Jeffrey Haycraft is a resident of Camden.
By any reasonable standard of political critique, Mr. Frank Daniels’ Opinion, “The absolutely disastrous four years of Biden,” is not a serious piece of commentary. It is a rambling, conspiratorial and factually inaccurate broadside that recycles the most extreme partisan talking points, while offering no credible evidence, logical consistency or respect for the truth. Here is a point-by-point response to set the record straight.
‘Joe Biden was … not the president but a body that sat in the Oval Office’
This grotesque claim is the central lie upon which Daniels builds his house of cards. Biden conducted over 250 presidential press briefings and public engagements in 2021 alone, according to Factba.se and the White House’s own transcript archives. He traveled extensively — domestically and internationally — and led the United States through an unprecedented pandemic recovery, infrastructure renewal and global crisis management. This is not the record of a passive placeholder. It is the record of a functioning, active president.
‘How did he get elected? He was kept in his basement for the bulk of the presidential campaign, yet somehow, he won’
Another tired conspiracy theory. In reality, President Biden’s health has been a frequent topic in both mainstream and conservative media, often scrutinized far more than his predecessor’s. News organizations, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and even Fox News, have questioned his stamina, speech patterns and public gaffes. Pretending there was a media blackout is simply dishonest.
‘In a little over 100 days, President Donald Trump has done what Biden said could not be done — close our border sans congressional action’
There is no independent confirmation that Donald Trump has “closed the border” in any legal or sustainable way. Immigration data shows a complex picture: Border encounters dropped briefly in early 2025 due to aggressive, legally questionable executive action — such as mass deportations and asylum restrictions that are already being challenged in court. Meanwhile, Biden’s administration secured bipartisan funding for border technology, processing centers and regional diplomacy, reducing border crossings by over 40% in mid-2023. These are the real, lawful and constitutional tools of immigration enforcement — not authoritarian-style edicts.
‘Probably the most destructive policy initiated by Joe, and an absolute danger to our national security, was that of an open border’
False. Biden maintained and expanded several enforcement mechanisms, including Title 42 early in his presidency, and later implemented stricter asylum policies under pressure. His administration removed a record 2.4 million people in 2022 and 2023 — numbers that outpaced many of Trump’s years. The “open border” trope is political fiction.
‘His ridiculous, dangerous and foolish comment about a “minor” incursion by Vladimir Putin into Ukraine … gave Putin the green light to invade’
The notion that Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine based on a single remark in a press conference defies serious strategic analysis. Putin had long sought to reassert Russian influence over Ukraine, beginning with Crimea in 2014 under Barack Obama and Biden’s predecessors. Biden rallied the largest NATO coalition in decades, directed billions in coordinated aid and successfully avoided direct U.S. military entanglement — all while crippling Russia’s economy through sanctions. That is measured, strategic leadership — not weakness.
‘Joe … touted the withdrawal from Afghanistan as a monumental success’
Biden inherited the withdrawal agreement signed by Donald Trump in 2020, which released 5,000 Taliban prisoners and set a May 2021 exit date. Biden extended the deadline to August, oversaw the largest air evacuation in U.S. history (over 124,000 people evacuated) and faced the tragic consequences of 13 service member deaths — deaths he publicly and repeatedly mourned. The withdrawal was deeply flawed, yes, but to call it celebrated or ignored is an outright lie.
Biden ‘flatly disobeyed the Supreme Court’s decision concerning the dropping of … loans’
Another deliberate mischaracterization. After the court blocked Biden’s initial forgiveness plan, his administration pursued legal alternatives under the Higher Education Act — which it is legally entitled to do. Biden’s revised program was tailored to fit within constitutional bounds and is now actively delivering relief to millions. That is responsive governance — not defiance.
‘Under Joe, government control of our lives grew enormously because of his erratic and socialistic increases in regulations’
The size of government has steadily grown under every modern president, including Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. What Biden did was invest in long-neglected sectors: infrastructure (bipartisan bill), climate resilience, semiconductor manufacturing and health care access. His CHIPS act brought critical supply chains back to American soil. If Daniels wants to call that “socialism,” then perhaps he also condemns Dwight Eisenhower’s interstate highway program.
‘He ridiculed Americans with religious beliefs, as well as parents who only wanted what was best for their children’
Flatly untrue. Biden is a practicing Catholic, who speaks often about his faith. The Department of Justice under his leadership investigated specific threats of violence — not parenthood or faith. Protecting public officials and educators from intimidation is not persecution; it’s the law.
‘You could easily see how angry he was and how much he had probably grown to truly dislike the United States’
This is character assassination. Biden’s speeches — including his inaugural address — focused on unity, healing and American ideals. Disagree with his policies if you must, but alleging hatred of the country is ugly slander.
‘Hence, the election of a senile individual, who almost destroyed this country’
No credible medical professional has diagnosed President Biden with dementia, and Daniels’ speculation is both baseless and indecent. As for the election: Biden won with over 81 million votes. Trump’s own attorney general, Bill Barr, said there was no widespread voter fraud. Courts across the country — many with Trump-appointed judges — agreed.
‘The American public … gave President Trump the mandate to bring this nation back from oblivion’
In November 2024, Trump won narrowly in several swing states — not a mandate but a result of the Electoral College. The Senate remains closely divided, and the House of Representatives was barely won by Republicans. Daniels may wish for a political landslide, but that’s not what happened in actuality.
Mr. Daniels’ Opinion is not simply wrong; it is a dangerously unserious distortion of recent history. Americans deserve better than armchair diagnosis, conspiracy theory and nostalgia for authoritarian rhetoric disguised as patriotism. We can — and must — debate policy. But those debates must begin with facts, not fiction.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
