrats that Biden's a broken old man. Franklin Foer nicely balances achievements with criticism. Ultimately, I came out of the book liking Biden a bit better than my default political interests would suggest.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read covering the highlights of Biden's first two years in office, this account is sympathetic to Biden as an experienced, seasoned pol with a chip on his shoulder but nothing left to prove. Lots of behind-the-scenes details on both domestic and foreign policy (especially the war in Ukraine) give a vivid sense of the back-and-forth politics of the US Congress and the White House.

[Gena Webb · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I expected

I thought this would be a book about President Biden but it was really more about his staff. A ton of insight into them, little into Biden. If there wasn’t so much Trump bashing, perhaps there would have been room for more about Biden. A more appropriate title might be “How Biden’s staff handles his presidency.”

[Eric Gilliland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not written with much insight or imagination. Reads like clipped together Politico articles with all the passion of an AI machine. It's the "politics as usual tone" I found especially annoying. I support the Biden administration, at the very least as a bulwark against total fascism and there's a great book yet to be written on Biden, but this is not the one.

[Neil McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible read, having shunned all things American for several years to catch my breath, it turns out that Biden was the perfect, really the only person with the experience, history and connections to pick up and sort the chaos that was Mr. Mar-a-Lardo.

It was like going from playing Snakes & Latter's with a five year old to playing Chess with Bobby Fisher.

Great read 👏

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's no market for book about President Biden. He's an unpopular figure, reviled by the far right and the far left. And the people in the middle, who probably agree with him the most, have vaguely negative feelings about him. He's too old. Too insider-y. Too... something.

But whatever the take on Biden, there is no doubt he has presided over a fascinating and tumultuous period of public policy. The arrival and rollout of vaccines is what got us out of the Covid-19 pandemic, and that alone could have made for a fascinating book, but he's pulled American out of the Afghanistan quagmire (this takes up a solid chunk in the middle of the book) walked a fine line on supporting Ukrainians against the Russian invasion and now is facing another international challenge in the Israel-Hamas conflict. This book was actually published before the Oct. 7 attacks, there's some stuff about Bibi Netanyahu that clearly previews his reaction to the attacks. He also oversaw some of the most massive pieces of legislation, a good chunk of it bipartisan, in a presidency.

All of this is met with a collective shrug. Frank Foer has a theory for this. Biden is not an ideological figure. He is not the sort of president who captures the public's imagination with celebrity or commands much of their attention at all. Instead, he is a politician, one of the most hated of words these days. It's an idea that both Obama and Trump ran against, even though they're both very good at different types of politics.

Biden is a true politician. But that doesn't always mean he is great at it. He can't command the bully pulpit well, for instance, and the book seems to critique him as too deferential to the congressional process at times. He also sometimes doesn't see obvious political pitfalls as consequences for his decisions — he seems much more focused on what he thinks of as the right decision.

I guess this is the point at which I admit I'm a sucker for this stuff. Clearly, I devote my life to attempting to chronicle the state of politics and policy while we are living in it. And books like these can be useful. It's hard to truly appreciate what you're living through as you're trying to cover it live, and it can be useful to step back and think about it in a more holistic way.

My only complaint with this book, which I also had of the Romney book, is it ends before the real end of the story. We're far from the end of his first term, and as noted, well before the Oct. 7 attacks, which have reshaped Biden's presidency in a whole new way.

But I get it. The time to sell a book is while they are recent enough in people's minds. We'll just have to wait for historians to take another swipe years down the line.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always been a sucker for these kind of behind-the-scenes weedy exposés about the inner workings of government and “The Last Politician,” about the Biden administration’s first 2 years, does not disappoint. While the book is ostensibly about Biden, in fact much of the narrative focuses on the staff, advisors, and Congressmen that played such pivotal roles in shaping Biden’s first 2 years.

Based on over 300 interviews, Foer does an outstanding job providing an insider perspective on the most pivotal domestic, foreign, and legislative policies that will shape Biden’s legacy, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the flurry of laws that passed only with prolonged painstaking negotiations with Senator Joe Manchin.

