Joe Biden has never been known as the most eloquent man. Without belaboring the obvious point of him as a gaffe machine, he is known for inspiring by his own decency as opposed to through his oratory skills. However, at the age of 78, Biden seems to have found a new level to his skills. Even without JFK-like rhetoric, Biden is starting to show that he is equal to the task of rallying the country during a national crisis. In his debut as the leader of the free world, Biden has shown that he can be an inspirational figure.

Biden Is Fast Earning His Place in the History Books

Even if the composition of the current Congress keeps Biden from passing much of his legislative program, the first six months of the Biden Administration will set the tone for his place in the history books. Of course, Biden may end up being remembered every bit as much for who he is not. Nonetheless, after trying to win the White House for 32 years, Biden will want to leave his mark on the country.

Immediately, Biden has reclaimed the title of leader of the free world from Angela Merkel, who did her best to steady the world in the absence of coherent American leadership. Biden has immediately established himself as a trusted leader, even before he has taken the oath of office. It seems to be months since Biden made any misstep, whether verbal or otherwise.

In fact, everything that Biden has done since the election has sent the message that American will once again have steady leadership. From the way that he handled the delayed vote counts to the manner in which he has dealt with Trump's disgraceful coup attempt, Biden has shown some of the steadiest leadership that this country has seen. Even his Cabinet picks have been strikingly on point as he has satisfied nearly all parts of the Democratic Party while avoiding ruffling Republican feathers.

All of this has sent a strong signal to our allies that America intends to reassert herself on the world stage. However, it will take more than just a few months of Biden's flawless decisionmaking and decency to undo the extensive damage that Donald Trump has done to America's reputation. The truth is that it may take decades for the world to forget the havoc that America wreaked under Trump.

The thing that will most lift America up may never happen no matter how decent and steady of a man Joe Biden is. The country may have permanently lost respect globally due to the level of division in America. However, having responsible leadership at the top who seems to have sworn off any type of divisive politics or persona can only be a positive first step to restoring American leadership.

Avoiding Battles Is What Biden Does Best

This is what Biden has committed to do and has delivered upon during his first weeks as President-elect. He has made it clear that he is not trying to begin the third Obama Administration, but rather intends to inaugurate the first Biden Administration. His brand appears to be going out of his way to reach out everywhere while making sure not to upset anyone. He is even managing to diffuse possible battles with progressives without capitulating.

The world is watching America with a sense of horror right now due to the spike in COVID-19 cases and the image of the American President golfing while the G-20 tries to deal with COVID-19. However, there is also a renewed sense that America will be back soon once Biden takes office. Even with Mitch McConnell in the way and a stronger Republican Party, just the mere tone coming from the White House and the change of control at the State Department has begun to reassure our allies.

All of this has been due to the dexterity with which Biden has handled the election and the transition. He even dealt with the blocked transition with skill and class. Many people did not realize that Biden had this level of deliberateness as they mistook his penchant for gaffes with a lack of political skill. While Biden may lose some of the veneer of rising above when he has to get to the nuts and bolts of government, he is doing exactly what he needs to do during one of the darker periods in American history.