Franklin Foer’s “The Last Politician,” an account of Biden’s first two years in office, is the first draft of an answer. The problem is that, from Biden’s bleak inauguration to the surprise result of the midterms, we know the story in advance. Unless, as he seems at times to be hinting, the scripted, typecast feel that his book exudes is the truth about the present administration. One of the more telling cameos in the book describes how the Oval Office has been physically rearranged to create the stage for Biden’s presidential storytelling. A giant portrait of Franklin Roosevelt now takes “pride of place” above the office hearth.

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Persons: Joe Biden’s, Franklin Foer, Biden, Franklin Foer’s “, Biden’s, Franklin Roosevelt, Trump, “ Bibi ”, ” Biden, Bibi Organizations: America, Biden, Al, Associated Press Locations: Gaza, Al Jazeera, Palestine