Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a matter of opinion, not something I can answer factually—it depends on political values, priorities, and how different people weigh his policies and their outcomes. I can give you a balanced rundown of his record so you can judge for yourself.
Economic policy
•He signed the American Rescue Plan (COVID relief), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act—landmark legislation on infrastructure, domestic manufacturing, and clean energy.
•Unemployment stayed low for much of his term, and the economy avoided a widely predicted recession.
•However, inflation surged to 40-year highs in 2022, and persistently elevated prices/interest rates became a major political liability, contributing to Democrats' losses in 2024.
Foreign policy
•He rallied NATO and Western allies to support Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion, strengthening the alliance.
•The 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal was widely criticized as chaotic, including the deaths of 13 U.S. service members at Kabul airport.
•His handling of the Israel-Gaza war drew criticism from multiple sides—some said he was too supportive of Israel, others that he didn't do enough to pressure Israel or get aid into Gaza.
Domestic/social issues
•He pursued student loan forgiveness efforts, though the Supreme Court struck down his initial broad plan.
•Immigration and border crossings became a significant political vulnerability, with record encounters at the southern border for parts of his term.
•He appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.
Age and capacity concerns
•Concerns about his age and mental sharpness grew throughout his term and became a dominant issue after his poor debate performance against Trump in June 2024, ultimately leading him to drop his reelection bid.
Approval ratings
•His approval ratings were generally underwater for most of his presidency, rarely exceeding the mid-40s and often dipping into the high 30s.
Bottom line: Supporters point to major legislative achievements, strong alliance-building, and economic resilience post-COVID. Critics point to inflation, the Afghanistan withdrawal, border policy, and concerns about his fitness for office. Historians and the public will likely debate his legacy for years—there's no single "correct" verdict.
If you want, I can dig deeper into any specific area (economy, foreign policy, a particular law, his approval ratings over time, etc.).