The Last Politician

Inside Joe Biden's White House and the Struggle for America's Future

By: Franklin Foer

Narrated by: Sean Patrick Hopkins, Franklin Foer

The New York Times bestseller

Franklin Foer tells the definitive insider story of the first two years of the Biden presidency, with exclusive access to Biden’s longtime team of advisers, and presents a gripping portrait of a president during this momentous time in our nation’s history.

"You might love Biden or you might hate Biden, but either way, if you want to understand him, you will want to buy this book."—Politico

“A triumph of reporting.”—Geoff Bennett, PBS NewsHour

“Deeply reported . . . a terrific read.”—Chuck Todd, Meet the Press

“Fantastic . . . The first real insider account of the Biden White House and a fascinating read about Biden himself.”—Jon Favreau, Pod Save America

On January 20, 2021, standing where only two weeks earlier police officers had battled with right-wing paramilitaries, Joe Biden took his oath of office. The American people were still sick with COVID-19, his economists were already warning him of an imminent financial crisis, and his party, the Democrats, had the barest of majorities in the Senate. Yet, faced with an unprecedented set of crises, Joe Biden decided he would not play defense. Instead, he set out to transform the nation.

With unparalleled access to the tight inner circle of advisers who have surrounded Biden for decades, Franklin Foer dramatizes in forensic detail the first two years of the Biden presidency, concluding with the historic midterm elections. The result is a gripping and high-definition portrait of a major president at a time when democracy itself seems imperiled.

The Last Politician is a landmark work of political reporting—which includes thrilling, blow-by-blow insider reports of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan and the White House’s swift response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine—that is destined to shape history’s view of a president in the eye of the storm.

©2023 Franklin Foer (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“How will the history of the Biden administration be written: as the turning point when America began to heal or as a hiatus between moments of deadlock and adversity? Franklin Foer’s The Last Politician, an account of Biden’s first two years in office, is the first draft of an answer. It has the makings of high drama. Crisis follows crisis . . . Foer’s book is above all a psychodrama of America’s political class.”—Adam Tooze, The New York Times Book Review

“Journalist Franklin Foer's new book, The Last Politician, tells the story of a presidency 50 years in the making, diving deep into President Biden's life and career. The book also explores the workings of Biden's current administration and searches for answers on who Biden really is behind the scenes.”—CBS News

“We’ve read every Biden book, and Foer’s is by far the best study of Biden since Richard Ben Cramer’s What it Takes. You might love Biden or you might hate Biden, but either way, if you want to understand him, you will want to buy this book.”—Politico

Enlightening to a conservative

America makes it open season on any President, regardless of political persuasion. I, like many are concerned about his age. To listen to the nuts and bolts exercise of our power is to peer deeper. Regardless of our personal politics, we should be rooting for the man to survive and make careful choices. I admire and revere the Office of the Presidency.

An in-depth biography of Biden at a key moment

Frank Foer does a great job bringing readers into the White House, behind the scenes for the key decisions of Biden’s first two years. It’s an excellent window through which to judge the new president in a role for the ages; the ideal ideal frame to see Bidens’s legislative accomplishments and the prosecution of the Ukraine war.

Mostly foreign policy based

I was hoping for more about the Inflation Reduction Act, the 2022 midterms, or the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. There’s a good amount in here about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that was interesting, but mostly it’s about failures in Afghanistan and successes in Ukraine. Those are interesting subjects, but I would be very interested in a book focused more on domestic achievements.

The truth about who Joe really is

Forget the facile media narrative of Joe Biden being senile: he's the most competent and effective president of the last 40 years, maybe of my lifetime.

Insightful look in the first 2 of years of the Biden admin

Would’ve loved a deeper dive—all in all great book, fairly surface level look in the admin

A Lot of Sycophancy and Hyperbole

This was not exactly an objective evaluation of Joe Biden's presidency. The first part of the book seemed pretty objective, but the last third of the book just seemed like a paean to an old man. There was very little balance in discussing things like depleting the strategic oil reserve, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the impact of the Dobbs decision on the mid-term elections. By the end of the book, the author was falling all over himself ascribing superlatives to Biden. Little was said of Biden's penchant for misrepresentation of facts (Uncle Bosie comes to mind), his policies on immigration, inflation, or crime. Biden is painted as some kind of intuitive super hero whose years of experience can overcome the obvious cognitive decline seen in the past two years. Given the current situation on college campuses, and his lukewarm support for "America's greatest ally" in the middle east, the increases in crime, homelessness, and inflation, the "strategic wisdom" the author says Biden has to read the American voter and the rest of the world seems in question. Sorry to say, this feels like just another political propaganda piece. If you love Joe Biden, you'll love this book. If you hate Joe Biden, you'll find this book annoying. If you're lukewarm about Biden, you'll probably just say, "meh, another political fluff piece."

Pap

I knew going in this was an “approved” retelling. What I had hoped for was for some objectivity to slip through. I found none.

Superb insight and critical counter to mainstream narrative

Superb insight and critical counter to the mainstream narrative promulgated by oligarch-owned corporate media that has brought American democracy to the brink.

A testament to the dignity, compassion, and power of true public service.

A must-read, share, and discuss.

Superb

Well written and well read. So refreshing to read something with true depth of understanding of this extraordinary public servant. Sadly, selfless public service is becoming extinct in this country. I hope more people can learn from this example and choose to emulate it.

Politics Joe Biden style

It was good to get a peak at the inner workings of the Biden administration. The book looks at both the victories and defeats of the administration. It focuses on how Joe Biden processes and handles conundrums and works towards negotiated solutions. It helps one understand the nuances of the process and leaves one with a deeper appreciation of President Biden.