Synopsis
"Come On, Man!: The Truth About Joe Biden's Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Presidency" by Joe Concha is a critical examination of Joe Biden’s presidency, portraying it as a period marked by significant failures and missteps that have detrimentally impacted the United States. Concha, a Fox News contributor and media columnist, argues that Biden’s first term, despite beginning with promising circumstances, quickly descended into chaos due to a combination of incompetence and adherence to progressive policies that he claims have harmed the nation. The book opens by highlighting Biden’s initial advantages: securing 81 million votes in the 2020 election, Democratic control of both the House and Senate, a nearly 60 percent approval rating, a recovering economy, and the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Yet, Concha asserts, these favorable conditions were squandered, leading to what he describes as one of the most disastrous presidencies in American history.
Concha details a series of crises that he attributes to Biden’s leadership, painting a picture of a presidency plagued by self-inflicted wounds. He points to the resurgence of COVID-19, which disrupted the anticipated return to normalcy, and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which resulted in the deaths of thirteen U.S. service members and left hundreds of Americans stranded as Afghan allies faced dire circumstances. The book also emphasizes domestic challenges, such as unprecedented inflation reaching forty-year highs, a surge in crime with sixteen American cities setting homicide records, and an influx of over 2.3 million illegal immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Concha further notes international setbacks, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as evidence of weakened American leadership under Biden. These events, he argues, have not only embarrassed the Democratic Party—evidenced by Biden’s exclusion from midterm campaign trails—but also eroded public trust in his administration.
Central to Concha’s thesis is the notion that Biden’s failures are not merely the result of personal incompetence but are deeply tied to the progressive agenda he has embraced. He contends that Biden, often perceived as a moderate, has consistently aligned with policies favored by the left, such as environmental initiatives that Concha claims have driven up gas prices and economic policies that have exacerbated inflation. The book uses sharp, satirical language to critique these decisions, with phrases like “strengthening the middle class by making gas prices higher than Hunter Biden in a motel room” to underscore what Concha sees as the absurdity of Biden’s priorities. Additionally, Concha explores Biden’s public persona, describing him as a politician prone to gaffes and missteps, yet one who has “failed upwards” throughout his career, culminating in his ascension to the presidency despite a history of scandals, including allegations surrounding his son Hunter Biden.
The book also delves into the role of the media, which Concha accuses of enabling Biden’s presidency by downplaying his shortcomings and focusing disproportionately on his predecessor, Donald Trump. He argues that liberal media bias has shielded Biden from scrutiny, allowing him to advance policies that Concha believes are out of touch with the needs of ordinary Americans. Written in a witty, accessible style, the book combines humor with what Concha presents as meticulously researched facts, aiming to both inform and entertain readers. While it has been praised by some for its engaging narrative and sharp critique, others have criticized it as a partisan rant that focuses more on Trump’s loss than on a substantive analysis of Biden’s policies. Nonetheless, "Come On, Man!" positions itself as a call to action, urging readers to recognize the consequences of Biden’s leadership and advocating for a return to what Concha sees as common-sense governance.