David Lienemann - Biden: The Obama Years and the Battle for the Soul of America

It is sometimes hard to believe that Joe took office as Vice President of the United States over a decade ago. Even after his 36 years of service in the Senate, our move from Wilmington, Delaware, to Washington, D.C., was a drastic change. We were suddenly surrounded by so many new faces. The staff who came to work with us at the White House were driven by the hope to change the world. That was David Lienemann: young and idealistic. We watched them grow up by our sides as we traveled the world, greeting U.S. military service members in Iraq, my fellow teachers in North Carolina, and Americans across the country whose lives were improved by the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Over the years, we watched these men and women grow into accomplished advocates, strategists, and experts.

A good photographer goes unnoticed, capturing scenes without being part of them, finding his way into the most intimate of circumstances without disrupting the fragile moment. In the eight years that David documented Joes work, he met that bar with skill and grace. As David seamlessly wove himself into the day-to-day of Joes life, he became something more than just a photographerhe became one of Joes most honest advisors. Our friend.

Serving alongside President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama was a tremendous honoran opportunity to make real change to our country in ways that would improve lives. For me, that meant finding a new school to continue my 30-year teaching career, but also learning to use my voice outside of the classroom, advocating for the students and military families I cared about so deeply. For Joe, it meant a bigger stage from which to fight for people like the ones he grew up with in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Looking at Davids photographs, I am filled with deep pride. He captured it all: the hours of work, the questions and negotiations, the emotions that spanned from such incredible highs to such heartbreaking lows, every hard-fought battle.