For years, the claim of Joe Biden being a beacon of decency has persisted. That's been largely due to a press-driven narrative extolling the president's supposed ability to connect with those who are suffering. He's even been dubbed the "empathizer-in-chief" at times. 

Reality tells a far different story, though. One recent example involved a U.S. Marine who survived the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. In a recent interview, Tyler Vargas, who lost an arm during the evacuation from Kabul, spoke of his encounter with Biden and noted that the president's lack of care left his mother "furious." 

Some of the Gold Star parents created during the bombing told similar stories, noting that Biden spent their time together talking about his own son, falsely insinuating he died in combat. Then there was the instance where, while at Dover AFB for the dignified transfer of the bodies of those who died, the president was photographed checking his watch. 

I'd also note that all those examples center on just one situation. Stepping outside what happened in Afghanistan, I could also cite Biden's deplorable behavior while visiting Maui following the deadly wildfire there or his joking about ice cream while doing a presser on the deadly mass shooting in Nashville, and that's just this year. 

In short, there's nothing empathetic about Biden's demeanor, and now, the president's own biographer is confirming that. 

Biden biographer ⁦@FranklinFoer⁩, on Biden: “For a man vaunted for his empathy, he could be detached, even icy, when confronted with the prospect of human suffering.” https://t.co/WywAn9IoL8

— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) August 29, 2023

In a meandering piece meant to largely excuse Biden's failures, the biographer tosses the president under the bus, wittingly or not, confirming what many of us have seen for years. There was never any care by the president about the suffering his policies might cause. It was simply a stubborn political decision meant to produce a PR victory just before the anniversary of 9/11. In the end, he didn't get the photo-op he so craved. Unfortunately, it cost the lives of 13 American service members and hundreds of Afghans to deprive him of that selfish, shallow pursuit. 

Perhaps as we head into the 2024 election season, the myth of Biden being empathetic and caring will finally be put to bed. He is a man who only cares about himself. The president has shown that over and over again. It's high time people start treating him that way.