Biden himself comes across as largely sympathetic in the narrative (which makes sense given the fact that most of Foer’s sources are coming from within the administration). He is empathetic, gracious and self deprecating with others, consultative, and is propelled by genuine conviction born of decades of experience. This is no puff piece, however, and Biden can also come accross as short-tempered, self-pitying, and of course famously undisciplined in his public comments. I will point out that there is no indication in the narrative suggesting the President was in any way cognitively impaired, and Foer suggests that Biden’s frequent flubs may stem from being overly self-conscious. While presidents Trump and Obama were comfortable speaking extemporaneously to the press, according to Foer Biden “obsessed” over preparation for his first press conferences, pouring over briefing books to prepare for any possible question and hyper sensitive to getting things wrong, which may contribute to his frequent flubs far more than any memory loss. In general though, both Biden supporters and critics will find plenty in the book to pull from in support of their views.

The real value of a book like this though isn’t the collection of anecdotes but the ability to really humanize how our government works and why decisions are made. “The Last Politician” showcases the personalities, egos, idealists, and political operators that served during a remarkable period and it’s a pity so many Americans are so detached from it all.

[Alex Gruenenfelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is not remotely the first book that I've read about the administration of President Joe Biden, I found it to be a particularly strong one. Seeing Biden as one of the last of the old school of establishment politicians, the author explores the pluses and setbacks of applying aging lessons of compromise and back-slapping in a modern political environment. And yet, despite all of this, the first two years of the Biden presidency ended up being fairly strong. This is exactly what this book studies in compelling detail, seeing the aging president "as the old hack who could."

This book covers a massive amount of territory, jumping from short chapter to short chapter in a relevant, readable, and occasionally gossipy narrative. There are certainly times where something more linear might be appreciated by readers, but real life politics is rarely linear. I also felt like the book provided a unique lens into Biden's mind, showing all of the detailed research that he does on policies and issues. Since we often only see portrayals of a gaffe-ridden old man, this book provides a wider portrait in authenticity.

I appreciated that this wasn't a super biased narrative, for or against the incumbent president and his administration. Instead, everyone involved is depicted as a fairly sympathetic or understandable real person, who is subject to critique for the actions that really did provoke widespread criticism. If you want a good look inside the behind-the-scenes action that has brought Biden era policy to life, this is a great pick for you. I recommend it to fellow politics junkies, and I recommend it more broadly to those disaffected voters who are debating whether or not Biden deserves a second term.

[Mmetevelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foer has given us a look into the White House in the first half of the Biden presidency which reveals Biden's view of his office and the difficult way that politics is carried out in the current climate. From the vaccine roll-out, through the negotiations with Manchin over landmark climate and social legislation, the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the American proxy involvement in the defense of Ukraine, Foer provides a very easy to follow narrative which will tell you a lot of things you didn't know. This is a book well in the style of the behind the scenes looks at government that Bob Woodward has perfected. If it has any flaws it comes from Foer's penchant to root for his subject a little and his less than fair (if not egregiously partisan) portrayal of the other side.

The picture of Biden that emerged made me appreciate Biden more. Joe Biden is an experienced politician who might struggle with the bully pulpit (though he overcame a lot for that too) but who is deeply patriotic, is engaged but not overly immersed in public policy, a church-goer who draws deep wells of compassion from his personal tragedies, and a global leader supremely capable of handling relationships with other powers. His flaws were on full display too in his grandiose view of his administration as the second coming of FDR and JFK fueled by historians like John Meachum, his easy way of getting irritated with his press coverage (a bit like Trump though you'd never know), and of course his age.

This is a positive leaning, though mostly balanced look at Joe Biden that everyone planning to vote in the next election should read to get more a full picture of the incumbent. Foer is a great journalist too and very readable.

