For better, and optimistically not worse, it appears that Joe Biden will be our next president, provided his candidacy survives pending recounts. There may be some attributes of his potential administration that, though portending merit, currently are not discussed. Topics such as what might in the future be labelled Bidenomics, and any ability to put the Covid-19 pandemic in the rear view mirror, are certain to be debated. 

Biden first became a senator, representing Delaware, upon winning election in 1972. It is a position he held for about 36 years! The man is a long-term politician with experience that rivals or exceeds that of past stalwarts such as Teddy Kennedy (D-MA), and perhaps approaches that of former presidents pro tempore like Strom Thurmond (R-SC), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), or Ted Stevens (R-AK). 

If one can currently maintain that Barack Obama was a very good president, with a nearsighted historical lens, the one-term senator’s relations with the legislature were not a strong point.

In contrast, there is reason to suspect that Biden has a capacity to maintain positive relations with Congress. He has served with persons who continue to be senators currently. There is a chance that he can enjoy work with past colleagues. He has also, of course, presided over the Senate during his terms as vice president. 

Biden made a recent statement that if Obama would like a place on the Supreme Court he would nominate the former president. His comments aired through the media. However, Biden subsequently clarified that Obama does not want the job, thus relaying communications made by his former boss through something similar to a domestic back channel.

There has already been question about who Biden might nominate for cabinet positions. He could perhaps do well to further the career of Democratic public figures such as former mayor Pete Buttigieg, who won the state of Iowa during the 2019 Democratic primary (Trump arguably helped former governor Jon Huntsman along by making him an ambassador). Evidently a probable Republican Party majority in the Senate lowers the ease of any sitting Democratic senator’s appointment because of votes needed to pass legislation. 

As has been mentioned at this blog previously, Biden is calling for ingenuity to help with problems such as pollution or climate change. One advocate of innovation, claiming it is “what drives the economy,” is Edmund Phelps, a distinguished academic who might be older than Biden. Perspective on his contributions is lacking here; however, the tenor of his articles can set them apart from those of other economists. Maybe there is a chance that Biden will select Phelps for an advisory position? Phelps expressed his support for the Biden/Harris ticket recently. Alternatively, there might be someone from within the campaign waiting in the wings.

Phelps, in some capacity, could be a worthwhile change to that of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) advocate Lawrence Summers, who has drawn criticism. Summers is apparently known for esteemed, 20th century academic work and identity as a past secretary of the United States Treasury (and as a New Keynesian by some, though he is evidently critical of the category). What might be described as his subsequent political standing has come under fire though. 

In order to emerge as inspirational, a person probably needs to rise above expectations. Some of the potential strengths of a Biden presidency include relations with Congress, the Senate in particular, and political communications. Even if he is among the greatest at the above, such qualities might not render him outstanding. 

As with his executive appointments, they may be worth following amid the chance that other capabilities emerge.