A friend and confidante of Joe Biden has shared an insider account into the new President's private persona, revealing what he's really like behind closed doors.
Mark Gilbert, the former US Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, has known Biden for 17 years. Speaking to The AM Show on Thursday (NZ time), the day of Biden's official inauguration, Gilbert praised the President as a dedicated father and grandpa, experienced politician and the "right man" to reunite America at the "right time".
"He's exactly the man that you see. He's honest, he has a big heart, he very much cares about people. I believe he's going to be a great President," Gilbert shared from his Florida home.
"There's nothing more important to him than family. When he came to New Zealand, he brought three of his granddaughters with him and he travelled with them quite a bit. It means a lot to him and it's something that he has shown his entire career."
Despite concerns regarding Biden's age - at 78, he is the oldest person to enter the White House - Gilbert says the former Vice President is smart, switched on, and supported by a "great team".
"As someone who has spent a lot of time with him, he's still incredibly smart, very experienced, he's put a great team around him," Gilbert said.
"He can be fiery about a lot of subjects, but the one thing I believe you'll see in Joe Biden is someone who is the right man at the right time, trying to reunite our country."
And Biden is not planning on pulling out after one term. The grandfather-of-five intends to serve his maximum eight years in office, Gilbert said, if his administration is re-elected in 2024.
"His intent is not only to serve four years, but if things go well, maybe an additional four," Gilbert shared.
"He comes in with 36 years of experience in the Senate, eight years as Vice-President, and probably one who knows more world leaders than anyone else.
"I believe he's the right man for the right time."
When asked by The AM Show host Duncan Garner if he believed Biden could win over even the most fractious Trump supporters - referring to the rioters who stormed the US Capitol two weeks ago - Gilbert reiterated Biden's promise to be a President for all Americans.
"I don't know if the so-called 'thugs' will like you at any time, but what he will do is try to govern for the entire country. The group that invaded the Capitol two weeks ago doesn't represent the majority of the US, and Biden knows that. His job to do is to bring the country back together from the four years of lies."
Gilbert also spoke of the nationwide division provoked under Biden's predecessor, businessman and former reality television star Donald Trump. The highly controversial leader, who claimed he was the rightful winner of the election despite the certification of Biden's triumph - maintaining unsubstantiated allegations that widespread voter fraud had rigged the results - used his final address to promise that his self-proclaimed "greatest political movement" had only just begun.
Gilbert rebuked Trump's declaration, arguing that a presidency should be about the people - not the self.
"When Donald Trump left today, he talked about a movement he created - the President is not about a movement, the presidency is about governing the US," he said. "For Trump, it was about him. Joe Biden will take us back to what a President should be.
"The four-year experiment failed, and if you look at Trump's approval rating when he left, it was incredibly low. I don't believe we could have survived an additional four years of Trump and what he was trying to do to America."
Regardless of his friendship with the President, Gilbert claims it's a new beginning for a country weatherbeaten by a four-year political storm.
"Not only because he's my friend, but I believe he's the one person who had the chance to not only beat Donald Trump, but do it in a way where he could bring back many of the disaffected Republicans to help lead our country forward."
Joe Biden was officially sworn-in on January 20 (local time).