[Bill Tress · Rating 4 out of 5]

The words, the last politician, have an ominous sound, they point to our Country’s decline, they point to the fact that we have no statesmen visible on the horizon, no Lincolns, no Churchill’s, or Roosevelts who can lead us away from the abyss. We can only trust in the future, with the knowledge that great men have stepped up in the past during our hour of need, yet we fear that the title may be correct. Do we have the right to expect these miracles to continue?
This story details the inner workings of the first two years of Joe Biden’s Presidency. Foer describes the triumphs and failures incurred in the fight to save our democracy after the disastrous Presidency of Donald Trump. While there is some partisanship in his narrative, he backs up his statements with facts.
Foer’s delightful narrative gives the reader the impression that Foer is in the room when momentous decisions are being debated and implemented. He names the participants, and their secret discussions. Much is done behind the scenes, and I think it is unfortunate. Biden in many ways has saved this Country as well as securing the passage of legislation that has benefitted the middle class in this Country. Unfortunately, he has been attacked by the ult-right and the man he replaced. They interfere with the progress he has made in the areas of covid prevention, climate change and a fair and equitable economy that does benefit only the rich. The opposition party’s constant harping on his age and every mistake valid or perceived, large, or small that his administration has made impacts his ratings. Foer’s book if read by all citizens would change that perception.
The two years he has been in office are made extraordinary by the range of issues this administration faced from medical emergencies like the pandemic caused by the virus Covid to an invasion of Ukraine by Russia. We also see a President who makes every effort to improve the lives of the average American citizen while fighting uncontrollable issues. Foer’s view provides an insider’s view of the workings of the Administration. It struck this reader how difficult it is to get consensus on anything and how hard everyone from the President on down his administration works to make changes that will benefit the middle class. It raises the question, why would anyone want to be President? Is the answer the reason we are seeing the last politician?
There are powerful people in this administration whom the average observer has never heard of; some are staff members and others are outside advisers. The phrase mentioned in the book is Hacks and Wonks. The first thing that strikes the reader is how powerful these people are, they develop the strategy for passing legislation, they write the specific language into the law, and they work with and cajole everyone from a senate staffer to even Heads of State to get the Administrations proposed laws implemented. These anonymous people fly around the world to consult with and confront other governments on behalf of our Country and the President. Foer makes clear that Joe Biden not only has the final say, but he provides the vision and direction while employing his ministers to sell his ideas our Country and the world.
The term last politician refers to Joe Biden, a man with decades of experience in the highest levels of government. He has worked for and advised many Presidents during crisis; he is battle tested. Biden is on a first name basis with most of the current world leaders and does not hesitate to pick up the phone to engage in friendly banter and to discuss the latest crisis. This makes Biden unique because there are no other politicians in either party who has the decades long experience to have made these important contacts. This personal trust built over the years helps to build coalitions and solve worldwide problems. Foer points out that Joe has an intuition and instincts developed from his years of experience and he does not hesitate to govern his administration, based on instinct while sometimes ignoring conventual wisdom. His successes were varied like the harnessing the Defense Production Act to speed free vaccinations and the production of protective equipment was instrumental in the fight to contain covid, the legislation like the American Rescue Plan to deal with climate change that will have a lasting effect on the American people. Biden’s contribution to the well being of the citizens of this Country goes unrecognized and unappreciated by the public because among his idiosyncrasies is a propensity to make a gaffe in a speech or trip while deplaning, these things make him appear old so despite his achievement his ratings are poor.
The book covers the entire two years, yet it is most compelling in the discussions regarding his decision to end the US involvement in Afghanistan and the US support for the Ukraine after they are attacked by Russia. Biden’s decision to leave Afghanistan can be considered the right thing to do, yet the failure of the military and his administration to effectively extract itself was a colossal disaster and a humiliating mistake that received worldwide negative attention. His support for Ukraine was also the right thing to do and he has worked hard on Ukraine’s behalf to repel the Russian invasion.
The book leaves the reader with questions like why anyone would want to be President of the United States? Maybe from Biden’s perspective it is to save democracy and improve the lives of its citizens. Foer looks at the first two years of Joe’s fight to preserve our democracy and to improve the lives of the American people and it is most compelling. This reader wishes that the administration and the media did a better job of acknowledging Joe Biden’s successes despite the constant belligerence of his advisories. I agree with Foer’s point that Joe Biden maybe the last Politician/Statesman that this Country ever produces. God help this Country if this is true!